Race, Povertv & the A newsletter for social ~n vironmen t and environmental justice Volume I, Number 4 $2.00 Winter 199 1
Women have always been Women in the the guardians of wisdom and humanity, which makes them Movement natural, but usually secret, by Jane Kay Who are the women in the environmental movement? -- Charlotte Wolf What are the issues that spurred them into action? Jane Kay, the environmental writer for the San Francisco Examiner, has met many of these extraordinary people Forest Service and written about their efforts. From the Navajo reser- vation to inner-city Oakland, Ms. Kay shares a few of social justice struggle. by Dianne Saunders From the Navajo women fighting uranium tailings to the Laanas pursuing lead cleanup in Oakland. people of color who bear the brunt of pollution across Wlule media attention has focused on the country are mowng from wctims to activists. efforts to protect tkremai.wng old growth And in grassroots resistance to pollution, women have been leading the way forest ond wilderness ecosystems controlled In calling attenuon to env~ronmentalhealth problems and domg something by tkUS Forest Service, another clrange u about them. happening inside tkorganuanon. S~nce In my uavels as an environmental reporter, I've been awed by women tk19th century, professional ranks of rk Forest Service have been dowunated by men who've led difficult struggles u, get horrendous environmental problems targeted and solved. of European ancestry. A recent court settlemenr is changing all that. Now. rhe Perhaps it's because women aren't as easily inumidated by authority. At an tk US h~stoncwomen's meeting in Window Rock, Anzona In the m~d-1970s. Navajo worlqorce of Forest Serwce must Tnbal Council membu, the wise Annie Waneka, was a model for other reflcct tk massive dcmagrapluc changes women. She found the room for a big national conference locked. She just taking place in Amencan soclery. African American anthropologis~Amahra H~cksrs helping tk Pacific Southwest Region to meet tk challenge. theu children threatened by FOCUS ON America's workforce is changmg. By the dangerous radiauon or chemical emissions or leaded paint or the workforce will be " pesticides or toxic waste incinera- primarily Ahcan Am tors. Women who have never Page Two Wlntw 1001 Ram, Pow& rhr Envvonm~ ; hls issue IS the second of our coordinator of the Video Project, bmgs our readers to seek them out -- several I theme issues, with our focus us two preces: a profile of Amahra are listed in the "Resources" secuon. TI on women of color in the Hicks of the Forest Servrce, and a The can, deteminauon and personal envuonmental movement We have reponback on a recent Urban Habitat growth the women in this issue experi- submiss~onsfrom around the country- meeung. We also have a profile of ence through theu involvement m urban some encouraging. others not so. All Afncan-Amencan acnvlst Cora Tucker, and rural coaliuons provides posruve the piece. are empowenng to people a report on an exciting new publication role models for young people every- rnterested in the where, particularly for young women of effect women of I color. Our hope wrth tfus usue of RPE color are hawng , Editors' Notes is that a few of thestones can be told on the envuon- ' I and shared as examples of what can and mental and social is being accomplished m the face of D justice movment, and tne progress being called We Speak for Owselves, news seemingly overwhelmrng odds. made. We med to solicit our material from the movement, and three other For enviroprnental jusuce, from women of color, where possrble -- reponbacks. we felt that the most honest and direct To focus pnmanly on women of L& &.l,77 way to get the real story was to have the color in the enwonmental and social people most involved share her views. justice movement was an ambruous Ellie Goodwin Jane Kay of the Sun Francisco venture. By no means can just this
Examutcr wntes about women she has issue of RPE do jusace to what a I reported on m envuonmental stones. happening. Withrn these few pages, Race, Poverty & the I Ellie Goodwm, our managing editor, however, are a sampling of success Environment ! I rnterviewed two women involved with stories, major setbacks and outstanding ! MuugfpQ editor I PUEBLO, a Bay Area group that works victories. There are many other ! wrth the ethnically diverse community that Ellle Goodwin publications highlight women I rn Oakland. Dianne Saunders, outreach rnvolved in this work and we encourage I Editorm Carl Anthony Luke Cole ' ' In This Issue... Wctor LC~S , I1 Contributon Women in the Movement, by Jane Kay ...... 1 JM hethy Grace Sukowrki ! Robert Bullard Claude Engle , Forest Service Prepares for the 2151 Century, by Dianne Saunders...... 1 Jane Kay Dlanne Saunders 1 Lisa PUEBLO is the People, an interview by Ellie Goodwin...... 3 Weten 1 I A Resource for the Environmental Justice Subacriptio~ Movement, by Jim Abernathy...... Eleanor Walde n I 4 I 11 Hunter College to Fight Environmental Racism...... 4 k?~. (L th. h~iI'Ofl~19 ; published four times a year. i 1 RPE Profile: Cora Tucker, by Claude Engle ...... 5 Articles are 01990 by their authors: ' I please reproduce RPE by every Summit Planned to Address "Environmental Racismw ...... 1 1 ! means. and g!ve authors crcdlt ,: I We Speak for Ourselves: Social Justice, Race 8 the Environment...... 12 for their work. i Charter subscrfptlons arc $8/ four .I j Traditional Culture, New Agriculture, by Emma Torres...... 13 Issues. $15 for ImUtuUons. or free for low-Income persons and ; 1 A Global Perspective, A Local Meeting, community groups. :I by the United Nations Enviionmental Program...... 17 Articles. stories. reportbacks. j rewurccs and general lnformauon. i Civil Rights Suit Filed to Block Toxic Waste Incinerator ...... 20 are 4accepted MUI sppreciauon. i I .. Send and submWsions ' ,,.. 1 1,. : :'.-'. subscrfpuon .checks to RPE. . : ! . . c/o .m19-d. 300 ~.&dj,~y,:,i:':/, .. j.... Sute 28, +in mClsc9; .~,,9413$2~3~!~;$$~~~;1.:,: .:... . \ ., - .::, :.-g h-,ointly:jpo+j*d @,ths:'~.~.;~:s<;;
RPE: I'd like to start with An RPE Interview in PUEBLO? some background on GH: Some people have PUEBLO and how you both already been ~nvolved~n became involved. organizauons or a pan of Sandra Davis: I became At the center of the environrnentalls~cialjustice some group or somettung that involved ~n PUEBLO as a movement are the grassroots groups. These orga- is working on education student through my college. I issues or childcare. Other took an internship with the nizations take a straight-on, no nonsense approach people that come to the Center for Third World to investigating issues that aflect their communities, group, like me and like our Organizing (CTWO) and often with excellent results. One such group is Asian and Latino members, was, through the internship, People United for a Better Oakland (PUEBLO) -- m~ghtbe a l~ulebit more asked to come on staff when the main force behind the aggressive communiry skeptical. We are so used to PUEBLO stared. We wen people comlng into ow the Campaign for Accessible campaign against lead poisoning in Oakland. ne~ghbohoods,asking Health Care (CAHC). We RPE's Ellie Goodwin interviewed Sandra Davis, questions about our problems started CAHC as a campaign lead organizer and Gwen Hardy, chiefspokesper- and situations and that was around trylng to get the son for PUEBLO. the end of ir No follow-up. county to develop a males Our organlzauon (PL'EBLO) outbreak prevention project L goes into the communlty here in Oakland. I came on as an intern, then was hired as when they themselves. the ones that are there were encow- lead organizer with CAHC. The lead issue that we've been aged to be a part of this. workmg on 1s the second campalgn that we've taken up. RPE: What are some future efforts or projects for PL'EBLO? Gwen Hardy: I became involved through the campaign with SD: Bridging the culnual and language barnen that we've door knockmg in the ne~ghborhood.One of the Interns came run into working in the communlty. What we are looking for Lo my door and asked me queslions concerning health can and is building a multi-issue, mdtielhnic organlzauon for low asking about the CHDP. I didn't really know what income people of colar hue in Oakland. We've come a long CHDP meanr way m the two campaigns we've worked on. Around the lead RPE. What does CHDP stand for? campaign we've really bridged gaps between the Latlno and GH: It's Children's Health and Disability Program. I was the African American community because the ssue, of course. invited to come to a meeting for CAHC and I told them that I affects other people as well but particularly those two commu- would try. I am a grandmother, a morha and a wife. I have a n~ties. This past summer we've had simultaneous rneeungs in husband who is totally disabled. I don't drive and don't have four different communiucs. It's a big challenge because it's transportanon. They said "We'll come and pick you up!" I not just about bringing people together face to face. but really went to the meeting and heard whwas being discussed. At trying to get communicauon going and that means Ungtlm chat point in my Life I needed something to get involved in. I We aied situations where we had simultaneous mslatlon started going to mon and more of the meetings and listening through machines going on, so we had five