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TableofContentsAgenda(overview)..............................................................................................................................3

HistoryoftheNorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork............................................5MissionStatement...........................................................................................................................................5NCEJNValues.....................................................................................................................................................5TheProblem......................................................................................................................................................6WhatisEnvironmentalJustice?..................................................................................................................6WhatdoestheNCEJNdo?..............................................................................................................................6Whyasummit?.................................................................................................................................................6

DetailedAgenda...................................................................................................................................7

ResearchPresentationAbstracts.................................................................................................13

PosterPresentationAbstracts.......................................................................................................19

Biographies..........................................................................................................................................22

Awards...................................................................................................................................................36NCEJNCommunityResilienceAward.....................................................................................................36SteveWingInternationalEnvironmentalJusticeAward................................................................36EJYouthVanguardAward..........................................................................................................................37

EnvironmentalJusticeDefinitions...............................................................................................38

PrinciplesofEnvironmentalJustice............................................................................................39

TheEnvironmentalJusticeMovement,NorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork,andtheRoleofStudents...............................................................................................41

DefiningtheRoleandPrinciplesofLawyersandAcademiciansintheEnvironmentalJusticeMovement...............................................................................................................................43

SpecialThankstoOurSponsorsandDonors............................................................................47

SpecialThankstoOurSupporters...............................................................................................49

NCEJNBoardandEJSummitPlanningCommittee..................................................................50

Howtogetinvolved...........................................................................................................................51

ContactInformation..........................................................................................................................51

Questions,comments,concerns?..................................................................................................51

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Agenda (overview) Friday,October21(AlleventswilltakeplaceintheFellowshipHall,unlessotherwiseindicated)

12:00-1:00pm Registration&Lunch1:00-1:20pm Welcome:NaeemaMuhammad&AyoWilson,NCEJNCo-Directors1:20-3:45pm ResearchPresentations(seeDetailedProgram) (15min.break--CheckouttheResearchPosters*)4:00-4:15pm CAFO&TitleVICivilRightsComplainttotheEPAUpdate4:15-6:00pm CommunitySpeak-outandGovernmentListeningPanel6:00-6:25pm Networking&ResearchPosterSession* (5min.transitionperiodtomovefromFellowshipHalltoAuditorium)6:30-9:00pm DinnerandPlay(Auditorium):RaceandWasteinanAluminumTown AplayindevelopmentbasedonoralhistorieswithresidentsofWestBadin

Playwright:PavithraVasudeva,Director:JosephMegel

9:15-bedtime Networking,drumcircle,creatingtheNCEJtimeline**

Saturday,October22(AlleventswilltakeplaceintheFellowshipHall,unlessotherwiseindicated)7:30-8:30am Breakfast(Cafeteria)8:45-10:10am Welcome&OpeningPlenary:LookingBacktoMoveForward (15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters)10:25-11:50am ConcurrentSessions1&2***:

1. DirectEngagementOrganizing:ToolsForGrassrootsChange(Cafeteria)

2. ToolsforAvoidingLandLoss(FellowshipHall)(15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters*)

12:05-1:35pm Lunch,AwardsCeremony,andKeynoteSpeaker(Auditorium):AjamuAmiriDillahunt,MemberofBYP100,IgniteNC,andBlackWorkersforJustice

1:50-3:15pm ConcurrentSessions1&2***:1. DirectEngagementOrganizing:ToolsForGrassroots

Change(Cafeteria)2. ToolsforAvoidingLandLoss(FellowshipHall)

(15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters*)3:30-5:00pm ClosingPlenary:MovingForwardTogether

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Pleaseseenextpageforfootnotedescriptions(*,**,and***).*The titlesof the researchpostersare:1)ScholarActivistAlliance;2)Effectsof SodiumAzide onPlants:Development of a System toMeasureActiveUptake of PharmaceuticalsandPersonalCareProduct Ingredients; 3)Developmentof anEJmapping and screeningsystemforcommunitygardenstoanticipateandreduceexposuretosoilcontaminants **Atthisyear’sSummit,wearegoingtocreateastorytimelineofEJinNC.Weneedyourhelpand stories to document the history of North Carolina’s Environmental JusticeMovement! Together, at this year’sNCEJ Summit,wewill create a livingdocument, onethatwill be updated for years to come. This documentwill provide space to gather ourstoriesandshareourcollectivehistory.Weallhavesomethingtoshare,sopleasecometotheSummitwithyourcommunity’ssuccesses,failures,turningpoints,eventsandrelevantdates inyourmind.Feel freetobringmementos,papers,photos,notes,etc. toaddtothetimeline.Lookingbackwillhelpustomoveforward.Knowingwherewe’vebeenwillguideourpathintothefuture.***IfyouattendedtheConcurrentSession#1beforelunch,pleaseattendtheConcurrentSession #2 after lunch. If you attended the Concurrent Session #2 before lunch, pleaseattendtheConcurrentSession#1afterlunch.

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History of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network

Mission Statement TheNorthCarolinaEnvironmental JusticeNetwork (NCEJN) is a coalitionofcommunity organizations and their supporters who work with low incomecommunitiesandpeopleofcolortopromotehealthandenvironmentalequity,clean industry, safe work places, and fair access to all human and naturalresources.We seek to accomplish these goals throughorganizing, advocacy,research,andeducationbasedonprinciplesofeconomicandpoliticalequity.

NCEJN Values GrassrootsEducationandOrganizing

The goal of which is consciousness raising, building critical thinkingskills,anddevelopingtoolsforaction.

Grassroots-DrivenSolutions

Involvementofpeopleaffectedbytheproblem.PeoplePower

NCEJNworkstoawakenacommunity’sownpower.Justice

Justice means individuals and groups receive equitable treatmentensuringthatnoonebenefitstothedetrimentofothers,andthatthereisfairandequitableaccesstoresources.

DemocraticParticipationParticipation by people ensuring that every voice is heard,accountabilityofleadershiptoallpeople,andsharedpower.

EconomicAndPoliticalEquity

All peoplehave equitable access topolitical andeconomicpower, andresources.

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The Problem Allindividualsandcommunitiesshouldliveinasafeandhealthyenvironment. However,becauseoftheirrace,ethnicity,andincome,manyNorthCarolinianshavebeensubjectedtolivinginunsafeconditions.Thisisenvironmentalinjusticeinitstruestform!Environmental injusticesexistbecausemanybusinesses,governmentagencies,andotherorganizations in positions of power have discriminatory practices and policies. Whendiscriminatory practices and policies are adopted by these organizations, thediscrimination becomes “institutionalized” and therefore harder to identify and thushardertoend.Lastly, no groups of people, based on race, ethnicity, or income, should experience anunequalshareofenvironmentalproblemsbecauseofactions(orinactions)andpoliciesofprivateindustryorgovernmentinstitutions.Environmentalinjusticesoccurnotonlyinourbackyard,butalsoatthestate,national,andinternationallevel.Anenvironmentalinjusticeisonecommunitymeansthereisaproblemforeveryone.

What is Environmental Justice? Environmentaljusticemeansthatpeopleofallraces,cultures,andincomesshouldbeabletoliveinasafeandhealthyenvironment.Italsomeansthateveryoneshouldbetreatedfairlyandequally.

What does the NCEJN do?The North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN) works to empowercommunitiesaffectedbyenvironmentalinjusticesthroughorganizedforums,conferences,andthroughthesupportofmemberadvocates.

Why a summit?NCEJN’sAnnualStatewideCommunity-BasedEnvironmental JusticeSummit isaforumtobringpeople together to help educate and informabout the history and current state ofenvironmental injustice in North Carolina. The panels and research presentations aredesignedtohelpidentifyspecificobjectivesandideasforparticipantstotakebacktotheircommunities,state,andlocalgovernmentagencies.Thegoalistostrengthentheresourcesandplansusedbycommunitiesandgovernmentagencies,whichinturnwillhelpprotectandimprovethequalityoflifeforallNorthCarolinaresidents.Byworkingtogetherwecanstartbuildingabettertomorrowtoday.

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Detailed Agenda

Environmental Justice: Moving Beyond Electoral Politics and Toxic Representation

Friday,October21,2016

12:00-1:00pm–Registration&Lunch–Location:FellowshipHall

1:00-1:20pm–Welcome:NaeemaMuhammad&AyoWilson,NCEJNCo-Directors– Location:FellowshipHall

1:20-3:45pm–ResearchPresentations*–Location:FellowshipHallFacilitator:DanielleSpurlock,UNC-CH

RaceandClassinContemporaryAfricanAmericanPolitics:TraditionalBlackCivilRightsOrganizationsandtheEnvironmentalJusticeMovementorWhywecontinuetoneedtheenvironmentaljusticemovement

Presenter:KimAllen

UpdateonLeadPoisoningPreventioninNorthCarolinaPresenter:KimGaetz

ContemporaryDilemmasofEnvironmentalJusticeActivism:TheCaliforniaExperienceinHistoricalContext

Presenter:TracyPerkins

Antibioticresistantbacteriaamongindustrialhogoperationworkers,communityresidents,andyoungchildrenlivingintheirhouseholdsineasternNorthCarolina

Presenters:SarahRhodesandDevonHall

InConditionsofFreshWaterPresenters:DaniellePurifoyandTorkwaseDyson

CoalAsh,RaceandClassinNorthCarolinaPresenter:ElizabethWeimer

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AnnouncementofPosterPresentations*Location:MainlobbyScholarActivistAlliance

RickiDraperandHannahGillespie

EffectsofSodiumAzideonPlants:DevelopmentofaSystemtoMeasureActiveUptakeofPharmaceuticalsandPersonalCareProductIngredients

B.MaliqueJones

DevelopmentofanEJmappingandscreeningsystemforcommunitygardenstoanticipateandreduceexposuretosoilcontaminants

ElizabethShapiro-Garza,BryanLuukinen,andCatherineKastleman

*Pleasesee“ResearchPresentationAbstracts”and“PosterPresentationAbstracts”forabstractsandfullauthorlistings.

(15minutebreak--CheckoutthePosterPresentationsintheMainLobby)

4:00-4:15pm–CAFO&TitleVICivilRightsComplainttotheEPAUpdateLocation:FellowshipHall

Presenter:LarryBaldwin,Waterkeeper’sAlliance4:15-6:00pm–CommunitySpeak-out&GovernmentListeningPanel–

Location:FellowshipHall Facilitator:CourtneyCrowder,CrowderConsulting,LLC Communities

Thiswillbeanopenmicrophoneformat.Weencourageyoutostepuptothemicrophone(orwecanbringthemicrophonetoyou)toaddressthegovernmentlisteningpanelabouttheconcernsfromyourcommunity.

