Ecology Center to Host Special Screening of “Between the Sun and the Sidewalk” to Support Berkeley Soda Tax

Berkeley, CA, September 17, 2024 --(PR.com)-- On November 5, it's Berkeley Vs Big Soda…again. In 2014, Berkeley championed the first successful US campaign to tax sugary drink companies and support health equity. In the following years it spread to Oakland, San Francisco, Albany, and jumped states to Philidelpia, PA and Boulder CO. In 2018, several other cities were on the march when Big Soda tried to stop the expansion of local soda taxes by extorting the legislature and governor to pass a statewide preemption law, AB 1838.

That preemption lost a legal challenge in 2022, and now Berkeley and Santa Cruz are once again pressing forward. Santa Cruz is seeking a $0.02/oz tax on the companies distributing soda, and Berkeley is seeking to eliminate the sunset of their tax. Both are “Measure Z” on their respective local ballots.

The Ecology Center, an anchor organization for the Yes on Measure Z Campaign, is pleased to announce a special screening of “Between the Sun and the Sidewalk,” a compelling documentary by local filmmaker Helen De Michiel, on October 1, 2024. The event will be held at Rialto Cinema Elmwood, located at 2966 College Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705, from 6-8 PM.

The film tells the inspiring story of young Latino political organizers in Stockton, California, as they advocate for a sugary drink distribution tax, aligning with Berkeley’s initiative to reauthorize its own Soda Tax. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion and reception.

Tickets for the screening are available for $15 general admission and $10 with a student ID. Tickets and more information are available at EcologyCenter.org or https://ecologycenter.org/events/between-the-sun-the-sidewalk-protect-berkeley-soda-tax/ or contact Cynthia Murdough at 925-421-9574 or cynthia@ecologycenter.org.

“The Berkeley Soda Tax has been a groundbreaking model for promoting health equity,” said Martin Bourque, Executive Director of the Ecology Center. “By bringing this film to our community, we aim to celebrate local filmmaking and reinforce our commitment to sustaining grassroots solutions to Big Soda’s attacks.”

The Ecology Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and building a sustainable, healthy, and just future for the East Bay, California, and beyond. Through education, action, and leadership, the Ecology Center transforms sustainability ideals into everyday practice.