languages spoken room. But we had folks involved PqoFwr Wlntw r $91 Rro, Pow6 tho Env/ronmr The Environmental Support Center: A Resource Hunter College to Fight for the Environmental Racism Environmental The Community Environmental Health Center (CEHC) at Hunter College has selected Marjone Moore Justice Movement to serve as Program Director. As CEHC's new Ptogram Director, Moore becomes the first Afncan-Amencan director of a ctty-wide envuonmental organlrauon in The Enwonmental Support Center (ESC) was created m New York. early 1990 to serve the tnterests of regional, state, local, and Moore adthe CEHC wtU "take the lead role in grassroots organizations working on envuonmental issues. fighting environmental racism" in New York, which she The impetus for the formation of the Center was the growlng described as "the disproportionate impact of environmen- realization that the health and well-being of those organiza- tal health problems on our city's third world communl- uons u essential to the progress of the environmental move- ues." Ciung the abundance of such undesuable faalitles ment in the United States. as sewage trearment plants, bus depots and hazardous It is obvious that the enactment of federal environmental waste storage sites, Moore declared, "CEHC is prepared laws, changing the behavior of multinational corporations, to work with community residents and groups - to help work in the international arenas. maklng sure that environmen- arm them with the scientific. legal and political infonna- tal issues are adkssed in the nauonal media, and other uon necessary to wage successful fights to protect their acuvities that are the focus of naaonal and international communities." She also expressed her ouaage of the environmental organizaaons an cntical to the environmental persistence of childhood lead poisonmg, 90% of whose movement. victims, according ta the NYC Department of Health, are What has not been as evident is that several of the most Afncan-Amurcan and Latino children. A recent study imponant environmental problems must be solved at the local concluded that children who are lead-poisoned when and state level. Land use management 1s a pnme example as they are very young are seven umes more likely not to is uulity regulation. Water resource policy and facility slung fmish high school. are others. Even the federal regulatory systems for water and In addition to its leadership on lead po~somng aspollution an mostly in the hands of state and regional prevention, CEHC has also published Hazardous government regulators. Cemlyrecycling, environmental Neighbors? Living Nut Door to industry in Greenpoint- education, state and local parks and reserves, and protection Willianubwg, a major study documenung hazardous and enhancement of wetlands and fish and wildlife habitat are waste storage in a densely populated residenual commu- in major ways under the purvlew of state and local aurhroiues. nity, and launched a Youth Environmental Acuon In addition then are the many programs for direct citizen Program, which, in its first year, worked with young involvement which only work well at the neighborhood level. people from Harlem to implement a commuruty-wtde It is undeniably me that national environmental organiza- recycling program. tions, through their members and staff, expend significant 'This year, we'll be iniriacing our Northern Manhattan efforts med at addressing these issues at the sure and local Environmental Resource Center to provide intensive level. However, it is clear that the major burden for this work assistance to Harlem and Washmgton Heights." Moore has and will conunue to be on regional, state, local, and announced "We welcome ideas from communities grassmots organuacions. throughout the city for new environmental projects In many ways the environmental movement at the state and whlch am toward active community participation in and local level is vigorous. Then are thousands of groups conml of major decisions which affect our quality of lnvolv~ngmrllions of citizens. Then is an intensity of effort life." CEHC is also seeking student mtems for several that pervades groups that an all wluntca or operate with a community projtcrs. very small staff which has been very effective over a wide Befon her new appointment. Moon had coordinawd range of issues. the Center's childhood lead poisoning prevention project Rua Pwerfy 1 ILEnvtrmmnt Whtu f DOI Pqa Fiie
RPE Profile: "Racism is a big factor in Q lot of environmental issues... Cora Tucker Most of the time I go to these Founder, Citizens for a Better America traditional environmental "When you say environmental, you're meetings, and I'm the only Black tapping into a lot of issues. Everything is person there. These traditional comected.'' groups ask me what to do. I tell Cora Tucker is a modernday Pied Piper whose entourage- of ctuldren respond to her call: 7"~it.ne&for a Better 'em, then they go and do the America Forward march" '9 In 1975.the Winns creek youth Group ouwwTucker's opposite thing. basement m the southern Virginia town of Halifax. From 20 )uds gathering ~nformallyin hu home, theu numben had -- Cora Tucker grown to 200: Tucker and the youth group vied to build a recreational center. but county funds were approved, then disapproved when some Halifax denuens dkovered the intimate with devotion. Tucker's father was a sharecropper center was to be for Black and white chddren. who died when she was rhree, leaving her mother to nine That year. the group changed iu name to Ciuens for a children. 'There wasn't a choice" whether to become acuve, Better Amenca (CBA) and. under Tucker's inspud auspice. she says. At age SIX she jorned NAACP. CBA campagned the children staned a sene of sweys on local hmg, bank for a pesticide-user licensing bill that Virgmia's Assembly just lending and busmess policies. Asking innocent qucsaons of raufied. family fnends and ne~ghbonyielded an unpleasant surpnse "I cons~dermyself an environmentalist and a few other for the racially mlxed group--this Lhing called r;rm was things. too." She nu on the board of Ihe Nauonal Toxlcs alive and well in theu town. Aftu CB A filed compknu with Campaign and the National Health Care Campaign. VISIIS the feds. Halifax County was ordered to clean up iu hlnng act nursing homes and works personally with "ch~ldrenat nsk." or lose federal revenue-shanng funds. CBA 1s now organuing and fhnghearings m cornmunluss "You have to do something to urfluence the children in thnatcned by toxlcs. whatever you do." Tucker says. Though Tucker did not go In Halifax. Tucker says. whites and Blacks have worked beyond high schml, she believes educauon to be a salvawn. well together when the issue was education-a wtonng "We ask the ctuldren, 'What do you want to do? What do you program, for exampl+-or an environmental threat. But the want to do?'" The next step. says Tucker. is to discuss whar going geu rough. she says. when the issue is race, &scnrn~na- must be done u, realize that dream. You want a recreauonal tion, civil rights. "Racism is a big factor in a lot of en\ Iron- center. bu~ldone. You wonder if chat's me? Investigate. mental issues," Tucker says. "Most of the ume I go LO Lhese Her earbest followen are now adults. and CBA has over mditional environmental meetings, and I'm the only Black 7.000 members In four East Coast clues. "A good arganita- penon then. These uaditional groups ask me what to do. I uon works on all the issues," says Tucker, who heads the tell 'em, then they go and do the oppos~tething. " Halifax- based chapter, CBA has worked on voter regismuon, From 20 kids to 7,000 active Citizens for a Better Arnenca: organizing a union. refarming employment habits and a slew then's something here that can't be denied. "It doesn't have of envuonmental issues. In the county of 30.000 people, Cora anything to do with me pasonally. It's just the urne has come REPORTBACK... many native leaders contend that DOD Program was established. Yet. out of sees the vast empuness of their nsena- 1.6 uillion dollars spent on chc mlllrary Defaue dr EnvvomnencLuwaveCarferencc. uons as far game for abusive mllitary DOD Washurgcan. M, Scpccmber 1-2. 1990 between 1984 and 1989, the spent overflight acuv~ties. jut S2.1 billion for this program. Despite President Bush's re-rnted Defense Departm Toxic Wastes expnsslons of concern for the envuon- Moves on the The Pentagon, despite its mission of men4 the DOD requested only S518 Environment? protecting the U.S., poses a major threat mlllion for the program m fiscal 1990. to America's environment The or abut one sixth of one percent of the On October 10. 1989, Secretary of Pentagon continues to be one of the total military budget Defense Dlck Cheney announced that largest generators of hazarous waste in It b not debateable that DOD needs the Pentagon would enter the environ- the U.S.. possibly in the world. Defense to unprove iu response to envlronmen- mental age and sraud that "I want the activities produce up to 1.5 billion tal problems. Sccntary Cheney did Depamnent of Defense to be the federal pounds of waste yearly in he produc- briefly open a dear, but has that door leader In agency environmental compli- tion. testing and use of chemical been quickly shut in the face of the ance and protecuon." To implement the weapons, explosives and rocket fuels as nation? It has now been five months Secretary's policy. the Pentagon well as nuclear warheads. since the D&EI conference and follow- launched the Defense and the Environ- Virulally every military base'woks up notes promised to conference ment Inluaave (D&EI). with hazardous wastes, and con tamina- attendees have not marenalized. At ths The Pentagon kicked off the DEI Lion. by toxic chemicals is rampant point, DBEI is clearly - and merely - with a September meeting of ova 500 Ships, planes, ranks and maintenance "business as usual" for the Pentagon. people, of whom only 40 wen envuon- yards generate a variety of solid and Across the U.S.,the vast majonty of mentalists. sprinkled amongst Pentagon liquid hatardous waster These include uuic waste siwand mditary ulua- officials and Department of Defense pain&. solvents, petroleum products, hazardous mining acuvlues are louted