GovernmentListeningPanel

SenatorAngelaBryant–NCLegislature,District4AndreKnight–RockyMountCityCouncilMichelleLanier–DirectorofNC'sAfricanAmericanHeritageCommissionEdNorman–DepartmentofHealthandHumanSafety,DivisionofPublicHealthCynthiaPeurifoy–U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,RegionIV-Atlanta,GARepresentativeBobbieRichardson–NCLegislature,District7

6:00-6:25pm–Networking&ResearchPosterSession–Location:MainLobby

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6:30-9:00pm–DinnerandPlay:RaceandWasteinanAluminumTownAplayindevelopmentbasedonoralhistorieswithresidentsofWestBadin

Playwright:PavithraVasudeva,Director:JosephMegelLocation:Auditorium

RaceandWasteinanAluminumTownThisplayisbasedonoralhistoryinterviewswithresidentsofBadin,NorthCarolina,conducted jointly by Pavithra Vasudevan and Naeema Muhammad (Co-director/community organizing, NCEJN). Developed in collaboration with theConcernedCitizensofWestBadinCommunityandtheNCEJN,thegoalofthisprojectistounderstandhowracismhasshapedworkingconditions,dailylife,andpoliticalstruggles in this historic site.This collaborative projectis part of Pavithra’sdissertation research tracing race and waste in Badin’s history, from itsestablishmentasanaluminumcompanytopresent-dayissuesofcontamination.SpecialthankstotheCritical/PerformanceEthnographyWorkingGroupandJosephMegelforfeedbackonmultipledrafts.

ThisprojecthasreceivedsupportfromtheUNCGraduateCertificateinParticipatoryResearchSeedGrant,theCarolinaCommunityEngagementFellowship,theNationalScience Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, and theSocietyofWomenGeographersPruittDissertationFellowship.ConcernedCitizensoftheWestBadinCommunity(CCWBC)It is the goal of the Concerned Citizens of the West Badin Community to havehazardous waste sites identified and cleaned up. We want to have areas in ourcommunity tested by an independent agency. We want to know what materialswere dumped, the side effects of thematerials and get the areas cleaned up andremoved from our community. We want this done so the present and futureresidents can live in a healthy and prosperous environment in the West BadinCommunity.

9:15-bedtime–Networking,drumcircle,creatingtheNCEJtimelineLocation:Auditorium

The drum is the world's oldest instrument and is a vital part of African andindigenous culture and practice. Drums are used to invoke courage and unity,create a spiritual balance and oneness, encourage dialogue and expression andinspireexcitement,vigoranddeterminationinthehearts,mindsandsoulsofEJandhumanrightswarriors.Thisisthetimeforalltoworktogethertobuildatomorrowbasedonequality,equity,health,andjustice.Thisisthetimeforourcollectivesoulsandspiritstobeheardthroughthevoiceofthedrum.

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Saturday,October17,2015 7:30-8:30am–Breakfast

Location:Cafeteria

8:45-10:10am–Welcome&OpeningPlenary

Location:FellowshipHall

Sankofa:LookingBacktoMoveForward

In this, our 18th annual Environmental Justice Summit,we face a number of veryseriousenvironmental challenges,manyofwhicharesupportedand/orworsenedbyourelectedofficials.Frominactiononclimatechange,totoolittleactiononcoalash waste sites, to forward action on new environmental threats, such as theAtlanticCoastPipeline,wehaveatremendousdutytoourcommunitiesandtonewgenerations to protection our collective future. This year’s Summit will focus onidentifyingthetoolsandstrategiesforadvocacybeyondelectoralpolitics.Wemustmaximizeourpeoplepowertobringenvironmentaljusticetoallcommunities.Butfirst,wemustconsidernotonlyourcurrentconditions,butalsohowfarwe’vecomeovertheseyears.IntheGhanaiantraditionofSankofa,wemustreachbacktoourhistory tomove forwardwithour future.Thissessionprovidesa lookbackattwomajor issues—coal ashwaste sitesand fracking/AtlanticCoastpipeline—thatourcommunitieshavebeenbattling inrecentyears.Wewillalso introduceanewinitiativecalledPlateoftheUnion,whichpushesformajorfoodpolicyreformintheform of higher wages for food and farm workers, environmental protection infarmingpractices,andequitableaccesstofresh,healthyfoodforallcommunities.Finally,wewillprovideabriefoverviewofourchangedformatfortheSummit,andwhatwecanexpecttolearnfromeachotherinourtimetogetherthisweekend.

Panelists:

BelindaJoyner,CleanWaterforNC,NorthamptonCounty BobbyJones,AllianceofCaroliniansTogether(ACT)AgainstCoalAsh DaniellePurifoy,NCEJNBoardMember DonCavellini,NCEJNBoardChair

NaeemaMuhammad,NCEJNCo-Director OntéJohnsonNCEJNPlanningCommittee,PlateoftheUnion

(15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters)

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10:25-11:50am–MorningConcurrentSessions1&2:(HalfoftheregistrantswillattendSession#1whiletheotherhalfattendsSession#2.Afterlunch,youwillswitch.)

Session#1:DirectEngagementOrganizing:ToolsForGrassrootsChange

Location:FellowshipHall

Inthecourseofpursuingjusticeandfairness,weoftenfindourselvesatthemercyofTheBigs:Business;Government;andPoliticians.Theyallhavetheirownsystemsofregulatoryandorganizational“redtape”andothersystemsthatkeepThePeopleignorant, mislead, confused, in-fighting, and divided amongst themselves. The“PowersthatBe”areoftenneverseriouslychallengeddueto,amongothers,disunityandlackofadequatestrategiestoapplythePowerOfThePeopletocreatechangefromthegrassroots.ThissessionexploresatypeofOrganizingthatcallsfordirectengagementbyThePeoplevisavisthetargetsthatcanbringaboutthechangeviathe pressure of strategic Power. We will cover topics of the Relations of Power;SurveyandMapping;ChoosinganIssue;ComposingaStrategy;ExecutingActions;The 3 R's-Recruitment, Retainment and Relationships; Meetings; MediaEngagement, including Social Media; Fundraising, and Development BeyondCampaigns.

LeadFacilitator:CharlesAtlasMcNair SupportFacilitators:NaeemaMuhammadandElijahBrunson

Session#2:ToolsforAvoidingLandLoss

Location:Cafeteria

Summit attendees will learn about legal strategies to avoid land loss andcooperative economic strategies for acquiring and stewarding land. Lastly,attendeeswillhearsomepersonalstoriesoflandloss.

PartI–LegalToolsforPreventingLandloss• LegalChallenges• HeirsProperty-MavisGragg• Foreclosure-OmariWilson• LegalToolsandOtherResourcestoOptimizeUseoftheLand-MavisGragg• EstatePlanning-OmariWilson• ClearingTitle, SimplifyingOwnership,&Partneringwith organizations to

getresources• ActionItemsandQ&A

PartII–AnecdotesofLandownersonuseandloss• CooperativeLandStewardship-CourtneyWoodsandRosaSaavedra• PersonalStoriesofLandloss-ElsieHerring&JuliusTillery• ActionItemsandQ&A

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(15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters)

12:05-1:35pm–Lunch,AwardsCeremony,andKeynoteSpeaker–

Location:Auditorium

AwardsCeremonyfacilitatedbyChandraTaylor

LunchKeynote:AjamuAmiriDillahunt,

MemberofBYP100,IgniteNC,andBlackWorkersforJustice

“EnvironmentalJustice:MovingBeyondElectoralPoliticsandToxicRepresentation”

1:50-3:15pm–AfternoonConcurrentSessions:(IfyouattendedtheConcurrentSession#1beforelunch,pleaseattendtheConcurrentSession#2afterlunch.IfyouattendedtheConcurrentSession#2beforelunch,pleaseattendtheConcurrentSession#1afterlunch.)

Session#1:DirectEngagementOrganizing:ToolsForGrassrootsChange

Location:Cafeteria

Pleasefinddescriptionabove.

Session#2:ToolsforAvoidingLandLoss

Location:FellowshipHall

Pleasefinddescriptionabove.

(15minutebreak--CheckouttheResearchPosters)

3:30-5:00pm–ClosingPlenary:MovingForwardTogether–

Location:FellowshipHall

This closing plenary will create the space for a discussion around the extensiveflooding that has occurred in Eastern North Carolina in the wake of HurricaneMatthew and solidarity with the communities being impacted. We will alsosummarize the previous sessions as well as reflect upon the Timeline that wecreatedonFridayandSaturday.Timewillbeprovided foreveryone to fillout theevaluationformssothatwemaygrowandimproveupontheEJSummitnextyear.Finally,wewillwrapupthe2016EJSummitwithagroupfarewellandpromisetoeachother:"Iamalinkinthechain,andthechainwillnotbreakhere.

Facilitators:NaeemaMuhammad,AyoWilson,andPeterGilbert

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Research Presentation Abstracts

--------------------------RaceandClassinContemporaryAfricanAmericanPolitics:TraditionalBlackCivilRightsOrganizationsandtheEnvironmentalJusticeMovementorWhywecontinuetoneedtheenvironmentaljusticemovement

Presenter:KimAllenDuringthelast30years,theenvironmentalmovementhasdevelopedasadistinctarenaofblack political activism. Within and against it, the environmental justice movement hasbecome a multi-issue, multi-racial environmental and social justice movement thataddresses issues of racial and social inequality. Interestingly, the environmental justicemovement,withitsfocusonracialandsocialinjustice,hasdevelopedoutsideoftraditionalcivil rights organizations such as the iconicNationalAssociation for theAdvancementofColoredPeople(NAACP).Inthispresentation,Iofferevidenceforwhythisisso.Todothis,I compare and contrast two organizations, the North Carolina Environmental JusticeNetwork and theNAACP. I examine theways that the organizations and groups conductbusiness, as well as the racial identities and meanings that have developed in practicewithinthem.Thispresentationdrawsonmyparticipationasaresearcherandmemberofthesegroupsduringtheperiod1997to2008.DuringthistimeIobservedandparticipatedin organizational meetings and events, conducted interviews with group members, andreviewed membership information, media accounts and other literature and materialsproduced by the groups. The question iswhy has it taken the development of a separatemovement,theenvironmentaljusticemovementandnottraditionalcivilrightsorganizations,toaddressenvironmentalracismandrelatedconcernsintheblackcommunity?

