A Place at the Table: a Sierra Roundtable on Race And
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THE OF AN AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT DOMINATED OF WHITE THE BY THE INTERESTS PEOPLE IS OVER BEGINNING OF THE END CAME IN SEPTEMBER 1982 AN WARREN COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA WHEN MORE THAN 500 PREDOMINANTLY AFRICANAMERICAN RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED FOR OF TRUCKS BLOCKING THE PATH CARRYING TOIOC PCBS TO NEWLY DESIGNATED HAZ ARDOUSWANC AMONG THOSE TAKEN INTO CUSTODYWAS THE REVEREND BENJAMIN CHAVIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST COMMISSION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE CRJ HIS SUSPICIONS AS TO WHY NORTH CAROLINA WOULD CHOOSE BLACK COMMUNITY AS DUMP FOR ITS POISON WERE CONFIRMED IN MILESTONE REPORT BY THE CRJ IN 1987 WHICH DEMON STRATED THAT THE SINGLE MOST SIGNIFI CANT FACTOR IN THE SITING OF HAZARDOUSWASTE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE WAS RACE SUBSEQUENT REPORT BY THE NATIONAL LAWJOURNAL FOUND THAT THE EPA TOOK 20 PERCENT LONGER TO IDEN TIFY SUPERFUND SITES IN MINORITY FL OF COMMUNITIES AND THAT POLLUTERS EJJ THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE FINED ONLY HALF AS MUCH AS POLLUTERS OF WHITE ONES ARMEDWITH PROOF OF WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS II ATT COOSEENVIRONMENTAL RACISM ALLIANCE OF CHURCH LABOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY OF COLOR AROSE TO DEMAND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS LED BY PEOPLE JUSTICE PART OF DOING SO MEANT CONFRONTING THE SOCALLED GROUP OFTEN THE NA TIONS LARGESTAND LARGELY WHITEENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND BLUNTLY ACCUSING THEM OF RACISM FROM THE CHARGES CAME IN EARLY 1990 IN JOLTING SERIES OF LETTERS LOUISIANAS GULF COAST TENANT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT IN ALBUQUERQUE SEE THE LETTER THAT SHOOK MOVEMENTPAGE 54 ABASHED MANY OF THE MAIN IF TRANSFORMATION LAST STREAM GROUPS VOWED REFORMATION NOT THE SIERRA CLUBS CENTENNIAL AT MAY IN SPEECH CELEBRATING THENEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL FISCHER HARPERS FERRY WEST VIRGINIA THE CALLED FOR FRIENDLY TAKEOVER OF THE SIERRA CLUB BY PEOPLE OF COLOR ALTERNATIVE HE SAID WAS FOR THE CLUB TO REMAIN MIDDLECLASS GROUP OF AND BACKPACKERS OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE IN MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AGENDAAND THUS CONDEMNJED TO LOSING INFLUENCE IN AN INCREASINGLY MULTICULTURAL COUNTRY THE STRU FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THIS OTHE SIERRA CLUB COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE MUST BE THE PRIMARY GOAL DURING ITS SECOND CENNNY OF THE ENVIRON RECENTLY SIERRA INVITED SOME OF THE LEADING PROPONENTS SIERRA 51 CALHI SEAC ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZING GUIDE PAGE MENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT TO SAN FRANCISCO TO EXPLORE HOW MENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT FROM 30YEARLONG CAREER IN THE FUTURE WERE CIVIL IN RACIAL WE MIGHT ARRIVE AT THAT MULTICULTURAL ATTENDING RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FIND THE REVEREND CHAVIS RICHARD MOORECOCHAIR OFTHE SOUTH THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSACE MOVEMENT IS EMERGING AS THE WEST NETWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN BRIDGE MOVEMENT BRINGING DIVERSE RACIAL AND ETHNIC COM ALBUQUERQUE AND LONGTIME COMMUNITY ORGANIZER VIVIEN MUNITIES TOGETHER IN PROFOUND WAY WAYNO OTHER ISSUE TASK FORCE AND HAS LI CHAIR OF THE SIERRA CLUBS ETHNIC DIVERSITY EVEN THE POTENTIAL TO DO DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON HARBOR ASSOCIATION SCOTT DOUGLAS RICHARD MUIR ITS CERTAINLY THE FIRST MEETING