(DOD) conuacton. The DOD held the propellanu. explosives, obsolete ' ' in low-income and minonty communl- conference to gain input on how the chemical weapons, and radioactive. ties. ImpiI~tedgmups include Black. Pentagon should fonn its environmental wastes. to name a few. The military's ~MO,Native American. Aslan policies. toxic wastes arc deadly,Unique and American and people who live m There were numerous topics highly vanable. sparsely poplared rural artas. The discussed at the D&EI conference, What's worse. DOD has kept secret concerns of these communities must be ~ncludingNauonal Envuonmenral rhe exzt extent of iu environmenral met, but so far the D&EI process IS not Policy Act procedures. natural resource damage in the name of national secu- addressing these concerns m a meaning- management, pollution prevention, rity. In the pas, a typical DOD f~lfarhioh DOD proposals to acquire an additional mpollsc to criticism has been LO argue - Gmce Buko wski to W All* fa.Wlq Ascryp.bdw five mdlion acres of land, military rtrac while it strives meet PO Bol. 1391 toxlcs, and the md~tary'suse of our enviommenral 1aws.national security h.hV A113 nauon's sk~es.These last two issues puts the military above the law. This 702'lZl4XC have swclal relevance to RPE den. attitude continues to be a ~roblem. he economic and sock costs of scdcnt E~~UBO~J~s~n ~orlrn~nCLUIYSI American Indian# this mllirary wreckage are sull un- Confmm~~,Qlrmpopt'rbuu. L Ocwbrr 47. Whlle the problems of low-level and known. Based on current DOD, 199~ supersonic overflights affet many Dewatof Energy and General communities in nual areas, their Accounting Office esti-s, the td Studenk Iaterested in
100 student enviro Rrr, Povq1 tho Envirmmnt Whtu 1srOl P~Ikwn
the "Catalyst Conference." SEAC was Jusuce." In addiuon to these, one of the diverse backgrounds. That IS the formed m 1988 and has affiliates at two plenary sessions of the conference problem w~ththe 'Big 10' envaonmen- nearly 1.100 campuses natlonw~de.It focused on environmental jusuce. cal groups." became clear within minutes of the Yet despite the fact that envuonmen- The caucus statement emphasized conference's openlng address that the tal justice was a major theme of the that it IS key for SEAC to understand students were expanding their definl- conference, and the fact that SEAC's how race and the env~ronmentinteract. uons of "environmental issues" far philosophy statement says "SEAC is It swed that for too many people of beyond ~ssues color "he environment" uadiuonally means a community embraced by The People of Color Caucus pointed out infested by drugs and a the man- lack of affordable stream that for too many people of color "the housing. medical care, environmental socia1 wices. and the movement. environment" means a community absence of meanmgful According to work. Will Tmr, one infested by drugs and a lack of affordable According to Byun. it of the confer- should not be the respon- ence organlz- housing, medical care, social services, and sibility of students of en, "children the absence of meaningful work. color to teach the leader- being poi- ship of SEAC about soned by lead listening to their voices is as much an environmental issue as comm~uedto brinpng together a and including them in the global warmmg." diverse community organized across decisionmaking process. He adds. Among the speakers who addressed lines of class. race. age. sexual onenta- "SEAC should devote ~tsenergy and what turned out to be the largest student uon. gender, relig~onand culture," the material resources to addressing nclsm envuonmenral gafhenng in history were vast majority of the conference panici- withln its own structure." Winona LaDuke, Cesar Chavez and the pants were white. and a sense of Before the national conference, plans Reverend Jesse Jackson. LaDuke, who dissausfacuon was expressed by many were undenvay to hlre a divemty spoke on an environmental acuon panel of the students of color present. coordinator to work out of the wtonal on the opening night of the conference, One student, Thomas~neGunn, said SEAC office. This person would be sa~dAmencans "have got to figunout "It didn't seem like they (the organit- responsible for reaching out to commu- how not to live like invaders.. . This is en) wen reaching out for people of nities underrepnsented within SEAC, not about buying green. This is not color. When are the m~noritypeople and ensuring that SEAC's propmauc about changing corporations. What we on the planning comm~ttee?"Sched- work IS relevant to those commun~ues. have to do is drasncally change the way uled into the conference agenda was a Furthennore, as a result of the soclety consumes." Chavez stated, caucus period in which several groups conference. three voting posinons were "You can't get to the corporations by with common interests fonned hong created for members of the people of going to the politicians. They're one them was a caucus of people of color. color caucus on the Nauonal SEAC and the same." Both student and non- Many of the students and forma Council. which is the decisionmaklng student speakers contended that at rhe studcnu felt that even within SEAC body for the entire organlzauon. wlth root of the global ecological crisis are a instituuonalizcd racism was operating. one voting memba from each of 17 corporate model that seeks profit at the The People of Color Caucus wrote a regions. Byun views thls addition to the council as positive, and says it will Richard Moore, executive director of Environmental education that is the Southwest Organizing Project accessible, relevant and consistent from Urbm Hahut Workshops. O.lrLnd. CA, (SWOP). (SWOP gained naaonal December 1.1990 and January 12,1991 an early age. recognition when it helped initiate a Pollution and toxics in our letterin 1989 to the "Big 10" main- communities. including alcohol, Urban Habitat Holds stream environmental organizations. tobacco and street drugs. Two Workshops on criticutng their hiring practices which Environmental protecaon and Environmental Agenda have effectively excluded people of restoration, including land use decision- color.) Richard spoke impressively making. Wnguse of a ponion of a 550,000 about how SWOP over the past 15 years The group also discussed the work grant from the San Francisco Founda- has addressed the environmental issues which Urban Habitat can/should do to tion, the Urban Habitat Program held its of residents and workers of the South- address those issues. Many suggestions fittwo workshops to determine its western U.S.. such as the devastating were raised, all relating to supporung target groups, issues and action priori- impact of toxic emissions by industrial individuals and existing groups that are ties. plants on community residents, life- already in the forefront of protecting the The first workshop was held on threatening health hazards in the urban environment: disseminating December 1, 1990 in Oakland, CA. workplace, the need to implement information to empower the uninformed Over 35 San Francisco Bay Area people testing for lead representing a wide range of internlaud poisoning, and The Urban Habitat exists to: environmenral, social justice and eliminating Pmgram economic concerns came together. racist hiring Broaden the focus of the mainstream unified in the &sin to develop and practices in environmental movement to include urban support multicultural environmenral local indusay to communities, whose people are disproportion- leadership in Bay Area urban communi- promote ately bearing the impact of environmental hat- ties. Several of those present met each community- ards. other for the fmt time. so the workshop sensitive . provided a much-needed opportunity to policies. Keep the general public, and its governing network and gather resources of Perhaps because bodies, aware that urban areas are multicultural; organuarions dedicated to quality urban these issues and amplify the voices of Bay Area community Ilfe. have residents and organizations which address the To open the workshop, Carl An- urban* social, economic and ultimately environmental thony, one of the founders of the Urban class, people of Hab~tatRogram, outlined the major Wop needs of those communides. reasons why the program exists: andgras~oou To promote a definition of "environment" 1. To broaden the focus of the organizations including institutional as well as biological maiIIS~emIenvironmental movement to like It have not issues, based on the nality of institutional ~ncludeurban commun~ues,whose received racism. people are disproporuonately bearing *q- the impact of environmental hazards. recognition and 2. To keep the general public. suppon from mainstream environ- and the disenfranchised; and burldlng parucularly its governing bodies, aware mental organizations. SWOP has and effective coalitions between educators, that urban areas are multicultural; to will continue to advance the overall activists and religious leaders. One therefore amplify rhe voices of Bay environmental movement: thc move- action that Urban Habitat will uy Area community residents and organi- ment will truly be a progressive one to implement immediately is the tations which address the social, ly when its mainsueam organizations translation of parts of thc Race. Poverry Rur. Pwrny 1 the Envirmmnt bctobrt 1OW Pqr Nlnr