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--------------------------UpdateonLeadPoisoningPreventioninNorthCarolina

Presenter:KimGaetz

Childhoodleadpoisoningisa longstandingconcernthatthepublichasbecomeawareofduetothepublichealthcrisisinFlint,Michigan.Thoughmostchildrenareasymptomatic,healtheffectsfromleadpoisoningmayincludelearningdisabilities,developmentaldelays,behaviouralissues,andphysicalsymptomssuchasheadacheandlethargy.Duetohousingand nutritional risk factors, lead poisoning disproportionately affects children in lowincomehouseholds.Previousanalyseshavesuggestedchildrenofcolorarealsoathigherrisk of lead poisoning. Typically thought of as an urban health issue, lead poisoning hasbeenmoreprevalentinNorthCarolina’sruralareasthanurbanareasduetodeteriorating,old housing stock and low income levels. Thepresenterwill update the audience on theprevalence of elevated blood lead levels in North Carolina, and the current state ofknowledge on best practices for lead poisoning prevention. Shewill also discuss relatedstatutesandresourcesavailabletocommunitiesconcernedaboutlead.

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ContemporaryDilemmasofEnvironmentalJusticeActivism:TheCaliforniaExperienceinHistoricalContext

Presenter:TracyPerkins

ThispresentationdrawsfromabookprojectonthehistoryandevolutionoftheCaliforniaenvironmental justice movement from the 1980s until today. The book describes howactivists have moved increasingly toward “insider” political strategies such as policyadvocacy and electoral politics over time. This talk summarizes the current politicaldilemmasfacingCaliforniaenvironmentaljusticeactivistsastheynavigateanincreasinglycollaborativerelationshipwiththestateandageneraldeclineindisruptiveprotest.Shouldactivists participate in time-consuming stakeholder engagement processes or boycottthem?ShouldtheyprotestattheEPA’soffices,getactivistsappointedtorolesontheinside,or do both? Analyses of social movement institutionalization often polarize over thesequestions.Thistalkinsteadhighlightsthetradeoffsinherentinthesedivergenttactics,andassessesthecircumstancesunderwhichtheyaremorelikelytosucceedorfail.Ultimately,itarguesthatinsidertacticshavehelpedenvironmentaljusticeactivistsmakeincrementalprogresstowardtheirgoals.Atthesametime,however,activistsriskbecomingcooptedbyembedding themselveswithin state structures that are fundamentally at oddswith theirgoals.

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Antibioticresistantbacteriaamongindustrialhogoperationworkers,communityresidents,andyoungchildrenlivingintheirhouseholdsineasternNorthCarolina

Presenters:SarahRhodesandDevonHall

InNorthCarolina,hogsareraisedformeatproductioninindustrialhogoperations(IHOs)thatraisehundredsofhogsinconfinedbarns.Communityorganizingeffortsandresearchhave shown that IHO-related pollutants can negatively impact nearby communities andthatIHOsaredisproportionatelylocatedincommunitiesofcolor.IHOcontractgrowersarerequired to administer antibiotics to hogs, a practice that can lead to emergence ofantibiotic resistant (ABR) bacteria. ABR bacteria can cause infections in animals andhumansthataremoredifficultandcostly to treat. In thisstudy,we investigatedwhetherIHOworkers,communityresidentswhodonotworkinIHOs,andyoungchildren(<7yrs.)livingintheirhouseholdscarryABRStaphylococcusaureusintheirnoses,atypeofbacteriathat may cause hard-to-treat infections and can be shared between hogs and humans.REACH recruited 198 IHO worker households and 202 community resident householdsfromhog-producingNCcounties.Participants completedaquestionnaireand theirnoseswere swabbed and analyzed for presence of ABR Staphylococcus aureus. We found thatmorechildrenlivingwithIHOworkerscarriedmulti-drugresistant(23%vs.8%;aPR:2.64;95%CI:1.47,4.75)andmethicillin-resistantStaphylococcusaureus (MRSA)(14%vs.6%;aPR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.14, 4.92) in their noses compared to children whose householdmembersdonotworkinIHOs.MRSAcarriagewasuncommoninalladultparticipants,soitremains unclear how children were exposed. Our findings must be confirmed in otherpopulations,andpotentialexposurepathwaysshouldbestudied.

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--------------------------InConditionsofFreshWater

Presenters:DaniellePurifoyandTorkwaseDyson

BlacktownsandcommunitiesinAlamanceCounty,NCandLowndesCounty,ALdatebacktothePost-BellumEra,whenfreeAfricanAmericansacrosstheSouthandbeyondsoughtautonomy by establishing spaces to evade white terrorism and oppressive institutions.1The land on which they settled was often the undesired remnants of white propertyestates—low lying floodplains, swamps, or old dumping grounds.2 These early ecologiesinfluenced a variety of subsequent environmental conditions, from soil viability tosanitation infrastructure to water quality, exacerbated by continuing sociopoliticalinequities, from expulsive zoning practices to political exclusion of unincorporatedresidentsinlandusedecisions.3This art + ethnography project follows two black historic communities in Alamance andLowndesCountiestotracetheirdecades’longstrugglesforinfrastructure,andconnectionstoblackautonomyandpower.Throughinterviews,observations,andarchivaldata,wewillidentify the mechanisms that stymie infrastructure access in these communities, therelative success of strategies to surpass those mechanisms, and some suggestions ofpossible avenues for future advocacy. Most of all, wewill offer an updated narrative ofSouthern black power struggles, rooted in historic and contemporary black communitydevelopmentefforts.

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1 Mobley, J. A. (1986). In the shadow of white society: Princeville, a black town in North Carolina, 1865-1915. The North Carolina Historical Review, 340-384; Wiese, A. (2005). Places of their own: African American suburbanization in the twentieth century. 2 Kellogg, J. (1977). Negro urban clusters in the postbellum South. Geographical Review, 310-321. 3 Id.; Marsh, B., Parnell, A. M., & Joyner, A. M. (2010). Institutionalization of racial inequality in local political geographies. Urban Geography, 31(5), 691-709.

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--------------------------CoalAsh,RaceandClassinNorthCarolina

Presenter:ElizabethWeimerIn response to a massive coal ash spill in 2014, North Carolina passed the Coal AshManagementAct,thefirststatestatuteregulatingcoalashwaste.Thelawisbothblindtotheenvironmentaljusticeconcernswithincommunitiesnearcoalashponds,anditislikelytoreproduceenvironmentalracismwhensitinglandfillsforwastefromthecleanups.Thisstudy explores methodologies for considering race and class in environmental decision-making, presents anenvironmental justice profile of the communities affected by coal ash,anddiscusseshowthestatecouldredesignpolicytoproducemoreequitableoutcomesinthecleanup of coal ash wastes. Of the fourteen coal ash sites in North Carolina, eleven arefoundtohaveatleastonemeasureofdisproportionateimpacttocommunitiesofcolor.Thestudy concludeswith three policy recommendations: 1) introduce environmental justicescreening using distance-based methods, 2) create avenues for community members toframetheproblem,and3)strengthensolidwasteregulations.

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Poster Presentation Abstracts

--------------------------ScholarActivistAlliance

Presenters:RickiDraperandHannahGillespieThe Scholar Activist Alliance (SAA) is a model for linking academic institutions andfrontline community organizations in order for scholars to engage in research thatincreasesthecapacityofactivistorganizationsandaffectspositivesocialchange.Currentlyorganizedand ledbyundergraduate studentsatSwarthmoreCollege,OberlinUniversity,andAppalachianStateUniversity,theSAAisbuildingareplicablemodelandframeworkforcollaborative participatory research. While historically focused on communities inAppalachia shouldering the negative effects of extractive industry, the SAA is exploringadditionalopportunitiestoexpandbeyondtheregion.Recognizing thehistoryandcontinuedpracticesofknowledgeextraction inmarginalizedcommunities, the SAA seeks to directly challenge power structures that privilege“professional”knowledgeovercommunityknowledge,andviewcommunityresidentsandactivistsasexpertsoftheirownlives.TheSAAfullyrecognizestheimportanceandvalueofresearchthatisled,directed,andownedbythecommunity,andsupportedandaugmentedbyacademicresources.Throughtheposterpresentation,wewillshareadescriptionoftheframeworkdevelopedbytheSAA,informationabouthowtheSAAisorganizedwithafocusonhowtostartaSAAiterationonacollegecampus,lessonslearnedthroughtheprocess,andashowcaseofpastand current SAAprojects.Wewill discuss navigating the tension between academia andcommunity organizations and discuss SAA’s best practices for completing engaged,collaborateresearchprojects.

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--------------------------EffectsofSodiumAzideonPlants:DevelopmentofaSystemtoMeasureActiveUptakeofPharmaceuticalsandPersonalCareProductIngredients

Presenter:B.MaliqueJones

Contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care productingredients(PPCPs)thatarefoundinreclaimedwastewaterandbiosolids-amendedsoils,are taken up and subsequently bioaccumulated in crop plants. The fundamentalmechanisticunderstandingofhowPPCPsare takenupbycropplants, includingwhetherthis happens passively or actively, is unknown.We are interested in using an inorganicmetabolic inhibitor, sodium azide (NaN3), as a mechanistic tool to investigate whetherPPCPsexhibitactiveorpassiveuptake.However,beforedoinguptakestudies,weneededto find anoptimumconcentrationofNaN3 that inhibits plant energy availabilitywithoutoverlydamagingtheplant.WeperformedarootlengthtoxicityassayusingthemodelplantArabidopsisthaliana,andfoundthathighconcentrationsofNaN3hadasignificanteffectontherootdevelopment(p= .0001).Hydroponicspinachplantswerechosenasamodelforlater studies to test if anoptimal concentrationofNaN3woulddecreaseATPproductionwithoutcausingadetrimentaleffectontheplanthealth.Spinachismorerelevanttohumanexposurebecauseitisoftengrownontreatedwastewaterandconsumedraw.WeselectedNaN3 concentrations of 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, and 1 mM to test on spinach, and found nostatisticallysignificantchangeinpigmentcontentsortranspirationbetweentreatments.Inthefuture,wewillexposespinachtotheoptimalconcentrationofNaN3inconjunctionwithPPCPs to identifyorganic compoundswhoseuptake is affectedbyenergyavailability forfurtherstudyintoactiveuptakemechanisms.

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--------------------------DevelopmentofanEJmappingandscreeningsystemforcommunitygardenstoanticipateandreduceexposuretosoilcontaminants

Presenters:ElizabethShapiro-Garza,BryanLuukinen,andCatherineKastlemanCommunitygardenscanbea sourceofhealthy food, exercise, connections tonatureandeach other. However, contaminants sometimes found in garden sites can also presentpotentialhealthrisks,especiallyforvulnerablepopulationssuchaschildrenandpregnantmothers.TheResearchTranslationCoreoftheDukeUniversitySuperfundResearchCenter(DUSRC)isinitiatingaprojectwithcommunitygardenersinNorthCarolinatounderstandearlylifeexposurestosoilcontaminantsandpesticidesatseveralsitesacrossthestate.Theultimategoalistopartnerwithcommunitymemberstopreventexposurestocontaminantsandreducepotentialhealthrisks.As a first step, theDUSRC has created amap ofNorth Carolina community garden sitesusing data from sources such as EPA’s EJSCREEN and C-FERST of chemical contaminantsources that may present health risks. These maps can be used by community gardengroupsto identifypotentialcontaminantsatgardensites.DUSRCresearcherswillalsobeworkingwithcommunitygardenersonsomeofthepotentiallycontaminatedgardensitestoexplorebestoptionsforremediationandmitigationofpotentialcontaminantexposures.We will use the results of this participatory research to develop a social marketingcampaigntohelpgardenersthroughoutNorthCarolinaunderstandtheirrisksandthemosteffective,easiest,andlowest-coststrategiesforpreventingandreducingexposures.Themethodsusedforthisprojectmaybeof interesttoothergroupsundertakingsimilarenvironmentalhealthmappingprojectswithanenvironmentaljusticefocus.