THAT IVE AT THEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZER ARITH THE SIERRA CLUBS SOUTHEAST TENDED WHERE WEVE BEEN ASKED TO COME TOGETHER ARID HAVE OFFICE HE HAS SINCE BEEN NAMED DIRECTOR OF GREATER BIRM THIS KIND OFDIALOGUE WE APPRECIATE THATTHATS WHAT THE LET INGHARN MINISTRIES AND WINONA LADUKE DIRECTOR OF THE TEN AND ALL THAT WAS ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE WHITE EARTH RECOVERYPROJECT IN MINNESOTA THE DISCUSSION AUTISM RICHARD YOUVE WRITTEN QUITE FEW LETTERS AND WAS MODERATED BY CARL ANTHONY PRESIDENT OFEARTH ISLAND THEY ALL MADE LOT OFWAVES COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE ONE INSTITUTE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FOUNDER OF ITS URBAN HABITAT PROGRAM CART AUTHOMY WEVE ALL BEEN INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR VERY LONG TIME EVEN IF WEDIDNT ALWAYS CALL IT THAT REVEREND CHAVIS YOU INVENTED THE TERNI ENVI RORIRNENTAL RACISM DIDNT YOU BENJAMIN CHAVIS WE COINED IT BUT THE REALITY WAS OUT THEREWE JUST GAVE LANGUAGE TO IT THIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEFINI MOVEMENT JUSTICE IS TIVE MOVEMENT WERE REDEFINING OUR REALITIES OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS THAT OUR WORK MUST BE DONE FROM GRASSROOTS PERSPECTIVE AND IT MUST BE MULTIRACIAL AND MULTICULTURAL WE ARE LEARN ING HOWTO DO THAT THERES NO BLUEPRINT BUT THERE ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT EMERGE AND THATS WHAT WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE GOOD NEWS IS WERE BEING INCLUSIVE NOT EXCLUSIVE WERE NOT SAYING TO TAKE THE INCINERA TON AND THE TOXICWASTE DUMPSOUT OFOUR CORN MUNITIES AND PUT THEM IN WHITE COMMUNITIES WERE SAYING THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN ANYBODYS COMMUNITY WHEN THE MOVEMENT FIRST GOT GOINGRL THINK SOME WHITES ACTUALLY BECAME AFRAID BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS MOVEMENT OF RETRIBUTION IT IS NOT MOVEMENT OF RETRI BUTIONIT IS MOVEMENT FORJUSTICE YOU CANT GETJUSTICE BY DOING AN INJUSTICE ON SOMEBODY WEHAVE TO BE CAREFUL WE NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PITTED EACH ORAYOU WROTE TO BIG GROUPS AGAINST OTHER BACK IN 1990 WE HAD CLASSES AT THE SOUTHWEST NET WORKIN HOWTO WRITE LOT OF OUR PEOPLE DONT KNOW HOW AND AND IF TO OFFER CLASSES DI CONQUERED WE FIGURED WE WERE GOING LITERACY WE SHOULD AT LEAST DO SOMETHING PFODUCTIVE IT WAS VERY DIFFI ELSE WHEN YOU HAVE LIVED THROUGH SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP CULT FOR US WE SPENT LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO REMOVE THEM NOT ONLY FROM YOUR OWNPEOPLE WEKNEWTHAT THERE WOULD BE RAMIFICATIONS IT MEANT LOT TO BUT FROM ALL PEOPLES PEOPLE BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WEVE HAD THE OP BY THE WAY IM HISTORY BUFF AND WOULD LIKE TO NOTE PORTUNITY AS POOR PEOPLE AS WORKINGCLASS PEOPLE AS PEOPLE THAT THE SIERRA CLUB IS THE FIRST ONE OF THE GROUP OF TEN TO OF COLOR TO SIT DOWNAND TALK ABOUT HOWWE FEEL ABOUT THIN AND THEN ACTUALLY INVITE MEMBERSOFTHE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVE THAT TO PER RNENT TO ITS NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS RVE COME TO THE ENVIRON BASICALLY WE RAISED THREE ISSUES ONE THE ISSUE OF SOME 52 MAYJUNE 1993 ICTRO PMQRGUIDE PAAE NOT AIIOTHC MAINSTREAM CNVINXIMENCAL ORGA NIZATIONS ACCEPTING MONEY FROM THE SAME COR PORATIONS THAT ARE KILLING OURPEOPLE SECONDLY WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE STAFFING OF MAINSTREAM ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMPOSITION OF THEIR BOARDS IF YOU PUT ONE BLACK PERSON OR BROWN PERSON OR RED PERSON OR YELLOW PERSON ON THE BOARD AND THINK 0K EVERYTHINGS GOING TO BE COOL THATS NOT WHAT WERE TALKING ABOUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE KIND OF FORWARD MOVEMENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE HOPED TO SEE WE KNEW NOTHING WAS GOING TO CHANGE OVERNIGHT BUT AT THE SAME TIME WEHAVE NOT SEEN THAT MOVEMENT THE THIRD ONE IS MORE BASIC WHO IS IT YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR IN NEW MEXICO WHERE IVE LIVED 25 YEARS NOW THERE HAS BEEN HISTORY OF PROBLEMS AND CONFLICT BETWEEN OUR COMMUNI TIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WERE TALKING ABOUT LAND ISSUES WATER ISSUES REGULA TIONS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN PUSHING FORWARDFOR THE PROTECTION OF WHOFOR WHAT IF ITS FOR THE PROTECTION OF US THEN HOWCOME WE HAVENT BEEN INVOLVED IN IT WHY DO WEHAVE TO HEAR SOMETHING THIRD DOWN THE LINE SIXTH DOWNTHE LINE OR NEVER DOWN THE LINE IF IT IS TO PROTECT OUR INTERESTS THEN BRING US TO THE TABLE BECAUSE WE DO VERY FINE AT PRO TECTING OUR OWNINTERESTS THE TRADITIONAL MOVEMENT DISTANCES ITSELF FROM CITIES VIVIE THE SIERRA CLUB STARTED AT THE ISSUE OF EN THAT ARE EVEN LOOKING DENYING THEY VIRONMENTAL JUSICE IN THE 1970S WECOSPONSORED WITH TWO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND THE NATIONAL URBAN THE 1978 IN DETROIT THAT PART OT ENVIROMNENT LEAGUE CONFERENCE IN BROUGHT TO GETHER 700 PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY PEOPLE OF COLOR AUTHUMY GOOD EXAMPLE OFTHE ATTITUDES OF THE MORE ESRAB AS WELL AS MORE TRADITIONAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO LOOK AT HOW WORK LISHED GROUPS TOWARDCOMMUNITIES OF COLOR IS BLUEPRINT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTCOULD TOGETHER WITH THE EN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WHICH WAS SUBMITTED TO GEORGE BUSH VIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT WHEN HE TOOK OFFCE IT CONTAINED 750 DETAILED RECOMMEN UNFORTUNATELY ONCE THE REAGANBUSH ADMINISTRATION DATIONS FROM 18 ESTABLISHED ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS INCLUD CAINE IN PEOPLE WENT BACK TO PROTECTING THEIR OWNTURL HAD KIND ING PROPOSALS FOR EVERY CABINET DEPARTMENT EXCEPT TWO THE THERE BEEN CONTINUATION OF THAT OF COALITION EFFORT AT DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE THE GRASSROOTSLEVEL THINK WE WOULD BE LOT FURTHER AHEAD DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THE GROUPS COULD HAVE MADE REC TODAY THINK YOUR LETTERS WERE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY FO OMMENDATIONS ABOUT LEAD POISONING ENERGY CONSERVATION CUSED PEOPLES ATTENTION ON WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN IN PUBLIC HOUSING SITING OFAFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR TRANS AS TO THE FUNDING ISSUE IVE SERVED FOR THREE YEARS ON PORTATION CORRIDORS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHANDSAFETY ISSUES IN THREEPERSON COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS EVERY CORPORATEGIFT TO THE WORKPLACE BUT THEY DIDNT IN RETROSPECT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE SIERRA CLUB OVER S1000 WEDO NOT TAKE MONEY FROM THE IGNORING THESE TWODEPARTMENTS CLEARLY REFLECTED THE MOVE OIL INDUSTRY FROM THE PAPER INDUSTRY FROM CHEMICAL COMPA MENTS RACIAL AND CLASS BIASES NIES TOBACCO COMPANIES OR MAJOR POLLUTERS IF THERE IS EVER YOUR LETTERS MADE PUBLIC WHAT LOT OF US IN SOCIAL JUSTICE ANY DOUBT ABOUT CORPORATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD WE OF THE DONT TAKE FROM EMENTS WERE FEELING AT FIRST MANY ENVIRONMEN MONEY THEM TAL GROUPS DEWED CHARGES OF RACISM BUT THEN GRADUALLY THEY THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STAFF AND BOARD IS AN ISSUE THAT CON REALIZED THAT THE CHARGES WERE SERIOUS IT WAS KIND OF WAKE CERNS THE CLUB WE DONT HAVE AN EASY FIX FOR IT BUT WERE COMMITTED THE AND UP CALL VMEN BOWDID THE SIERRA CLUB RESPOND TO TRYING TO CHANGE STARTING AT GRASSROOTS SIERRA 53 CALHI SEAC ENVIRONMENTAL