from WORKSHOPS, pqr 8 address. emphasizing the high health. culprit in the ecological imbalance that discussron concernrng the organiza- price thar people of color and the poor now exlsts In the nauon. A1 communi- tional structure of the Urban Habrtat now pay for other peoples' pollution. ues are not created equal. Some are Program - that is. would 11 be most "Who pays and who benefits?" she more equal than others. The speakers effecuve as a large membership asked. Dr. Reuben C. Warren, dinctor called for more aggressrve steps to be . organuation with an acuon agenda, or for minority health at the Centers for . taken, at all levels of government. to as a core group whose role IS to provlde Disease Control in Atlanta, critized the eliminate the growlng health dispanues information. resources and technical larger environmental movement for in our urban ghettos. bamos. reserva- assistance to suengthen multicultural ignoring minority health issues. uons and rural "pverty pockets." Thls environmental leadership in our urban The meetings consisted of formal rncludes reducnon of nsk posed by the commundes. papers, workshops and panels in rhree dispropomonate exposures of these The Urban Habitat policy board will broad areas: demographic dam health commmunrties to lead toxlc chem~cal consider this quesuon m detail at its perspectives and health communication. emmions. hazardous wastes, pesuc~des. upcomlng remat As the answers More than 40 papers were presented on and other man-made threats. It also become clear, the Urban Habitat such topics as toxic waste and Ahcan means &mantling the rnsutuuonal Rogram volunteers will work to expand American communities, childhood lead barners that sall limrt access of people the circulation of the RPE newsletter screening. consumption of dioxin- of color to the health professron. and build a database of multicultural contaminated fah, PCB contamination affordable health care, quality neiphbor- environmental organizations and among Mohawks in New York, hoods and schools, and clean physlcal resources in the Bay Area You can abandoned uranium mines in the Navajo environments. help by sending in the names and nation, healrh communication and Because this was the first ATSDR addnss and phone numbers of individu- migrant workers. and using deme conference that dealt with dm u)plc, the als and organizations who you know graphic data in case studies and national fact-finding!tcchnical theme dominated would appreciate receiving the RPE data bases. the sessions. whde giving only limrted newsleuer (see RPE address on back Nearly all of the presenters whose weight to the role of lnsutuuonal page). papers explored the disparate impact of arrangemenu and state acuon. Hope- -Dianne Sounders environmental contamination on fully, follow-up conferences can ltmvi&nRqw communities of color praised the United address these Issues and lnvolve more 5332 A=. SYII LO1 0uad.U 91611 Church of Christ Commission for grassroots community leaden In "hands 4IW-W Racial Justice's Toxic Wafsand Race on* models to empower the "vlcums" repon. The Commission is a church- of envuonmental racum. based civil rights organization. not an -Roben D. Bullard . . Ocpmnn of Soumow environmental group or government. LC ILw8m National .Minority Hullh Conference. Adan& CA WZL GA, Decanber 34.1990 agency -not a small point since the nationally-basedenvironmental -IGn %u Conference Robes organizations were late in adoptlng I Thanking Those who I Health Risks Facing environmental equlty u Communities of Color s a god. Moreover. I Make RPE Possible... I federal agencles - fust National Minority Health Confer- ence in Atlanta Geqia from Decem- largely faiied to Communities at Risk Project. Urban Habltat ber 3 to 6,1990. The conference focused on health nsks posed by envuonmental contamlnauon m Resources' Jobs Ex~utlveDirector sought. The Human Environment Center (HEC) is seeking an executive director to serve as iu chief executive officer. News Service -- Women The H~~~ Environment center is a w-~uc~~~I~.501(c)(3) organizrrtion dedicated to the twin goals of environmental quality and Women's Feature Service, a Global Network of Information and equiv. The Cmter issues that Analysis Born the South. The Womm's Feawe Service is a wire di~pro~rtionatel~affect people of the color and the poor and brings service of f-~e~writmby Third World women jownalbu with a together envkllllmtd and #Cia1equity ~rganizationsto address progressive perspective. which puu out some 300 feaa~resa yur. these issues and promote high quality urban and rural environments. The WFS has a network of more than 150 jownalisrs. editors and Through a small Washington DC-based staff. the Center provides aanslators fiom 60 counoia -reponing hom their own aunbes, *ucational. technical and advocacy assistance to promore the the WFS contributors are beaa informed of socio-political and convergence of these twin goals ot the national weand community economic reality, Faoviding intcrprrtation for the levels. It operates inmuhips and pofessional recruitment programs . intcnrarional audience. WFS, p.0, B~~ 462 N~~ york NY 10017. aimed at people of color in m effonto assist the environment.4 community in increasing staff diversity and to bnng a diverse 2121370-1773, perspective to environmental decisionmaking. The Executive Director will be responsible for raising hds to suppon HEC. Reports & Art jc 1es -- General hp1m-g the organizations policies. and hgits fic.4 accountability. Salary: 550.000 to S60.0000. Con- Search ~kEfle&fi ofpdF~r~ed ~ipb,,~l (PCB) cmknolk,, on Commiaee. Human Environment Center. Suite 827.1001 ~onnecu- the St. Regis Codrly: A Cae Study Apprwch, by James W. cut Avenue. NW, Washington DC 20006. Ransom. A papa delivered u the National Minority Health . Job Ilstlngs. The Job Seek is a pb listing bulletin for the Conference. Contact: Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. Cornmuni* . Building. Hogansburg. NY 13655. 5181358-2272. environmen~resource fields including fomuy, wildlife. fisheries. soil and water consenuion. enviro~lenuleQIcatioh The CERES trvironmental Pwformruye Report for Vak environmend protcction/reguluion. parks and outdoor recreation. It Principiu Signotorirs har just becn releared he ~aldezRinciplu is fr#. fast ard nrrionwide. To receive a free sample issue simply establish an environmental ethic, wih by whid investon and ~e to TkJob Seek. Rt.2 BOX 16. WUTUU.WI 54666. others can assess the prformance of companies. The principles encourage companies to go voluntarily beyond the requirements of law. The principles plovide guidelines for protection of he biosphere. sustainable use of natural resources. reduction and safe disposal of waste, wise use of energy. reduction of War, the Environment, heath and safety risks. development of safe p;oducts and services. and compensation for damage to the environment. Contact CERES. Centa for Environmentally Responsible and the Persian Gulf Economies. 711 Atlantic Ave.. Boston. MA 02111. 6171451- 0927. As we go to press, war is raging in the Middle East. Thou- sands of people are being injured and killed in an adventure Water Information Network Review, A Citizen's Journal on which seems to us the height of folly. Most of those in combat Water Issues in the Southwest. Available from Southwest on both sides are people of color. We have seen two excellent Research and Information Center. P.O. Box 4524. Albuquerque. resources which describe the environmental and human effects NM 87106. of the Persian Gulf war: War in tkG@ An Environmmral Pmpeaive. 