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Biographies

--------------------------LarryBaldwinCrystalCoastWaterkeeperLarry Baldwin joined the Waterkeeper movement in 2002 as theLowerNeuseRiverkeeper,basedinNewBern,NC. PollutionintheNeuse River watershed from confined animal feeding operations(“CAFOs”)concentratedineasternNorthCarolinawasevidentthen,asnow.ThehumanimpactsofthatpollutionledLarrytoworkwiththeNorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork(NCEJN)andtheRural Empowerment Association for Community Help (REACH),both based in eastern North Carolina. In 2011, Larry joined

Waterkeeper Alliance as NC’s CAFO Coordinator, working with eight (8) RiverkeeperprogramsthroughoutNorthCarolinatoendthestrangleholdthattheCAFOindustryhasonour environment and our communities. He continues to be a representative forWaterkeeper Alliance in the September 3, 2014 Title VI Complaint. Larry became theCrystalCoastWaterkeeperinJanuary,2016.HeholdsadegreeinEnvironmentalSciencesfromShippensburgUniversityinShippensburg,PA.

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SenatorAngelaR.Bryant District4-Halifax,Vance,Nash,Warren&WilsonCounties Home/Office:717WestEndSt.,RockyMount,N.C.27803PH:252-442-4022;E-FAX-703-783-8553 bryanta@mindspring.com StateLegislativeOfficeBuilding--300N.SalisburyStreet,Room516-Raleigh,NC27603-5925;Phone:919-733-5878(o);252-442-4022(h);919-754-3289(f);angelab@ncleg.net;www.ncleg.netLeg.Asst--KaronHardy-bryantla@ncleg.net

AngelaR.Bryant,JD,isaDiversityandOrganizationalDevelopmentConsultantwithAngelaBryant Consulting which is affiliated with VISIONS, Inc, an organization which she co-founded.SheistheformerDirectorandoneofthedevelopersofTheWright’sCenter,Inc.–VISIONS’ awardwinningmulticultural adult day health care project in RockyMount forelders,disabledadults,theircaregiversandserviceproviders. Ms.Bryanthasmorethan30yearsof legalexperienceandwasaNCstateadministrativelaw judge for ten years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Math and JurisDoctoratedegreeattheUniversityofNorthCarolina-ChapelHill(UNC-CH).Shehasheldseveral appointed governmental positions, including service on the UNC-CH Board of

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Trustees and the UNC Board of Governors. She was a Charter Member and formerPresidentof theNorthCarolinaAssociationofWomenAttorneysand the1983LawyeroftheYearfortheNorthCarolinaAssociationofBlackLawyers,forco-foundingtheLandLossPreventionProjectatNCCUSchoolofLaw. In 2006, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from UNC-CH, and in 2010, shereceived the Service to Humanity Award from the Rocky Mount Human RelationsCommission. She served on the City Council of Rocky Mount, for three years and wasappointedtotheHouseofRepresentatives,(District7)onJanuary23,2007andreelectedassuccessorfortwomoreterms.In2013shewasappointedtotheNCSenate(District4).In2010shereceivedthe“FriendoftheCounties”AwardfromtheNCAssociationofCountyCommissioners and the “Frederick Douglas Leadership Award” from the North CarolinaAssociationofBlackCountyOfficials,in2011,the“DefenderofJusticeAward”fromtheNCJustice Center and in 2012, the Southeast Association of Telecommunications Officers &Advisors Legislator of the Year Award for promoting the development of public,educational or government access channels in local communities. In 2013, Sen. BryantreceivedtheChampionofNCWorkingFamiliesAwardfromNCFamiliesCare. Ms. Bryant is currently a member of the Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources,Appropriations Base Budget, Appropriations on Natural and Economic Resources,Commerce, Education/Higher Education, and Judiciary II committees and the oversightcommitteesforElections,JusticeandPublicSafetyandEconomicDevelopmentandGlobalEngagement. Inherwork,Ms.Bryanthasbeenconsultingtoandtrainingindividualsandorganizationsin applying principles of justice to interpersonal problem solving and organizationaldevelopment for over20years. Sheparticularly focuseson the areasof equity, diversityand inclusion, community economic development technical assistance and capacitybuilding,organizationaldevelopmentandassessment, leadershipdevelopment, transitionmanagement, collaborative problem solving, professional meeting facilitation, train-the-trainer models, community-based participatory research and global inclusive excellenceissues.

--------------------------DonCavelliniNCEJN,BoardChairDon Cavellini (center) is a founding member of the NCEJNandtheNCPublicServiceWorkersUnion(UELocal150).Heis also the Co-Chair of the Coalition Against Racism in PittCounty,NC.

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CourtneyA.CrowderCrowderConsulting,LLCAnativeofSoutheastRaleigh,CourtneyCrowderhasnearly20yearsof experience in public affairs, government relations, and strategy.Courtney honed his skills in a range of public affairs andgovernmental relations positions. Prior to founding CrowderConsulting Co., which has blossomed into a robust governmentrelationsagency,heservedasLegislativeDirectorandsenioradvisortoGovernorBeverlyE.Perdue.

He counseled corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations while at Capstrat,North Carolina’s premier strategic communications firm. He served as the LegislativeLiaison for the North Carolina Department of Insurance and Special Assistant toCommissioner James E. “Jim” Long andwas on the campaign and congressional staff forCongressmanBobEtheridge.Additionally,Courtneyhasplayedanactiverole inahostofcampaignsateverylevel–presidential,statewide,congressional,andlocal.Deeplyinvolvedinthecommunity,Courtneyrollsuphissleevesforawiderangeofcauses,including education, public safety, affordable housing, the arts, and the state’s electionsystem.CurrentlyheservesontheBoardsofUNCRexHealthcare,NorthCarolinaLeagueofConservation Voters, YMCA of the Triangle, Advance Carolina and the North CarolinaEducationLotteryaswell asdirectorof theAllianceofNCBlackElectedOfficials, just tonameafew.HeisamemberofAlphaPhiAlphaFraternity,Incorporated.Courtney holds degrees in English literature and French from North Carolina CentralUniversityandanM.A. in liberalstudies fromDukeUniversity.HealsostudiedatOxfordUniversity in Oxford, Englandwhere he completed the Program of History, Politics, andSocietyatExeterCollege.CourtneyismarriedtoByinnaA.Crowderandtheyhaveonedaughter,CourtneyAmaya.

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--------------------------AjamuAmiriDillahuntMemberofBYP100,IgniteNC,andBlackWorkersforJusticeAjamu Dillahunt is a sophomore at North Carolina CentralUniversitydoublemajoringinPoliticalScienceandHistory.His senior year inhigh schoolhewas an internwithLegalAid of North Carolinaworking to end the school-to-prisonpipeline. He was also a member of NC H.E.A.T, which is ayouth ledorganization thatseekscivilandhumanrights inpublic schools. He is currently an organizer fellow with

Ignite NC, a member of BYP100- Durham chapter and a member of Black Workers forJustice.ThissummerheinternedwithDemocracyNorthCarolina;thepremiervotingrightsorganization in North Carolina. InMarch hewas able to travel to South Africawith theNCCUlawschoolandlearnedabouttheanti-apartheidstruggleandthecurrentstruggleforeconomicjustice.AfterundergradAjamuplanstogotolawschooltopracticecivil/humanrightslawandgethismastersinAfricanHistory.

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MavisGraggTheGraggLawFirm,PLLCOriginallyfromBlackMountainNC,MavisgraduatedfromUNC-ChapelHillandPepperdineSchoolofLaw.Inadditiontobeingalawyer,MavishasextensiveexperienceinconflictresolutionandaMasterofDisputeResolutiondegree.Mavis began her career as a mediation professional helping

partiesresolveconflictsbothinpersonandinthevirtualspace(eBay).Latershepracticedlaw at a busy, yet small practice representing homeowners in real estate transactions,personal representatives in estate administration, and individuals and couples in estateplanning.ShethenjoinedtheprestigiouslawfirmBuckleySandler,LLPwhereshefocusedherenergyoncomplexmattersduringthepeakofthemortgagecrisis.Inherpractice,Mavissynthesizesherprofessionalexperiencesmediatorwithherpassionforhelping individuals and familiesmaintain andgrowwealth. She accomplishes thisbydedicatingherenergy toassistingherclientswithestateplanning,estateadministration,andheirspropertymatters.Mavisparticularlyappreciatesworkingwithclientswhohave

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low to moderate wealth because she is able to counsel them in planning and problemsolvingthatmeetscriticalneeds.Mavisenjoysbeingactiveinthelegalcommunityhavingservedinmultiplepositionswiththe American Bar Association’s Law Practice Division andwith local bar associations inWashington,D.C. andNorth Carolina. Currently, she volunteerswith TriangleArtworks +Law,anattorneygroupprovidinglegaleducationalopportunitiestoartists.Mavisispassionateaboutaccesstothelaw.RecentlyshefoundedLegalSips,acommunitydialoguepairinglegaltopicsdiscussedwithareaattorneyswiththeirfavoritecocktail.Thegoal of Legal Sips is toprovide communitymemberswith anopportunity to learn aboutlegal issuesthat impactthemandengagewiththelegalprofessionalswhoworkonthoseissues.EducationandexposuretotheworldarealsocorevaluesMavisholds.In2013,sheandhersisterfoundedtheGraggFamilyFund,whichhostscollegeprepworkshopsforparentsandprovides financial support for youth to travel includingOutwardBoundandabroad. ShealsoservesasPresidentoftheUNC-ChapelHillClassof1938EndowmentCommitteeandontheboardofdirectorsofDisputeSettlementCenter.SheisalsoamemberofCAM/Now,the professional advisory group of the Contemporary Art Museum-Raleigh, and was adocentguideattheCorcoranGalleryofArtinWashington,DC.MavisGraggTheGraggLawFirm,PLLC8119thStreet,Suite120-119Durham,NC27705919-794-3554mavis@gragglawfirm.comwww.thegragglawfirm.com@legalsips

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ElsieHerringElsieHerring,anativeNorthCarolinian, livesinDuplinCounty,hometomorethan2,000swine CAFOS and a rapidly growing concentration of industrial poultry operations—thehighestconcentrationofCAFOSinthenation.Elsielivesonlandthathasbeeninherfamilyfor more than 100 years, now desecrated by sprayed hog waste, buzzards, flies andhorribleodorsfromtheindustrialswineoperationsthatmovedinnextdoorinthe1990s.Elsie attendedNewYorkUniversity andworked forDunn&Bradstreet andABMAMRObank for 27 years beforemoving back to NC to become a caregiver for her 90-year oldmother and 46 year-old Downs Syndrome brother. When confronted with the CAFOimpactsonher familyandneighbors, she joined theNCEJNasa communityorganizer tofight those injustices.Elsiewaspresentedwith theFlorenzaMooreGrantEnvironmentalJusticeAwardin2009.InMay2016,ElsielaunchedtheChange.orgpetition,signedbymorethan92,000supportersacrossthecountry,callingontheEPAtomakeitsfirsteverfindingof racial and ethnic discrimination againstNC’s environmental regulatory agency, for itsblatantrefusaltoprotecttheAfricanAmerican,LatinoandNativeAmericancommunitiesthatdisproportionatelybeartheharmfulimpactsfromCAFOs.

