A panel of speakers who work on environmental justice spoke about the link between health and our environment during the “Elevating Community-Led Environmental Justice Initiatives and National Level Efforts” session at APHA 2024 on Monday.

Meleny Thomas, co-founder of the South Baltimore Community Land Trust, said the nonprofit came about because people in South Baltimore wanted more community control over their land. The organization was instrumental in defeating a plan to build a large waste incinerator near historically marginalized neighborhoods in South Baltimore, which would have caused pollution and exacerbated health issues. 

Thomas said SBCLT has more recently turned its focus on housing justice and now is part of an affordable housing land trust. However, it’s not only about getting people into affordable housing — to protect health, housing must be safe and free from lead, mold, asbestos and other hazards.

“Housing is our environment,” she said. “People need to live in housing that will prolong their lifespan, not shorten it.”

The affordable housing land trust assists people with the homebuying process, and has a stewardship coordinator who follows up after residents move in. Thomas said future plans include readying 18 homes, two rental units and several business units for move-in.

Engaging youth on the climate narrative

Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos’ work in environmental justice is all about empowering youth to take action on climate and take pride in their community.

Dos Santos created a summer camp program in Minnesota for youth in the community. Over three weeks, the young campers got a crash course in storytelling to advocate for their community’s needs. They also worked in a community garden, did a street clean-up project and visited the state capitol. 

That program has since been expanded into a year-round, full-time apprenticeship program that has served more than 300 youth in Minnesota in the past five years.

One way dos Santos has worked to empower youth is to equip them with information that can be used to “change the narrative” around climate change and health — specifically about climate reparations and fair share.

Although the U.S. committed to pay for climate adaptation and mitigation in less-developed nations in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, dos Santos said there have been no funds distributed. 

“The U.S. is the largest historical emitter of pollution and the largest in fossil fuel production, and it’s the richest country in the world. Our fair share is now $446 billion per year that the U.S. owes to other nations,” she said.

Involving people of color in the discussion about environment

Melody Arteaga’s environmental justice work is all about bringing the Hispanic community and people of color to the table in discussions about energy. Working with Clean Heat Minnesota, she developed a campaign to slash emissions from fossil fuels and gas used to heat and cook in homes. 

Arteaga said communities of color are disproportionately affected by the use of gas in their homes because many people in those communities live in aging homes. She said having diverse perspectives in larger conversations about environment and health is important and can help bring about more equitable solutions. 

Consumer protection is another part of what Arteaga does. When Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission wanted to hike rates, her group stepped in to protect consumers from being gouged. 

Photo: Meleny Thomas. Photo courtesy EZ Event Photography.