'I'hb paper. the Action Paper $1 of the Political Ecology Group. is a thorough and Upcoming Events concise tour through the &on and long mimprtr of the war on rhe Gulf's mvironmenL on U.S. nuidsecurity and rhc mvironmenr and Success stories sought for the Gbbd Assembly of Women on what the environmental movcmau should k doing about it. It and the Envlmnment. Miami. FL, Novanba 48.1991. prcsenu m environmcndist's plufonn for pcaca Ram, Pwwy6 thr Envhmnc Wlntu i 991 Pqr €18 vm Summit Planned to Address Women in the- News- "Environment a1 Racism" WANGARI MATHAI, ourspoken grassroots leader of the Greenbelt Movement rn Kenya. was keynote The Commnsion for Racial Justice, a major crvil rights speaker for the Nauonal Open Space Conference in Palo organuauon. announced In December that it wtU convene the first Alto, CA in late September 1990. Over 500 of the Nauonal M~nontyEnvironmental Leadership Summlt m Washrng- nauon's lead~ngopen space advocates were jorned by ton. DC in October 1991. The Summrt will probe "environmend their counterparts from Canada. Great Brim,Gambia, racumn- the idea that minonues, despite belng disproporuonately Costa Rica. Japan. Taiwan and other countries for a four- , affected by polluuon and hazardous wastes, have long been locked day international Open Space conference. Ms. Mathu out of the environmental policy debate. U descnbed the achievements of her thwn year campaign Several hundred national and grassroots leaders in the civrl to raise the consciousness of East Afncan people on the I rights. minority. envuonmental. government. and corporate urgent need to protect and rehabilitate our global ecologi- ' communities will be invited to attend the three-day summlt. cal environment. Two booklets and several films about Inv~tedkeynote speakers will include U.S. Secretary of the Intenor her work planung wes in Kenya have been produced. Manuel Lujan. EPA Administrator William Reilly, and U.S. Seven million uees planted have survived. For more 1 Secretary of Health and Human Services Louis Sullivan. Summlt rnformauon wnte the Green Belt Movement. P.O. Box attendees will develop a national agenda that will help reshape and 67545. Narobi. Kenya. The National Open Space redirect the environmental movement rn the United States. Conference organizers announced the formauon of a new One result of the Leadership Summit might be the creauon of a organltauon - Open Space America - to provide permanent, minonty-led organization that wrll mobrlize commum- networking services to open space advocates and to host ties to deal with environmental racism locally as well as nauon- future conferences. Open Space America can be reached ally. at P.O. Box 34559. Estes Park. CO 805 17. Memberships The Commission. founded 27 years ago, is the national ctvil an $10 for individuals and $50 for nonprofiu. nghts agency of the United Church of Chnsf a 1.7 million I member Protestant denomination. The Commission. whtch has CATHY SNEED MARCUM, an African Amencan offices in Cleveland, New York, Washington, D.C. and Xonh ' homcu1nrr;ilisf runs an unusual program for juvemles and Carolina has been at the forefront of this issue srnce 1982. Its young adults in the San Francisco County Jail. The work ~ncludesthe landmark 1987 study Toxc Wastes and Race rn program suplvucs pnson mmates who plant and culnvate tk Uniled Storcr. enough fruits and vegetables to feed 2.000 homeless I (T%e report conclusively documented that minority communl- people per day m the city. Contact the Pnson Horucul- ties contarn far more toxic dumps than non-mlnonty commun~ues. tural Program. City Hall Room 333. San Francisco. CA , Three of every five African Americans and Launos 11ve rn a 94 102. 4 151554-722s. ne~ghborhoodwtth a hazardous waste site. Moreover. three of the I five largest hazardous waste landfills - 40 percent of current U.S. EDITH ADAME, an activist attorney in San ; commercial capacity -are located in minonty communtues. Francuco. announced an environmental project m forma- I Among the report's many findings was that race was the most uve stages at the Launo Issues Forum. a California think , srgruficant variable in differentiaring communiues wrrh hazardous tank dealing w~tha broad cross section of topics affecting waste sites from those without such sites.) the welfare of the state's Spanrsh-speaking population. Dr. Benjamln F. Chavis, the Commission's Execuuve Duector The announcement was made in a paper presented at a who first coined the term "environmental racism." sad 'The panel on Race, Poverty Md Env~ronmrntat Stanford envuonment 1s too imponant to be left to just environmental~sts. Universrty Public Intaest law Confennce. Ms. Adame's The evtdence clearly shows that it's African Amencans, Hrspanrc remarks focdon occupational health and safety issues Amencans. Asian Americans. and Native Amencans who are and uansponation issues affecting Latino, African drsproportionately living with toxic pollution in therr back yards." Amencan and other poor communi
MARY KING, an Pqo Tdw Wnlw 1981 Rw,. Pow I tho Envlrmmnt We Speak for Ourselves: Social Justice, Race & Environment
We Speak for Ourselves: Social justice with environmenralism IS will undoubtedly be one of the critical Jutice, Race and Environmenr, a mini- documented. And, like most mamages, issues of the 1990s," she concludes. dossier published by the Panos Insutute those involved are determined to make Environmental racism also refers to to focus attention on the phenomenon of it work m spiu of the odds. This is the differing approaches to environmen- Q "environmental racism." was released in especially true for African, Asian. tal action used by the marnsveam December 1990. Launo and Native Americans, who an environmental groups and those The concept of "environmental increasingly faced with high exposure operating primarily in communiues of racism," a tem coined in the early to poisonous chemicals and toxic African, Latino, Asian and Native 1980s by Dr. Benjamin Chavis of the environments," says Dana Alston, Americans. In these communities. United Church of Christ's Commission editor of the repon and director of the environmental concerns are much more for Racial Justice, is built on research Panos Institute's Environment, likely to be integrated into a broader showing that Commun- agenda emphasizing social. racial and communities ity Dev- economic jusrice. This approach has of color art elopment caused conflict with the mainsmam targets for "In We Speak for and Race environmental movement, and has led toxic dumping Program. to a perception among the mainstream and for the Ourselves, the 'The groups that persons of color have been placement of organiza- uninvolved in environmental acuon. the nation's marriage of the move- tions and The Panos npon illustrates how most hazard- individu- individuals and organizations in urban ous indusmw. ment for social justice ,, and rural communities of color through- U.S. withenvironmentalism fcaPved out the have joined the movement revon. -gives in the for social justice wth the movement for reality to the is documented. . . publica- a healthy environment Written. research, tion are a illustrated and edited by persons of documen Ling And, like most mar- wimess to color, We Speak for Owselves promises the dispropor- the to stimulate &bate about the conunuing tionate riages, those involved strength smgg~efw environmental jusuce m envuonmental and communities of color -- and beyond -- risk experi- are determined to commit- during the 1990s. enced in make it work in spite of men,0f he Panos Institute, publisher of we communiues the Speak for Owselves, is an independent, of color. ~t the odds." marnage international infomauon and policy does so by between studies organization dedicated to featuring jusace working in partnenhip with others to stories of and raise public understanding of susw- communities as diverse as a Chicano envinmmenr How it plays out and able development By combirung neighborhood in Albuquerque. NM,an grows, and how it is received in the careful research on environmental and African-Americancommunity in the mainstream envhnmental community, development issues with forceful dissemination. Panos Rue, Povtrry 1 tho Envimmnt Wlnler 1991 Pqe Thlrtwn
ight thousand feet up on the development strategy. say iu prop lim~tedresources and present a unified treeless plan of the San Luis nenrs, is In harmony wlth their natural front on common ssues. Valley Basin, the headwaters environment and with their Indo- The Unlted Farm Workers unlon hu of the Rio Grande begin their decent Hispanic culture. both of which have a a seven acre demonsuation farm on through the San Juan Mountains. Here value that is not reflected in economic whlch famworker fam~liesleam how to m this histotic southern Colorado statistics. make the small plots surrounding their county Chicanos are taking a stand Recent media coverage has played homes more productive. agamsr the reopening of a gold mine up the fact that Latinos (and other Rebecca Floaes-Harrington. a UFW that endangers their suuggle to preserve ethnic groups) have only minor roles in organizer, stresses that the key to sucess cul turd mdi tions. the more visible organizations that for their experiment lies in bang able to "We don't have a lot of time before champ~onthe envuonment among white make money for poor people to live on. were totally displaced from our rural middle- class "When people see that you can do that. communities, our families scattered and they wlll get serious about this organlc our valuesand way of life totally changed," Across the West, farming." says Maria Valdez. Latinos have been doing The United Farm Workers orgmi- A sixth-generation natlve of the battle for decades on land zation has always managed to San Luis valley and a graduate stu- use and water rights issues. generate support for ~tsstruggle dent in Regional Planning at the against toxic pesuc~des. But Un~versityof Colorado, she and growing environmental her husband. Arnie Valdez. awareness has made new founded People's Alternative alliances possible. Groups like Energy Services which, along Traditional Culture, ,, ,,ies with Concerned Citizens for in Davis, CA. the Califomla Environmental Soundness, is New Agriculture Rural Legal Assistance fighting the opening of El Pomo Foundation, and the