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OntéJohnsonNCEJNPlanningCommittee,PlateoftheUnionOntéJohnsonisapublicpolicyadvocateforPlateoftheUnioninNorthCarolina,anationalcampaigntocallonournextPresidenttofixourfoodsystem.HeholdsaMaster’sDegreeinPublicPolicyfrom Stony Brook University, and served as a communityorganizerforfouryears,workingagainstenvironmentalinjusticesstemmingfromfossilfuelpollution.OntéworkedacrossthreedifferentStateLegislatures(NY,DE,CT)

as a public policy advocate. Recently, he was responsible for leading an effort with theNationalSierraClubtomaketheenergytransitionfromConnecticut’slastremainingcoal-firedpowerplant.In his work with Plate of the Union, Onté is facilitating a national conversation abouteliminating fooddeserts,addressing foodprivilege,andensuring thatallAmericanshaveequitable access to healthy food. To that end, he also advocates raising the nationalminimumwageto$15/hr.

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AboutPlateoftheUnionPlate of the Union is a collaborative campaign driven by Food Policy Action EducationFund,theUnionofConcernedScientists,andtheHEALFoodAlliancetoraisethevoiceofAmericanswhocareabout foodand farm issuesduring thiselectionseason.Thepoliciesthat shape our food system influence our health, our environment, and our economy.Together,we’re calling on the next President to take bold action for a food system thatrewardsfarmersandfarmingpracticesthatprotectourenvironment,thatprovidesdignityandfairwagestoworkers,andensuresthatallAmericanshaveaccesstohealthyfoodthattheycanafford.

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BobbyJonesAllianceofCaroliniansTogether(ACT)againstCoalAshBobbyJonesisaleadorganizeroftheDownEastCoalAshCoalitionofGoldsboro,andanactivememberoftheAllianceofCaroliniansTogether(ACT)againstCoalAsh.Heisa30-year retiree from NC Department of Health and Human Services. He also serves hiscommunityasanexecutiveboardmemberoftheGoldsboro-WayneChapteroftheNAACP,adeaconatGreenleafChristianChurch,andchairoftheboardofRebuildingBrokenPlaces,acommunitydevelopmentcorporationestablishedbyGreenleafChristianChurch.

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BelindaJoynerNortheasternOrganizer,GarysburgBelindaJoynerjoinedCleanWaterforNorthCarolinastaffasaparttimeregionalorganizerin2000.ShegrewupinNorthamptonCountyandhasrecentlyretiredafterdecadesasateacher’sassistantspecializinginreadingskills.Shehasbeeninvolvedinnumerouslocalenvironmentalstrugglesandhasbeenaneffectiveorganizeragainstthreatsincludingaliquidfertilizerplant,ahazardouswasteincineratorandaprivateprison,withastrong

historyofgrassrootsfundraisingfordiversecauses.Currently,herfocusisonresistingtheAtlanticCoastPipeline,whichwouldmostlyimpactAfrican-Americanresidentsandlowincomecommunitiesin8NorthCarolinacounties.NorthamptonCountywouldalsobethesiteoftheonlycompressorstationinNorthCarolinaalongthePipeline.

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MichelleLanierNCAfricanAmericanHeritageCommissionAsdirector of theNCAfricanAmericanHeritageCommission andtheTraditions and HeritageProgram of the NC Arts Council,Michelle Lanier uses her background as an oral historian andfolklorist to connect communities around the state's rich culturalresources. Shealsobrings theethical issuesofpublichistoryanddocumentaryworkintotheclassroom,asaninstructorsince2000withDukeUniversity'sCenterforDocumentaryStudies.Michelle's work with Gullah communities, which she began at

SpelmanCollegeandcompleted throughUNC-ChapelHill'sCurriculum inFolklore,pavedthewayforhertobecomeoneofNorthCarolina’s liasionstothe federal,Gullah-GeecheeCulturalHeritageCorridor.Michelle is currently involved in the powerful work of engaging communities towardsenvisioning and growing the future of African American heritage in the state of NorthCarolina.

--------------------------CharlesAtlasMcNairGoldsboroCharlesisanativeofHalifaxCounty,NCandgrewupinthefarmingtradition.CommitmenttothepeopleofNCiswhatdriveshim.Today,hisfocusisonorganic,nontoxic,non-GMO,sustainable and regenerative farming. He is a past farmingmember of theWayne FoodInitiative and was previously employed at a pre-K – 7charter school called DillardAcademy.HenowisaProgramManagerforToxicFreeNC.Hisendeavorsarefocusedonyouth,organizing,andhealth.He foundedFreedomFarmwhereheraises foodtogive toneedyfamilies,andshowsyouthandothershowtogrowsoiltoraisefood.Healsoassistsothersinplantingcommunitygardens,andestablishingtoxicfreeandlocalfoodsystems.

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JosephMegelJoseph isartist inresidence inPerformanceStudiesatUNC’sDepartment of Communication. He founded and is ArtisticDirector of the Process Series: NewWorks in Development,nowinitsninthyear.HeisalsoArtisticDirectorofStreetSignsCenter for Literature and Performance and Co-ExecutiveDirector of Harland’s Creek Productions, producer of newplays, screenplays, and short films.He has spent the last 30

yearsfocusingonthedirectionanddevelopmentofnewworksfortheatre,filmandvideo.Hismostrecentdirectioncreditsinclude:HowardL.Craft’sFreight:TheFiveIncarnationsofAbelGreen forStreetSignsCenter inNewYorkCityatHEREArtsCenterand inChapelHill, which received critics pick in the New York Times and year end rave reviews,TheTramp’sNewWorldadaptedfromJamesAgee’sscreenplaybyRobJansenattheDiogenesTheatre in Cincinnati and atManBites Dog in Durham, Silhouettes of Service by GregoryDeCandiaaspartoftheVeteransandtheirFamiliesSeriesatSwainHallfortheDepartmentofCommunication.He holds an MFA from the University of Southern California’s Peter Stark Program inMotionPictureProducing,anM.A. fromtheUniversityofCincinnatiCollege-ConservatoryofMusic,andaBSfromNorthwestern,SchoolofSpeech.

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NaeemaMuhammadNCEJNCo-DirectorNaeema Muhmmad is the director for the North CarolinaEnvironmental Justice Network (NCEJN) since 2013. She ismarried to Saladin Muhammad and together they have 3children, 10 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. Theyhavebeenmarried50yearsandresideinRockyMount,NCNaeema has worked on two NIEHS funded grants. The first

wasCommunityHealthandenvironmentalReawakening(CHER)inwhichsheservedasacommunity organizerworkingwith communities dealingwithwaste from industrial hogoperations. In thispositionsheworkedwithDr.SteveWing,AssociateProfessoratUNC-ChapelHillSchoolofPublicHealthandwassupervisedbyGaryR.Grant,ExecutiveDirectorof the Concerned Citizens of Tillery. She has co-authored publications with Dr. Wingregarding community based participatory research (most recently in the new SolutionsHealthJournal).

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NaeemaisalsoaCommunity-BasedParticipatoryResearch(CBPR)ExpertandConsultantwhocontractswiththeNCTranslationalandClinicalServicesInstitutetoadviseresearchpartnershipsonstrategiestoadvancetheiruseofCBPRapproaches.SheisafoundingmemberoftheBlackWorkersforJustice(1981).

--------------------------CynthiaB.PeurifoyRegionalEnvironmentalJusticeCoordinatorOfficeofEnvironmentalJusticeandSustainabilityOfficeoftheRegionalAdministratorU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,RegionIV,Atlanta,GACynthiaPeurifoyservesastheRegionalEnvironmentalJusticeCoordinatorattheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyRegion4OfficeinAtlanta,GA.Inthiscapacity,CynthiabuiltlastingrelationshipswithmanyEnvironmentalJusticestakeholdersinRegion4,andworkedtocreateanatmosphereofengagement,respectandcollaborationaroundenvironmentaljusticeissuesintheRegion.Ms.Peurifoyprovidesadviceandguidancetoregionalmanagementandstaff,aswellashostofexternalstakeholdersinanefforttoaddressenvironmentaljusticeconcernsastheyarise.Cynthia’scareerwithEPAspansover40years.Cynthiahasworkedinvariouspositionsandprogramareas,includingcoordinatingtheRegionalResponseTeam,workingwiththeCommunityRight-To-KnowProgram,andworkingintheOfficeofCivilRights.OtherpreviousprimaryresponsibilitiesincludecoordinatingEPA’seffortsinsupportoftheCharleston/NorthCharlestonCommunity-BasedEnvironmentalProtectionProject.Priortotakingthisposition,CynthiaservedasaCommunityInvolvementCoordinatorintheWasteManagementDivisionatEPA.CynthiaisaLifeMemberofBlacksinGovernment,aswellasthe1998recipientoftheSuperfundCommunityInvolvementCoordinatoroftheYearAwardandtwootherNationalNotableAchievementAwards.CynthiawastherecipientoftheRegion’sDiversityAwarenessAwardin2008.CynthiahasalsoservedastheRegion’sBlackEmploymentProgramManager.InApril2010,shereceivedthe“WomenRebuildingCommunities&EnsuringaSustainablePlanetAward”fromtheNuLambdaOmegaChapterofAlphaKappaAlpha,Sorority,Inc.ShealsoreceivedEPA’sNationalCollaborativeProblemSolvingAwardforherworkinSpartanburg,SCin2010.InAugust2014,theReGenesisBoardinSpartanburg,SCpresentedMs.Peurifoywiththe“SouthCarolinaGrassRootsAdvocacyforEnvironmentalandEconomicJustice”award.Thisawardwillbegiveneveryyearinthefutureinherhonor.ShewasalsopresentedwiththeEPAEnvironmentalJusticeChampionAwardinApril2015andwasrecognizedbytheFloridaBrownfieldsAssociationinOctober2014forherworkonbehalfofenvironmentaljusticecommunitiesinRegion4.

