Juneteenth and the Fight for Climate Justice
by Sonam Velani New York City designated Juneteenth as an official city holiday on June 19, 2020, with the federal government following a year later. However, the history of this day far predates these official pronouncements - on June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger finally arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. While President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years before the end of the war, it wasn’t until this date that enslaved people in Texas knew they were free.
Juneteenth Family Day in Pelham Bay
On Juneteenth, we come together to celebrate the ancestors and leaders who fought for freedom. Their power, resiliency, and tenacity lives on today, as we continue to fight for equal rights and environmental justice for communities across the country.
There is an undeniable link between racial and environmental discrimination, as is evidenced by the longstanding impact of the climate crisis on Black communities. Historic segregation has resulted in African Americans living in less desirable flood prone areas in many cities throughout the United States. Communities of color are also more likely to experience pre-existing health conditions and poor living conditions than their white counterparts, and are up to 60% more likely to die as a result of poor air quality. A lack of power and representation in political and economic systems makes it difficult for these communities to build climate resilience in the face of an ever-warming world.
There is so much work to do and change to be had. We wish you a Happy Juneteenth and encourage you to take action in your own community - leverage this history in your fight for climate justice. Below is a list of resources to get you started!
The Intersectional Environmentalist, Book, Leah Thomas
Links Between Racism and the Environment, Resources, New York Times
Addressing Environmental Racism with Robert Bullard (“Father of Environmental Justice”), Interview, Journal of International Affairs
Sustainability and Environmental Justice, Video, Robin Morris-Collin
WOC/CS Talent Network, Resource, Women of Color Collective in Sustainability
Environmental Justice Factsheet, Resources, University of Michigan
Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility, Book, Dorceta Taylor
There’s Something in the Water, Documentary, Netflix
New York City Participatory Budgeting Process, Resource, NYC City Council
by Sonam Velani