Mineral gold mine. by Emma Torres Policy Center have played a "In the 1970s. another com- welcome role in communlty pany operated the mine using the Many Latino activists say their cornmu- suuggles agalnst nau0na.i same cyanide technique (to sepa- nities' ~loblemsand'solutions companies. But ~n other cues. rate the gold from rhe ore) that is both 'come out of their own Latino activists and envlmnmen- again being proposed. There was a talists have not been on the same leak that polluted our waters and killed culture's view of the earth's side. call us enwonmental- hundreds of trout." says Valdez. What natural resources. isrs," says Eduardo Lav~di.an actlvut m they are up agalns; IS the county New ~exico." Here in Taos County." cornmm~on'stradiuonal view of themine A rn e r i - cans. he explains, "envuonmentaluts have as a source of jobs and tax revenue. in an Less has been sad about ethnic commu- pushed hard for an msum flow area with 24 percent unemployment nity organizers who have been active on protecuon act. which insures that a Historically, ethac communities environmental issues. but do not sueam remains at a cemn level. But wlth chroac unemployment have been typtcally call themselves environmen- that will end up taking water from small faced w lth the same dllemma Earning talists. Across the West, for instance, Latino farmers... disrupung Ihe way a livmg meant accepting hazardous job6 Latinos have been do~ngbattle for they live. It will impact the water and polluung indusuiu. decades on land me and water rights system which the community has been Today, many Latinw feel they have issues. And clearly, in the fight against using for two centuries." found another way. They are reassen- toxic pesucides. it was Chicano activisu "We don't want these pups to do lng them traditional relationship with the in Califomla's San Joaquin Valley who for us," said Lavidi. "We want to do land and adapting the sustainable led the way more than 20 years ago, with them. We want more of a parmer- economlc development concepts of the when Cesar Chavez and the United ship." His words echo the feel~ngsof environmental movement. In rural Farm Workers first organized the table- many Latino activists, who say theu towns, Latinos an developing a "Ian grapes boycou and won a ban on DDT. communities' problems and solut~ons th come out of their own culture's ee Imm FOREST SERVICE, page t of the Forest Service faces a sigruficant from a four-year college or university. The U.S. Forest Service Pacific number of itscurrent workforce reach- Commencement 2000 has three Southwest Region and Research ing retirement age in the next ten years. major strategies for reachmg its goal. Stauon, located in San Francisco, is The Re~onhas thus comm~aedto One a to develop and participate in worhg hard to make sure that the preparing a cululrally diverse workforce elementary 6.6).middle and high answer to this question is yes. They are taking steps to fdl new positions in the fields of forestry, natural resources, and environmen- "We have learned the benefits of a balanced tal sciences that won't be avadable until be year 2000. and integrated work force. People with Today, African-Ameri- cans, Asiaflacifrc Island- different perspectives and points of view en, Hispanics and Native Americans together CO~- enhance our overall mission, its balance, cost- prise only 6.3-percent of all efficiency and effectiveness 9, students maduatinn with ... ~achelo:s DC& in these -- F. Dale Robertson, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service fields women makc up just over 37 petcenr ?he Forest Service recognizes rhat it must educate and nain to enter its gates. school programs and projects des~gned future generations if it is to survive. Enter Amahra Hicks, an African- to inform and involve underrepresented Then are thne reasons for this need. American social scienust who the students in the narional forests and the Fit. the constituency of the Forest Pacifz Southwest Region recruited a mission of the Forest Sewce. Informa- Service is becomrng less rural and far year ago from UC Berkeley. Amahra's tion will be imparted through an more urban. The Forest Service is task to conduct suategic planning on environmental, math and science directly respons~bleu> Congress and how to prepare people of color and cuniculum that induces youth to theu most members of Congress now other underrepresented groups to environment and builds basic analyucal represent urban, rather than nual assume professional, administrative and skills. Studies will include regular field consutuencies. which are becoming technical occupanons within the Pacdc mps and hands-on pmjects enabling increas~nglymulticultural. Southwest Region and Research Station children and young people u> expen- Second. the Forest Service's survival by the yeat 2000. ence the outdoors and engendemg depends on its ability to fill openlng "I see myself as a change agent," respect for their environment. positions with people of color, women Says Amah "My goal is to create a Students will be targeted wlthln an and the physically challenged Re- win-win situation by preparing a established cducanonal feeder system, searchers are needed to smdy dre impact cultdydiverse workforce for hrgh whae a particular ekmentaq school of forest management techniques on the level positions within the Forest feeds into a designated middle school. nauonal and global cnvimnmenf Service. I hope to accomplish this as a and in turn into a designated high conservation biologists arc nccded to positive experience for the cumnt schml. help implement laws and rr@fiaru woricfme at the Pacific Southwest The prom will develop a requiring management for biological Region and Research Station." comprehensive system which ldenufi dversity. Reenation professionals arc w interested middle in greater demand as fonst management includes ncnational use of lands. Rue, Povefly 6 fhe Envlronm~ Wlntn 199l P~oFiftwn
w from FOREST SERVlCE me 14 empower them to assume responsible. program components as pre-career community college must also have an interesting careers relaung to the mning, job shadowing and agreement with a four- year college or environment." mentorships, Commencement 2000 IS university that has an accredited What kind of work environment wlll gradually acculturaung a whole propm in forestzy andfor natural these new Forest resources. Semce employees Commencement 2000 will involve walk into? F. Dale This kind of diversity is valued community leaden and organlzauons Robenson, Ch~efof by establishing parmenhips to suppon the FORS~Service. within the Forest SeI"Vice, and has community environmental, educauonai states, "As more and recreational programs. Such minorities, women given rise to a very innovative partnerships will increase awareness and handicapped among currendy undempresented employees have and far reaching program. groups about Forest Service programs. come into the Forest employment opportunities and benefits. SeNrice. we have learned the benefits of generation of kids to the Forest Service "Most corporations do theu recruit- a balanced and integrated work force. whde simultaneously acculturaung the ing at the high school and colIege level, People with different perspectives and Forest Service to a changing workforce. through career fairs and the like," says pomts of view enhance our overall Commencement 2000 is now ready Amah "Commencement 2000 is mission, its balance, costefficiency, for implementation as a pdot program designed to impact an enun educational effectiveness. and other feanues." in Oakland. The feeder school systems system in order to yield wellqualified The OuaeacNRecnritmentTask chosen for the pilot are Parker Elemen- students for the Forest Service, the Force which brought Amahra into the tary School, King Estates Middle Bureau of Land Management, Natural Forest Service was established in 1989 School, Castelmont High School, Parks Servrce, state agencres, private to study the various issues of a chang- Mema College, and UC Berkeley. corporations and non-profit envmn- ing workforce and developing appropri- Wirhin the next two years the program mental organ~zations." ate policy m order to reach panty with is scheduled for statewrde implemenn- Amahra's personal goal is to the crvilian labor foxe. The impetus tion. enlighten young people. and an entire which gave rise to the Task Force and The Forest Service has been cntl- communuy. about the envmnment and its work was a consent decree resulting cized for various policies and pracuces their connecuon to it. "So many luds from a class acuon lawsuit brought by a in recent years. The Forest Serv~ce live with limited options. Commence- group of women eight years ago. however, is made up of people u ho 'me experi- don't all think and feel the same way ence of a consent This kind of diversity is valued wlth~n "SO many kids live with decree is bob the FO~CS~Service, and has glven nse to demoralizing and a very innovative and far rach~ng limited options. Commence- disrupuve to a program. Commencement xoo WIII workforce. have patest impact as bob corporo- ment 2000 is designed to People really tions and non-profit environmental want a be= organizations form parmersh~ps w ~th increase kids' awareness, way of adjusting the program to supprt educating develop their interest, and to change," says