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--------------------------DaniellePurifoyNCEJNBoardMemberDanielle Purifoy is a lawyer and current Ph.D candidate inEnvironmental Politics and African American Studies at DukeUniversity. Her research is focused the historic roots ofcontemporaryenvironmentalinequalityintheU.S.Southandstrategies for sustaining viable, healthy spaces for communities ofcolor.Danielle isaboardmemberof theNCEnvironmental JusticeNetworkandaneditoratScalawag,amagazinedevotedtoSouthernpoliticsandculture.

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Rep.BobbieRichardsonNCLegislature,District7Rep.BobbieRichardsonhasdedicatedher life to education. Shehasserved as the Director of Exceptional Children for Warren CountySchoolsandwastheDirectorofExceptionalStudentsProgramfortheNCDepartmentofCorrections,aswellastheSchoolAdministratorforLicensure,Personnel&Curriculum.Beforeherretirementin2013shewastheDirectorofExceptionChildrenforVanceCountySchools.Forten years, from 1988-98, she was a consultant with the NC

DepartmentofPublicInstruction.Shehasalsobeeninthetrenches,workingasateacherinDurham Public Schools for the Children with Disabilities Program and as a teacherassistant for exceptional children classes at Head Start. She is a former member of theFranklinCountySchoolBoard.Today,sheisretiredfromhelpingthechildrenandteachersofNorthCarolinabecomethebesttheycanbe,andisnowrepresentingthepeopleofHouseDistrict7(whichconsistsofportions of Nash and Franklin Counties). She was appointed in January 2013 and wonelectioninNov.2014toasecondtwo-yeartermintheNCGeneralAssembly.Rep.Richardson isagraduateofNCCentralUniversity,wheresheearnedherundergraddegreeandmaster’sdegree,andoftheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHill,wheresheearnedherdoctorateinEducationLeadership.Shehasbeenrecognizedmanytimesforoutstandingservicetohercommunity, includingthe 2015 Top Ladies of Distinction (Wendell Chapter) Everyday Heroes Award, 2010FranklinCountyDemocraticWomanoftheYearAward,2012Perry’sAlumniHumanitarianAward,andWho’sWhoWomeninEducationAwardfromDurhamPublicSchoolsin1989.ShehasbeennominatedandacceptedtoserveasaStateDirectorforthenationalWomen

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InGovernmentorganization.In2014shereceivedtheRisingStarAwardattheNCLeagueofConservationVoters’GreenTieAwardsbanquet.She is a supporter of Franklin County Safe Space, Franklin County Partnership inHealthcare (formerly Volunteers in Medicine), Boys & Girls Club (of Franklin and Nashcounties),andUnitedWay.Rep.RichardsonservesontheExecutiveCommitteefortheNCDemocraticPartyandisaDistrict1CongressionalRepresentativeontheExecutiveCommittee.SheisapastchairoftheFranklinCountyDemocraticPartyand currently is amemberof theFranklinCountyWomen Democrats, Franklin County Senior Democrats, the Franklin County AfricanAmerican Caucus, and Nash County Democratic Women. She is secretary for theDemocraticCaucusoftheNCHouseofRepresentatives,memberoftheNCLegislativeBlackCaucusandboardmemberoftheNCLegislativeBlackCaucusFoundation,Inc.SheisamemberofDeltaSigmaThetaSororityandamemberoftheRoanoke,Va.,Moles.She is trustee of GillfieldMissionary Baptist Church and chair of the church’s EducationCommittee.SheservesontheBoardofTrusteesforLouisburgCollegeinLouisburg,NC.Rep.RichardsonlivesintheWoodCommunity,inthenortheastregionofFranklinCountynear the Nash County line. She is the mother to three grown children and proudgrandmotheroftwo.She isthedaughterofPattieMaeRichardson(wholivesnearher inWood)andthelateBobRichardson,andthesisterto17brothersandsisters.Rep. Richardson currently serves on the following committees in the NC House ofRepresentatives: Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Agricultural andEconomic & Natural Resources, Commerce and Job Development (vice-chair), Elections,Education K-12, and Judiciary. She was recently appointed to the Joint LegislativeCommitteeonLocalGovernment.Favoritequote:“Themoraltestofgovernmentishowittreatspeople inthedawnof life,thechildren;inthetwilightoflife,theaged;andintheshadowsoflife,thesick,theneedy,andthehandicapped.”–HubertHumphreyFavoritescripture:Psalms23Inspiration: “Certainlymy parents,who laid down the foundation forme of self-respect,respect forothers, a loveofeducation,and theknowledgeof right fromwrong.The lovetheygavetome,alongwiththerestofmyfamily,hasalwayssustainedme.Myfirstgradeteacherwasalsoastronginfluence.WhenIwasgrowingup,aneducatorwasoftentheonlyprofessionalablackchildwouldcomeintocontactwith.FromherIdevelopedapassionforlearning,andIknewafterImetherthatIwasdefinitelygoingtocollege.Myexperienceasan educatormotivatedme to help others, to givemore ofmyself toworthwhile causes.Aboveall,theloveofmyGodkeepsmegrounded.”

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PavithraVasudevanPavithra is a PhD candidate in Geography at the University ofNorth Carolina, Chapel Hill whose work focuses on the stuff ofenvironmental justice: toxicity, racism and politics. HerdissertationresearchisacollaborativeperformanceethnographyexploringracialcapitalisminaSouthernaluminumtown.Pavithraincorporates performance, audiovisuals and other arts-basedmethods to conduct research in collaboration with affected

communities. As part of her M.A. research on Warren County, NC, the ‘birthplace ofenvironmental justice’, she co-created a short film with Rev. William Kearney titled“RememberingKearneytown”(available:https://vimeo.com/115070233).PavithraservesonthePlanningCommitteeoftheNorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork.

--------------------------AyoB.WilsonNCEJN,AdministrativeCo-Director Ayo B. Wilson possesses years of experience working withnonprofit organizations in maximizing efficiency, influencingpositive change and increasing effectiveness in technologyutilizationandcommunityengagement.

Mr. Wilson gained nonprofit experience as a volunteer for West End RevitalizationAssociation(WERA)inMebane,NC;BoxOfficeManager/ProgramAssistantatTheDr.MLK,Jr.Performing&CulturalArtsComplexinColumbus,OH;andCommunicationsManagerforHALOOrganizationinDurham,NC,afoodsecurityprojectbasedinTanzania.InMay2013,Mr.Wilsonwasamemberofagraduatestudentdelegationthatinternedwithvarious government departmentswithin the Government of the Republic of Liberia. HeanalyzedandprovidedrecommendationsforanationallandrecordsdigitalizationprojectmanagedbyLiberia’sCenter forNationalDocuments andRecordsAgency fundedby theWorld Bank. He has participated in and facilitated leadershipworkshops inMonrovia,LiberiaandDurham,NorthCarolina.Mr.WilsonholdsaBachelorofScienceinCommunication,ElectronicMedia/BroadcastingfromAppalachianStateUniversityandaMastersinPublicAdministration,cumlaudefromNorthCarolinaCentralUniversityandisthefatherofahandsome5year-oldson.

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OmariM.WilsonSeniorStaffAttorneyNorthCarolinaAssociationofBlackLawyers’LandLossPreventionProject(LLPP)LLPP is anon-profitpublic interest law firm inDurham,NorthCarolina, whose mission is to provide comprehensive legalservices and technical support to North Carolina’s financiallydistressed and limited resource farmers and landownersseeking to preserve their farms, homes, land, and rural

livelihood. LLPPwasfoundedin1982byataskforceoftheNorthCarolinaAssociationofBlackLawyers to stem theunprecedented losses ofBlack-owned land inNorthCarolina.The organization was incorporated as an independent entity in 1983, and has beenoperatingforover30years.WilsonhasbeenwiththeLandLossPreventionProject(LLPP)sinceJuly2006.Wilsonearnedhis JurisDoctor in2005 fromCapitalUniversityLawSchool inColumbus,Ohio.HeisalsoanalumnusofAppalachianStateUniversityinBoone,NorthCarolina,witha degree in General Psychology received in 2001. Wilson grew up in the West EndcommunityofMebane,NorthCarolina–anhistoricalblackcommunityfoundedbyformerslavesaftertheCivilWar.HehasbeenontheNCEJNPlanningCommitteeforseveralyears,andhe is also been serving on theBoard ofDirectors forAudubonNorthCarolina sinceMay2016.

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Awards

NCEJN Community Resilience Award The Community Resilience Award is designed to give the North Carolina EnvironmentalJusticeNetwork (NCEJN) theopportunity to spotlight community groups and individualswhohavemadeadifferenceinenvironmentalstruggles.

PastRecipientsDavidCaldwell2014BelindaJoyner2015

AwardpresentedthisyearbyChandraTaylor

Steve Wing International Environmental Justice Award

In 2007 Gary R. Grant proposed the SWIEJ Award toannually recognize an academic who has made notablecontributions to achieving Environmental Justice,especially through activism. While scholarship is notunimportant for anomination, the clear emphasis is onaperson’sadvocacyworkthatreflectsthegoalsoftheNorthCarolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN). Theaward is named after Dr. SteveWing, a current planningboardmemberoftheNorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork, and a long time scholar and activist in the

Environmental Justice arena in North Carolina. The person receiving this honor reflectsthrough theirworkSteve’scommitment tocommunity, justiceandequality,while takingastandinacademia.

PastRecipientsDr.SacobyWilson2008

Dr.ChristopherHeaney2009Dr.MansourehTajik2010Dr.ValerieJohnson2012Esq.SaviHorne,J.D.2013

ProfessorIrvingL.Joyner,J.D.2014Dr.SarahHatcher2015

AwardpresentedthisyearbyChandraTaylor

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EJ Youth Vanguard Award Webelieveinouryoungpeopleandtheirdesiretomakeourcommunitiescleaner,safer, and productive. Environmental justice (EJ) means that people of all races,cultures, and incomes shouldbeable to live in a safe andhealthyenvironment. Italso means that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. The EJ YouthVanguard Awards are designed to give the North Carolina Environmental JusticeNetwork(NCEJN)theopportunitytorecognizeyoungpeoplefromourcommunitieswhoalreadyareenvironmentalchampionsandwhoshowgreatpromiseas futureleadersintheEJmovement.

AwardintroducedthisyearbyChandraTaylor

WeencourageyoutostartthinkingnowaboutayouththatyouwouldliketonominatefortheEJYouthVanguardAwardatnextyear’sEJSummit.

