Photo by Clay Banks
Climate change affects us all, but not equally. Being silent on these issues only perpetuates them further — and there is no way that I can continue advocating for sustainability without addressing social inequities.
As I continue to deepen my understanding of anti-racism, social and environmental justice issues, and how they’re all interconnected, I wanted to share a list of the posts, people, films, documentaries, and books that I have been looking to.
I will be continually adding to this list as I research additional resources and voices to amplify, and I welcome an open dialog in the comments. Should you feel called to do so, I encourage you to share any resources that you have found helpful, so that we can continue to grow and expand our knowledge of environmental inequities together.
Posts & Articles to Look at…
Resource Roundup by Rachel Cargle
What is Intersectional Environmentalism by Leah Thomas
How to be Actively Antiracist by Good Good Good
List of Black Owned Farms by Shoppe Black
Organizations Supporting BIPOC in the Outdoors by Bonnie Wright
Sustainability, Social, Economic and Environmental Justice by Tiffany Alex
Why You Can’t Talk About Sustainability Without Talking About Race by Jhánneu
Places I’ve Donated…
People & Accounts to Follow…
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson – @ayanaeliza
Marie Beecham – @wastefreemarie
Leah Thomas – @greengirlleah
Sustainable Brooklyn – @sustainablebk
Dominique Drakeford – @dominiquedrakeford
Karen Ramos – @naturechola
Louisiana Bucket Brigade – @labuckets
Aja Barber – @ajabarber
Mikaela Loach – @mikaelaloach
Kaysel Caribay – @kayselcaribay
Isaias Hernandez – @queerbrownvegan
Katie Boué – @katieboue
Environmental Justice Foundation – @ejfoundation
Latino Outdoors – @latinooutdoors
Outdoor Afro – @outdoorafro
Corina Newsome – @hood_naturalist
Ron Finley – @ronfinleyhq
Isra Hirsi – @israhirsi
Winona LaDuke – @winonaladuke
Josh Fox – @joshfoxfilm
Aditi Mayer – @aditimayer
Autumn Peltier – @autum.peltier
Jazmine Rogers – @thatcurlytop
Laura Catherine Edmondson – @laura.edmondson
Sprout Up – @sprout_up
GoGreenSaveGreen – @gogreensavegreen
Kristy Drutman – @browngirl_girl
Ciara Imani May – @_cizn
Freweyni – @zerowastehabesha
Chelsea Murphy – @she_colorsnature
Pattie Gonia – @pattiegonia
Xiye Bastida – @xiyebeara
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – @aoc
Jamie Margolin – @jamie_s_margolin
Sophia Roe – @sophia_roe
Sophia Li – @sophfei
Teresa Johnson – @veggiemomclub
Remy Morimoto Park – @veggiekins
Karen Young-Washington – @karwasher
Rise & Root Farm – @riseandrootfarm
Danni Washington – @danniwashington
Manju Kumar – @zerowastefarmer
Farmer Rishi – @farmerrishi
William Padilla-Brown – @mycosymbiote
Suzanne Khan – @suzannekjkhan
Tiffany Alex – @tiffanyalex_
Masego Morgan – @coconut_cracked
Whitney R. McGuire – @whitneyrmcguire
Whitney Bauck – @unwrinkling
Nicole Cardoza – @nicoleacardoza
Trinity Mouzon Wofford – @trinitymouzon
Abolaji – @abolajiooo
Jasmine Rose – @msjasminerose
Mecca James-Williams – @meccajw
Nikisha Riley – @nikishariley
Kimberly Waldropt – @waldropt_
Linear Beauty – @linearbeauty
The Consistency Project – @theconsistencyproject
Nathalie Kelley – @natkelly
Faith E. Briggs – @faitheevebee
Leah Penniman – @leahpenniman
Soul Fire Farm – @soulfirefarm
Brother Vellies – @brothervellies
The Unwrapped Family – @theunwrappedfamily
Tori Tsui – @toritsui_
Cherisa – @switchbackshawty
Brittany Leavitt – @bleavitt8
Teresa Baker – @teresabaker11
Xiuhtezcatl – @xiuhtezcatl
Mary Annaïse Heglar – @mary.heglar
Climate In Color – @climateincolor
SÜPRMARKT – @supr.mrkt
Power Shift Network – @power_shift
Future Earth – @futureearth
Jhánneu – @jhanneu
Films & Documentaries to Watch…
Do the Right Thing – Available to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Prime.
13th – Available on Netflix or YouTube.
Selma – Available on YouTube, Google Play, and Amazon Prime.
I Am Not Your Negro – Available to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Prime.
Gasland – Available on Tubi.
Addresses fracking and how the Oil and Gas Industry exploits poor communities.
Dark Waters – Available to rent on YouTube, Google Play, and Amazon Prime.
Tells the story of how a corporation knowingly poisoned a low-income community’s water supply, and actively hid the truth.
King Corn – Available on YouTube.
Explores how subsidies exploit people and the planet.
Books & Articles to Read…
Where to buy books? Audiobooks are a great zero waste option, but if you’re looking to buy a physical copy, I suggest looking for a used copy or buying from a Black-owned bookstore (here is a list of 22 Black-owned online bookshops to support).
Social Justice Book Suggestions by Jane Mount
Books on Environmental Racism by Jhánneu
I’m a black climate expert. Racism derails our efforts to save the planet by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Read Up on the Links Between Racism and the Environment by Somini Sengupta
Flammable: Environmental Suffering in an Argentine Shantytown by Débora Alejandra Swistun and Javier Auyero
This one really hurt my heart and is a well-written example of the exploitation of low-income communities by big businesses (which happens all over the world).
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
Looks at the role of geography, Jared Diamond addresses a central question, “Why do white men have so much”?
Environmental Inequalities: Class, Race, and Industrial Pollution by Andrew Hurley
A great example of competing interests, and how the same problem impacts stakeholders in different ways.
Concrete and Clay: Reworking Nature in New York City by Matthew Gandy
It looks at how New York and the surrounding states were shaped by the needs of the upper class that lived in NYC.
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
This book opened my eyes to how poor farmers get stick in the cycle of dependence on huge corporations.
Photos by Lan Nguyen