undeneptcsented youth, and pavlng the - Amah In- way for increasing numbers of people empower them to assume cnasingly. of color, the physically challenged and culWdiversity women to become not only environs responsible, interesting career activists, but policy-rn Pwo SIrtnn Wlntn 1991 iker, Pow I tho Envlmnmt I 1 I Women's Work. .. Putting today's essential health and environmental knowledge into practice will be seen by many as women's work. But women already have work. They already grow most of the developing world's food, market most of its crops, fetch most of its water, collect most of its fuel, feed most of its animals, weed most of its fields. And when their work outside the home is done, they light the third world's fires, cook its meals, clean its compounds, wash its clothes, shop for its needs, and look after its old and its ill. And they bear and care for its children. The multiple burdens of womanhood are too much. And the greatest communications challenge of all time is the challenge of com- municating the idea that the time has come, in all countries, for men to share more fully in that most difficult and important of all tasks - protecting the lives and the health and the growth of their children. - Adapted from Facu of life, UNICEFlHnrO~CO a lmm SUPWRTCENTER, pap 4 2. Inaease the cooperaave effon between state and local groups. Third Environmental issues require among regional, state, local. and we will encourage the use of workplace constant effort, endlessly applied. grassroots environmental organizaaons solicitation as a fundraising tool where Those who oppose strong acuon on and groups repnsenang low-income it is costcffective. Founh, we will behalf of the environment are always communities, people of color, and work to incnasc the cooperation present and well armed with legal and 0th- cumndy nlaavely powaless in between national. state and local technical expertise. It is not usually American society; environmental organizadons in strategy possible to sustain such an effon on the 3. Enable regional, state, local, and development and joint media releases. other side. grassmots organizaaons working on In all of these efforts the Center will This is because many state and local envinnmerrtal issues to work more work with both traditional environmen- groups do not have the financial and effectively with national environmenel tal groups and thost groups represenung organizauonal resources they need In 'groups and other national organizaaons constiturencitsof color and poverty for fundraising. they do not have access to on issues and pojecu which an which environmental issues are a high national markets for direct mail and mutually beneficial; and priority. We welcome inquires from their work has not been the focus d 4. Raise new dollars and otha regional, state, local and grassoots many national foundatiw. Quite often suppon for the constituencies it serves. groups to whom we may be of assis- groups do not fake full advantage of The office of the Center opened in tance. their internal resources such as mem- late October and initially the work in The services provided by ESC w 111 bers and boards to improve develop canying out this misston will concen- be without charge although in most snategies and gain allies. aate on four anas. instances groups for whom we will To address these concerns the Board Fmt, we will contract with exisang subsidize the &livery of training and
assistance to deliver those services to the effectiveness of RKI, Povrey 6 fhr Environmnf Wlnru 1m Pqr Seventeen
Women and the Environment A Global Perspective, a Local Meeting by the United Nations Environment Program
As people seek to establish a better, ment It is cntical for those concerned The Unlted Nations Envuonment more sustainable relationship with the about the future of ecological systems. Program is convening a Global Assem- systems and resources of nature, they sustarnable development and women. to bly of Women and the Envuonment - observe that environmental problems address the potenual women have in the called "Partners in Life" - from reflect the aggregate of actions of all outcome of the important issues. November 4-8. 199 1. in Miami. Floncla. individuals. at all levels of society. in all Women around the world and their to advance the capaciry of women m parts of the world. Critical in detennin- organizations have imponant potenual envmnmental management and ing the aggregate effect of human in promoung activity on the environment are women. environmenral who constitllte half the world's popula- awareness. tion. environmental Partners in Life The United Nations Decade for education. Women (1975-1985) was a decade of environmenral A Global Assembly of Women extensive discussion related to the role management and Environment of women ~nsociety. and in pamcular and sustainable the the role of women m development ~t development. November 408,1991 the last of three Decade Conferences in In many Miami, Florida 1985. notlng the aggrrgate potential of nations women women to affect the environment and have been first the rehuonshlp of envuonment to the to call auenuon quality of development. governments to chemical. water and au polluaon (for sustainable development. Dunng this adopted a resolution urglng "women to example. Rachel Carson's Silent Assembly. women hom around the be more consc~ousof the crucial role Spring.) Women In India. Uganda and world will present success stones as they play In environmental and natural Kenya struggle to protect and plant pracntioncrs whtch demonstrate the~r resources management" Govemmeno trees. Women In Europe shop "peen." important potential in conmbuung u, called on the Unmd Nahons Environ- Outstanding women are providing solutions in fresh water management. ment Program (UNEP) to "provide leadership m Latin Amenca and the managing waste and energy. and informanon on how women can play an Caribbean m envmnmental education. creating market demands wh~chare a acuve role combaung senous environ- and coastal and marine protechon. positive force in ach~evingenvuonmen- mental problems such as de~erti~cation, Women in Asia are addressing the tal goals. The Assembly will be deforestanon. deplenon of plant genetic issues of water and waste. In the USSR convened by UNEP's Senlor Women's resources. prohferahon of hazardous thousan& of woman are taking part in a Advisory Group on Environment and chemicals and the mismanagement of movement called Barnbl (children's Development implemented by warer resources. water pollution... as ecological and ethics movement), to Worldwide. with support from the well as in preventing the wasteful use of increase the next generation's environ- Women's Foreign Policy Councll. resources in the home, a@culture, mental awareness. In the U.S., the The specific issues to be addressed at commerce and industry." League of Women Voters has ban a the Assembly an 1) benign or envlron- Historically. in many cultures gender pionw in forcing national action on mentally friendly systems. products a has determined the economic and social water pollution. technologies; 2) khwater. 3) waste roles of women as they relate to natural Women have experiences unique to 4) energy as it relates to climate resources and the environment Today their gender in generaung and managmg r more information. p 98Elghtnn Wntrr 1% RKI, POW 1the Envlmnrtu
ee lmm PUEBLO, page 3 ee Imm WOMEN, prg, 1 that a a win. color, are on the front lines of protest, research. lobby~ngand RPE: In your work with PUEBLO, do you see more public education to slowly and painfully bring about change. women of color in policy posiuons and position of Here are some of the places: power? In Arizona GH: I think that on our board of supervisors, we do have Cyarude in a Tombstone silver mine threatened ground- a woman of color in one of those positions. She.was not water. very open. not very understanding. I guess she did not Families lived in mobile homes atop asbestos tailings and like our direct approach. But we had already med an Tonto National Forest residenu in Globe wen sprayed with ~ndirectapproach as far as getung the auenrion of the the herbicide 2.45-T. county board of supervisors and getung the attention of a A copper smelter spewed out sulfur dioxide in Douglas. the city. But when the issue itself proved to be fact as we Drinking water tainted with Pichloroethylene, or TCE. presented if she saw that we wen not one of hose was unknowingly delivered to people's houses for 30 years in organizations that just vies to stir up trouble. Tucson. SD: I think that part of the issue for me is that a lot of On the Arizona Strip at the Utah border, Mormon times women of color in posiuons of power do son of communities wen contaminated by Nevada Test Site atomlc have a connection around being able to idenufy because fallout they're mothers. But I also notice in many cases there's In California, been a class difference. In terms of the organizarion and A fin released toxic chemicals into neighborhoods in what makes sense for us is to hold people in posiuons of Oroville. power accountable. It's unfortunate but oftentimes our In Calaveras County, asbestos dumped on roads put women get co-opted. children at nsk. RPE: Could you both sham your thoughts on being In the Central Valley. people drank well water conmi- involved in an effective grassroots