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Environmental Justice Definitions Environmental Justice – The right to a safe, healthy, productive, and sustainableenvironmentforall,where“environment”isconsideredinitstotalitytoincludetheecological (biological), physical (natural and built), social, political, aesthetic, andeconomic environments. Environmental justice refers to the conditions inwhichsucharightcanbefreelyexercised,wherebyindividualandgroupidentities,needs,anddignitiesarepreserved,fulfilled,andrespectedinawaythatprovidesforself-actualizationandpersonalandcommunityempowerment.Thistermacknowledgesenvironmental“injustice”asthepastandpresentstateofaffairsandexpressesthesocio-politicalobjectivesneededtoaddressthem.EnvironmentalRacism–CommunitiesofcolorintheUnitedStatesaremorelikelytobeexposedtohazardousandunsafeenvironments,whetherthesetaketheformoflandfills,pollutingindustries,orgreatervulnerabilitytoclimatechange.Thistermacknowledges thepolitical reality that environmental injustices present today aretheresultofhistoricalprocessthatprivilegewhitesandcontinuetopromoteracialinequalityculturally,institutionally,legallyandideologically.

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Principles of Environmental Justice

The following Principleswere adopted onOctober 27, 1991, at the FirstNationalPeople of ColorEnvironmental Leadership Summit, held inWashington,D.C.Over650leadersattendedthisfour-daysummittostrategizeandbuildamovementthataddressedhowenvironmentalissueswereconnectedtoracial,economic,andsocialjustice. These principles continue to guide us in our actions to achieveenvironmentaljustice

PREAMBLEWE, THE PEOPLE OF COLOR, gathered together at this multinational People of ColorEnvironmental Leadership Summit, to begin to build a national and internationalmovement of all peoples of color to fight the destruction and taking of our lands andcommunities,doherebyre-establishourspiritualinterdependencetothesacrednessofourMotherEarth;torespectandcelebrateeachofourcultures,languagesandbeliefsaboutthenatural world and our roles in healing ourselves; to insure environmental justice; topromote economic alternatives which would contribute to the development ofenvironmentally safe livelihoods; and, to secure our political, economic and culturalliberationthathasbeendeniedforover500yearsofcolonizationandoppression,resultingin thepoisoningofourcommunitiesand landandthegenocideofourpeoples,doaffirmandadoptthesePrinciplesofEnvironmentalJustice:1. EnvironmentaljusticeaffirmsthesacrednessofMotherEarth,ecologicalunityandthe

interdependenceofallspecies,andtherighttobefreefromecologicaldestruction.2. Environmentaljusticedemandsthatpublicpolicybebasedonmutualrespectand

justiceforallpeoples,freefromanyformofdiscriminationofbias.3. Environmentaljusticemandatestherighttoethical,balancedandresponsibleusesof

landandrenewableresourcesintheinterestofasustainableplanetforhumansandotherlivingthings.

4. Environmentaljusticecallsforuniversalprotectionfromnucleartesting,extraction,

productionanddisposaloftoxic/hazardouswastesandpoisonsandnucleartestingthatthreatenthefundamentalrighttocleanair,landwater,andfood.

5. Environmentaljusticeaffirmsthefundamentalrighttopolitical,economic,culturaland

environmentalself-determinationofallpeoples.6. Environmentaljusticedemandsthecessationoftheproductionofalltoxins,hazardous

wastes,andradioactivematerials,andthatallpastandcurrentproducersareheldstrictlyaccountabletothepeoplefordetoxificationandthecontainmentatthepointofproduction.

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7. Environmentaljusticedemandstherighttoparticipateasequalpartnersateverylevelofdecision-makingincludingneedsassessment,planning,implementation,enforcementandevaluation.

8. Environmentaljusticeaffirmstherightofallworkerstoasafeandhealthywork

environment,withoutbeingforcedtochoosebetweenanunsafelivelihoodandunemployment.Italsoaffirmstherightofthosewhoareathometobefreefromenvironmentalhazards.

9. Environmentaljusticeprotectstherightofvictimsofenvironmentalinjusticetoreceive

fullcompensationandreparationsfordamagesaswellasqualityhealthcare.10. Environmentaljusticeconsidersgovernmentalactsofenvironmentalinjusticea

violationofinternationallaw,theUniversalDeclarationonHumanRights,andtheUnitedNationsConventiononGenocide.

11. EnvironmentaljusticemustrecognizeaspeciallegalandnaturalrelationshipofNative

PeoplestotheU.S.governmentthroughtreaties,agreements,compacts,andcovenantswhichimposeupontheU.S.governmentaparamountobligationandresponsibilitytoaffirmthesovereigntyandself-determinationoftheindigenouspeopleswhoselandsitoccupiesandholdsintrust.

12. Environmentaljusticeaffirmstheneedforandurbanandruralecologicalpoliciesto

cleanupandrebuildourcitiesandruralareasinbalancewithnature,honoringtheculturalintegrityofallourcommunities,andprovidingfairaccessforallthefullrangeofresources.

13. Environmentaljusticecallsforthestrictenforcementofprinciplesofinformedconsent,

andahalttothetestingofexperimentalreproductiveandmedicalproceduresandvaccinationsonpeopleofcolor.

14. Environmentaljusticeopposesthedestructiveoperationofmulti-national

corporations.15. Environmentaljusticeopposesmilitaryoccupation,repressionandexploitationof

lands,peoplesandcultures,andotherlifeforms.16. Environmentaljusticecallsfortheeducationofpresentandfuturegenerations,which

emphasizessocialandenvironmentalissues,basedonourexperienceandanappreciationofourdiverseculturalperspectives.

Environmental justice requires that we, as individuals, make personal and consumerchoicestoconsumeas littleofMotherEarth’sresourcesandtoproduceas littlewasteaspossible; andmake the conscious decision to challenge and reprioritize our lifestyles toinsurethehealthofthenaturalworldforpresentandfuturegenerations.

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The Environmental Justice Movement, North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, and the Role of Students

By:SaladinMuhammad,BlackWorkersforJusticeNovember16,2014TheroleofstudentsintheEJmovementStudent research, while important, can and should not be the basis for determining thefocusareasofthestrugglesandsocialmovementsoftheoppressedandexploited.Our movements are not laboratories for students. Students should be allies using theiraccesstoresourcesandresearchtohelpdevelopstrategiesandtacticsthathelptoexpose,isolateandweakendefensesusedbythecorporateandstateforcestojustifytheiractionsandpoliciesindefenseofgreedandprofitsoverhumanneedsandrights.TheNorthCarolinaEnvironmentalJusticeNetwork(NCEJN)and2014EJSummitWhat I felt andbelieve I sawat thisyear'sEJSummitwasa reflectionofmultifacetedEJforces and young base communities coming together to constitute a more united socialmovementtoexercisemass-basedpeople’spower.IthoughtthepanelonMoralMondayandRubenSolis’spresentationduringlunchhelpedtocreateaclimateofdiscussionthatstressedtheneedto identify,organizeandmobilizepower that strengthens the basis for exercising the transformative power of impactedcommunities.Building a coordinating committee whose majority are representatives of organizationsfromimpactedcommunitiesandworkersshouldbeamaingoalofNCEJN.ThiswillmovetheEJSummittothelevelofanEJmovementvenueandnotmainlyanNCEJNevent.Thisisnot meant to suggest that the EJ Summits and the work of NCEJN have not been veryimportant. It is to point out that we should recognize the need to focus on newcontradictionsoftheU.S.andglobalcapitalistcriseswherestrategiesandtacticscannotbeoriginatedfromwhatfoundationsandnon-governmentalorganizations(NGOs)arewillingto fund. NGOsmust function to strengthen the leadership, confidence and power at thebase of the impacted communities, and not mainly on NGOs and service organizationscomposedofprofessionalswhodonotbelongtoimpactedcommunities.TheRoleofNCEJNintheGlobalEJMovementI am hoping that the commitment to leadership of impacted communities in the EJmovementisembracedbytheNCEJNandthatitsworkwillbeinformedandguidedbythisprinciple, which needs further development in concrete ways. An EJ school for people

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impactedbyenvironmentalinjustice,outsidethewallsofacademia,wouldbeimportantinhelping to furtherdevelopthisprinciplebycontributing to thestrengthofdiverse forcesrepresentingamajorityfrombasecommunities.The NCEJN must see its role as helping to develop an EJ leadership from impactedcommunities that is grounded in struggles against environmental racism, bringing to itresources and connections that strengthen this working-class Black and people of colorleadershipandinfrastructuretogiveleadershiptothewiderEJmovement.Thiswillplaceclimate justice within the context of EJ, and it will anchor the leadership in the mostimpactedandoppressedcommunities.Discussions about raising funds which are greatly needed must not distract from thetransformative mission to build power. Approachingmajor banks that finance pollutingcorporations for funding does not strengthen and can weaken efforts to build basecommunityconsciousnessabouttherelationshipofforcesinthestruggle.TheseforceswillbringpressuresontheNGO,serviceandbaseorganizationstocomplywithcorporateandstatelawsandpoliciesintheactionsoftheEJmovement.TheseissuesmustbediscussedbyparticipantsandalliesintheEJmovement.WaysneedtobeidentifiedthatpreventandreducecompromisesinkeyareasandcorequestionsofEJmovementprogramandstrategy.While being clear that the NCEJN is not itself a revolutionary organization, it should beviewed as a part of a battlefront in the struggle for human rights that is connected to abroad,internationalmovementtowardsatransitionalcivilsociety.ThebasecommunitiesmustbecomeexposedtoparticipantsinthismovementsothattheirlearningscopeisnotlimitedtotheirimmediateexperiencesandtheprioritiesofNGOandserviceorganizationswhosepoliticsandprioritiesaretoooftenshapedbyfoundationfunding.How NCEJN defines the base communities of the EJ movement infrastructure isveryimportant.AsEJexpertsbasedontheirlifeexperiences,aspeoplewhohavenochoiceabout living with contamination (unlike outside professionals) the base communitymembers need to lead and give permission to the outsiders, and especially privilegedprofessionals,whocome into theircommunities.Thisgoal isundermined if communitiesareturnedintoresearchlaboratoriesthatbringfundingtoresearchersandNGOs.Thiskindof exploitation encourages base community members to see themselves as victims anddependent souls with no power to wage a struggle against the forces and systems ofoppressionandinjustice.

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Defining the Role and Principles of Lawyers and Academicians in the Environmental Justice Movement

Aprovisionaldocumentpreparedbythe

AfricanAmericanEnvironmentalJusticeActionMovementOctober,1997

Astheenvironmental justice(EJ)movementcontinuestogrowanddevelop,variousnewandcreativetacticsandstrategiesarebeingemployedwithincommunitiesinourstrugglefor clean land, air, water and healthy human beings. The tried and true strategies andtacticsofgrassroots,communitybasedorganizingandmilitantdirectionactionwhichhascharacterized our movement for the past twenty years continues to be successful byempowering our people to master their own fates and destinies. However, as the EJmovementhasbecomelarger,moresuccessful,andincreasinglymoresophisticated,ithasattracted the attention of various organizations and institutions beyond our grassrootscommunities.Discussionof environmental justice isno longer limited to community andneighborhooddialogueandmeetings.Thestruggleagainstpoisoningoftheplacesinwhichwework,liveandplayisnowasubjectofparticularconcernwithinthelegalandscientificcommunities and within the halls of academia as well. This document represents theprovisionalpolicyperspectiveoftheorganizationsoftheAfricanAmericanEnvironmentalJusticeActionNetwork(AAEJAN)onthisimportantissue.LawyersTheuseoflawsuits,legalinjunctionsandotherlitigationtacticshasgrownexponentiallyinthelastseveralyearsinsoutherncommunitiesacrosstheUnitedStates.Somecommunitieshavefoundthelegalstrategyhelpfulinachievinglimitedgainsintheprocessofcommunityorganizing. Legal strategies have been used to inspire community residents bydemonstratingthelevelofseriousnessthetoxicpoisoningofourcommunitieshasbecome.The legal strategy has also had some success in forcing the hand of the industrialopposition to react to a community initiative during a stalemate. However, hundreds oflawsuitsandinjunctionshavebeenfiledinbothstateandfederalcourtsleadingmanywiththeEJmovementandwithouttoconcludethatthisisthe“magicsolution”inourstruggleagainst theenvironmentaldestructionofourcommunities!Wemustbeveryclear --- thelawisnottheonlyanswertoenvironmentalproblems.Thelawmustbeviewedasatoolwhichcanbeappliedasapartofabroaderstrategytopreventenvironmentalharmsandtoadvancethestruggleforenvironmentaljustice.Lawyers, empowered by the perception of their legal expertise, are frequently playinginfluentialroles inandoverenvironmental justicecommunityorganizations.Lawschools

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are rapidly developing environmental law clinics and symposia throughout the country.EnvironmentaljusticelitigationhasbecomeacottageindustryofsortsforsomelawyersastheveryAmerican tacticof “take ‘em to court”gains increasingacceptancewithin theEJmovement in our quest for compensation/reparations for the damage done to ourcommunities. We must be aware of both the benefits and limitations of a “courtroom”environmentaljusticestrategy.AcademiciansTheseductionofso-called“goodscience”offeredbyacademicians,technicalassistants,etc.oftentimesplaces“environmentalprofessionals”inpositionsofseriousinfluenceoverthedecision-makingprocessofnewandevenveterangrassrootsEJcommunityorganizations.Academiciansworkingwiththesecommunitiesfrequentlyhavelittletonobackgroundincommunity organizing struggles, yet, often posture as resource people in organizingstrategy discussions. The academicians are frequently accountable to the Universityadministration rather than to the community and have a history of being subject tocorporate influence and being guided by project funding over community needs.Frequently,universities receivedenvironmental justice funding forwork inacommunitywithwhichuniversityofficialshavehadverylittleornorealadvanceconsultation.The fact that universities are often accountable to institutions outside of the impactedcommunity frequently leads academicians to exhibit an extreme reluctance in endorsingdirectactionandcivildisobedience.Thefactthathistoricallyboththelitigationtacticandscientific assessment strategy have been extremely limited in their ratios of success andreliabilityseemstobeoflittleornoconsequencetotheeliteswhichpromotethemwithinour movement. If academicians truly understand and embrace the complete spirit andtrackrecordofourmovementtheymustnotcontinuetochallengetheveryfoundationsofourstruggle---directaction!Many communities begin to feel as if they are strategically “pigeon-holed” into limitedoptionswhichmust be approved by academic/scientific (or legal) advisors and experts.Aggressive direct action strategies and tactics are regularly discouraged and thenabandonedbyactivistsafterbeingadvisedbythe“experts”thatsuchactivitymight“hurtthelawsuit”orthatacommunityconcernis“inconsistentwithacademic/scientificdata.”Itisnotuncommonforcommunitiestobeenticedbytheelitestoremainsilentinhopethatararefinancialsettlementiswaitinginthewings.Toaddinsulttoinjury,toomanyarebeingconvincedthatblindfaithinthepromisesofthecomplexitiesofenvironmentalscienceandacademic theory is more practical than community common sense! These are fallacieswhichmustbeunderstoodandchallengedbygrassrootsactivistsaswell as lawyersandacademicianswith a genuine commitment to advancing the fundamental assumptions of

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theEJmovement.TheAAEJANdefinitivelyaffirms,“Wespeakforourselves!Weorganizeourselves!Weleadourselves!”ConclusionsThe growing prominence of formally trained environmental professionals in ourmovementhasfartoooftenshifteddirectandultimateresponsibilityforthesuccessoftheEJ struggleoutof thehandsof the community collective and into themouthsof lawyersand/ormindsofscientists.Asaresult,manyseemtohaveforgottenthecredosofempoweredcommunitiesthatassert,“Lawisfoundinthecourtroom.Justiceisfoundinthe streets!” and, that “The spirit and genius of the people is greater than the man’stechnology!”WeofferthislistingofPrinciplesforLawyersandAcademiciansformembersofourcommunitiesstrugglingforselfdeterminationandcommunitycontrolaswellasforthe“experts”ofthelegalandscientificcommunitywhoprincipallyseektoassistusinourstruggleforenvironmentaljustice:*Communityresidentsandactivistsarethe“experts”ongrassrootscommunityorganizingdecisions, strategies and tactics andmust be respected as such. Lawyers, academicians,technical assistants andother environmental professionals serve as resourcepeople andadvisors for specific and limited components of a community-based and controlledorganizingstrategy. Lawyersandacademiciansmustprovideserviceswhicharebeneficialandaccountabletothe communities being served and the goals of the movement as a whole. Lawyers,academicians and others who are also community activists are not more important orpotentially valuable than any other member of that community. We recognize that allpeople(lawyersandacademiciansincluded)aremembersofthecommunitieswhichmaybe affected by the pains of environmental oppression. Yet, we identify lawyers andacademiciansasapartofthegrassrootsmovementofaffectedcommunitiesonlyiftheyareaccountabletothatcommunityratherthanexternalorganizationsandinstitutions.*Thelimitationsoftheutilityoflegalstrategyandlitigationtacticsmustbeunderstoodbyall involved in and with our movement. Litigation is not a substitute for effectivecommunityorganizationnorisalawsuitrepresentativeofa“winninglong-termstrategy.”Lawyers must be honest --- Claim no easy victories! Tell no lies! Lawsuits are alwaysmerelyatacticalmoveandgreateffortsmustalwaysbemadetoeducateourcommunitiesofthisreality.Thelawsuittacticmustalwaysbecounter-balancedbycommunityorientedtacticswhichleavetheprimaryresponsibilityforthesuccessofthecampaigninthehandsofthepeople.

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*Lawyersandcommunityactivistsmustbemindfulofthefactthatusingthelawtacticallyand philosophically creates certain contradictionswithin ourmovement. First, using thelawtakesthestruggleoutoftherealmwhichiscommunitycontrolledandplacesitwithinaninstitution(thelegalsystem)whichhashistoricallyperpetuatedenvironmentalinjusticein particular and community disempowerment of oppressedpeople in general.Wemustcautionagainsttheappearanceoflegitimizingthissystemtoourselvesandtoothersaswestruggleforredresswithinafundamentallyillegitimatesystem.Second,theuseofthelawencapsulatesandlimitstheextentanddepthofourmovements’politicalexpressiontothescope and breadth of the parameters of existing statutory law. The “law of the land” isinstitutionally racist and classist and upholds tragically insufficient protections of thehealth of our communities. This fact is a major reason why we must struggle forenvironmentaljusticeinourcommunitiesinthefirstplace.*Effortsatmountingamassivelegalstrategyand/orseekingtointegratethecommunityagendawithapredefinedandfundedprogramoftheacademycanleadtoseriousdrainingandmisdirectionofalreadyscarcecommunityresources.Effortsatlegalredressnormallyrequire huge amounts of seed money up front tapping the budgets of grassrootsorganizationsandcultivatinganautomaticcycleofdependencyof thecommunityon thesuccessofthelawsuit.Wemuststruggleagainstthisandworktocreaterelationshipsthatdonot require large sumsof seedmoneyup front.Wemust also clearly understand thelimitationsofnaturalscienceinexplainingtherealityinourcommunity.Scienceisbutonlytoolinthebuildingofastrongmovement. Lawyersandacademiciansareanimportantassettoourhumanrightsmovement.Weneedmore conscious lawyers and academicians who are committed to the principles of ourmovement.Allparticipantsinthemovementmustservetheinterestsofourcommunitiesastheyaredefinedbyourcommunities.Themotivationforthedevelopmentoftheseprinciplesisberthedfromourcommitmenttoself determination. Self determination is a fundamental human right to which we areentitledbyvirtueofthefactthatweliveandbreatheasmembersofthefamilyofhumanity.Our people’s right to self determination which can be related to the struggle forenvironmental justice is legally defined in international legal documents such as theUniversal Declaration ofHumanRights, the International Covenant on Civil and PoliticalRights, the International Covenant on Social, Cultural and Economic Rights and in theUnited Nations Convention on Genocide. The struggle for environmental justice is astruggleforhumanrights.Wemustseektomakefulluseofallofourtalentsandhumanresources, legalandacademic,grassrootsandactivist,aswemove forward to the future.Freetheland!

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Thankyoutoour2015-2016WinterFundraiserDonors!* MarciaAngle ManzoorCheema MarieGarlock

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Special Thanks to Our Supporters ThankyoutoBrittanyOverlyfordesigningthe2016Summitlogo.ThankyoutoourstudentvolunteersthataredocumentingandprovidinglogisticalsupportduringtheEJSummit.Thankyoutoourpresenters,panelists,andfacilitatorsforprovidinginvaluablecontentthroughouttheSummit.ThankyoutotheFranklintonCenterandKitchenStaffforhostingandfeedingus.Thankyoutotheplanningcommitteemembersandcoordinatorsforalloftheirgreatideagenerationandorganizing.Thankyoutoallattendingcommunitymembers,organizations,academics,andgovernmentofficialsforparticipatinginthe2016NCEJSummit

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NCEJN Board and EJ Summit Planning Committee OrganizingCo-Director:NaeemaMuhammadAdministrativeCo-Director:AyoWilsonBoard: DonCavellini PeterGilbert DaniellePurifoy DanielleSpurlock ChandraTaylor CourtneyWoodsEJSummitPlanningCommittee: Coordinators:

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