effort? nated with pesncides and worked in freshly sprayed fields. GH: I have been able to see for myself that being a part In researching a recent story on lead pollution in Oakland, I met mon smxrgwomen. I can still hear the words of "For me a gratifying part of this Guadalupc Nao, Maria Garcia and Luz Maria Fonseca who talked of a new organization in the Fruitvale neighborhood. work is seeing people really taking The mothus became pan of the environmental movement po wet into their own hands, taking after they leamed from People United for a Better Oakland (PUEBLO), a group launched by the Center for Third World control of the issues that aflect their Organizing, that their yards and playgrounds contained lead lives." Now they go from door to door to get people to meetings. -- Sandra Davis, PUEBLO They - whites, blacks, Filipinos and Hindus - protested at Children's Hospital in Oakland in July 1990 to change the system and get routine lead testing under the Children's of an organization and having an exact idea or issue that Health and Disability Prevention Program of Medicaid. you want to get taken care of and working within the Nulo, sirling in her living room, said she had lived in her community suucture, you bring the community togetha. tidy house by the rarlroctd tracks for 15 years before she even We can do it leamed about lead in paint, soil and air. SD* For me the connection srantd happcmg when I was "Then are a lot of problems with lead. but they don't want working in the community started working with and to listen to us. They don't want to clean up our mighbor- people that were really part of my family. I am commit- hoods. The people who live here, well, we've known each ted to thls work because I'm committed to my people. I other for 10 years, but they don't do anything for us. was very fonunat~figenedon in my family to go to "We need more information. We need more people to college. I feel that I really do owe something to the us to For come hen and speak to in Spanish. But I don't feel people that struggled put me whert I am. me a isolated, and I'm not afraid of going to protests. Slowly more gratifying part of this work IS seeing people really raking people understand about the lead problems." She smiles and the power into their own hands, taking control of issues says, "Adelante." Rue, PwMy 4 the Envimnnnt Wnlw 1997 PqoNlmtnn e* lrom CIVll RIMS, pprg, 12 Supervisors on January 3, 1991. the Environmental Impact Repon -- tn and who brought the sult m Sacramento Chem Waste operates three other Spanlsh. Kings County, conunulng irs Supenor Cow. "Chem Waste and the inclneraton around the country: one on exclusion of Spanish-speakers, re- County have chosen lo put this thing m the South Side of Ch~cago,a neighbor- sponded to the comments In Engl~sh. a Spanish-spealung community, and hood that IS 72 percent Afncan Amen- Since the beginning, El Pueblo has then they have held all the hearings and can and 11 percent Launo; one in been aided by the organlzlng effons of published all the documents In English. Sauget Llllno~s,whlch is 73 percent Greenpeace, who first alened commu- It's pretty sleazy, but they're not golng Afncan Amencan and has an average nity acuvists to the proposed mclnera- to get away wlth IL" yearly household lncome of just $7,200: tor. The lntemauonal environmental "The county thinks just because and one rn Port Arthur, Texas, 40 group msed the stature of the anu- we're Mexlcan fmworkers we won't percent Afncan American and six incinerator fight, and has held several speak up," said Auscenc~oAvila, a percent Launo. "You don't have to be a protests at the existing dump slte. retired farmworker who spoke chrough rocket scienust to see a pattern here," Greenpeace activists successfully shut an interpreter. "But we know enough to sa~dattorney Cole. Chem Waste also down the Kettleman H11l.s roxic wasre know that this incinerator is dangerous operates the nauon's largest toxic waste dump for a day in November 1990 to to our health, to our children, and to our dump m Emelle, Alabama, a poveny- call attention to the community's jobs on the farms m the area" smcken town ~nAlabama's "Black struggle. Citizen Action, a three- El Pueblo has effecuvely million-member nation- made the anti-mcinerator baule a wide advocacy group. Chem Waste runs three toxic waste San Joaquin Valley-wtde Issue. joined El Pueblo as a Incinerators all in communities Working in coalition wlth other plaintiff. Along with - groups, such as CiLiten Acuon CRLA. attorneys Sharon of color. Now they want to build a of Fresno, El Pueblo helped to Duggan of San Franc~sco fourth Incinerator in the Latin0 town get local government bodies In and Florence Roisman of of Kettleman City. "YOU don't have other counties to oppose the the National Housing Law to be a rocket scientist to see a pattern incinerator. thus show~ngthat Project in Washington, DC, here," says environmental public olficlals w lthour an are also counsel on the economlc stake In the d~uion case. poverty lawyer Luke Cole. would vou to secure the publlc s As well as siting toxlc health and safety. The ~iesno factliues m poor communities where Belt," 79 percent African American City Council and the VisaIra City people of color Live nauonw~de,the suit w~tha median household income of just Council both passed resoluuons charges that even within Kings County S7300 annually. opposing the toxic incinerator. there IS a discriminatory siting pattern. The community of Kettleman City As well as budding an effective "Every Kings County community but fvst heard about the proposed toxic community group, Mares and Maya one IS majority white - guess when waste ~ncineraror~n 1988. and have have built theu self confidence duough they put the mclnerator?" said Bradley been fighting it ever since. Lead their struggle. Mares recently went Angel, west coast toxlc campaigner for organuers Espy Maya and Mary Lou back to school -- after taklng almost 20 Greenpeace. Greenpeace has worked Mares have bulk a 300-member years off to ~~ISCher famlly and work in wlth the Ketrleman community for three community group in the tiny the tomato fields surrounding years to oppose the incinerator. farmworker town. El Pueblo nuned out Kenlernan City. "Xf you had told me The suit also charged rhat Kings over 150 Kettleman City res~dentsat a two years ago that I would be golng on County cannot be neud because Cbem public hearing on the incinerator last TV or challen~ngKings County Waste currently contribuw over eight November, although the County vitd to officials, I neva would have beheved percent of the County's annual revenue limit input from Kettleman City by you." laughs ks,who today rep- through a tax on their existing wxic holding the hemng 40 miles away in lafly takes on the County, in TV wask dump. "County officials have a Word. With help from CRLA and interviews, in public hearings. and now. major conflict of interest here - if theu Greenpeace, El Pueblo rented buses to in a historic lawsut. salanes are pad by Chem Waste. how take ~tsmembers to the hearing. For more information on the Page TwmW WInrr 1991 Ram, Pony 1the Envimmnl Civil Rights Suit Filed to Block Toxic Waste Incinerator Residents of the small Cenoal California town of thls to the Supreme Cow if we have to. and we'll win." Keuleman City in Kings County brought a major civil rights The suit. brought by the poverty law firm California Rural sult over the siung of a toxlc waste mcinerator in theu low- Legal Assistance (CRLA), charges that Chemical Waste Income. Latino community on February 7. 7he suit marks the Management has discriminatory sited the toxic waste incinera- fust ame that civil rights law has been used to try to block the tor in the poor, farmworker commun~tyas pan of a broader, slang of a toxic waste facility. Chemical Waste Management. nationwide pattern of siting dangerous toxic dumps and an Illinois-based company that is the largest toxic waste incinerators in poor communities with subsmt~alpopulauons company in the U.S.. is behrnd the project of people of color. It also charges that Kings County system- "Chem Waste targetscommunities like ours all over this atically excluded Spanish-speakmg people from the incinera- country," said Mary Lou Mares, a leader of El Pueblo para el tor permitang process, even though Kettleman City is 85 Aire y Agua Limpio (People for Clean Air cpercent Latino and 40 and Water), the community group which percent mono-lingual brought the suit. 'We're saylng basfa! "Chem Waste thought that be- ~~gni~h-~~~s.'mu (Enough is enough!)" Chem Waste now Cause We are poor Latinos, that is a classic case of runs the nation's third largest toxic waste environmental racism. dump some four miles from Kettleman they could sneak the incinerator &, ,ng City, and wants to add a massive toxic by US... Well, they're wrong." fight it with environmen- waste incinerator at the dum~site. "Chem tal law and civil rights Waste thought that because iean poor law," said Luke ole. a Latinos. that they could sneak the incinerator by us." said CRLA Foundation attorney who has represented the commu- Espy Maya, another El Pueblo leader who has raised four nity group El Pueblo throughout the administrative process. children in Kettleman City. 'Well. they're wrong. We'll take as crr RICMS, prgr 19
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