M3.3 - Environmental Justice

It's crazy to read that "In 1987, the newly-formed Commission for Racial Justice found that race was the strongest variable in predicting the location of waste facilities (Bullard & Johnson, 2000)". Living in San Francisco my whole life, everyone knows that the Bayview/Hunter's Point area has the worst environmental health so it's no surprise that there is environmental injustice happening after reading the recent article I found in the SF Chronicle website. It basically states that out-of-town corporations targeted this community because it is low-income and has minorities for industrial projects putting the people's health at risk. It shows how much social determinants can affect people's health, especially those of low-income neighborhoods. This connects to the Black Lives Matter movement in showing that corporations and the rich don't take into account African-American's well-being, and that injustice isn't just happening in criminal cases but also regarding their health via the environment.

 https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Hunters-Point-is-a-textbook-case-of-environmental-12917354.php

Comments

  1. Angela GSeptember 13, 2018 at 4:30 PM

    Hi Matt,

    I like how you use the word "target" to describe where corporations are located/how they end up in low income communities of color. Its true that powerful industries are inconsiderate of these communities and this directly relates to BLM, as you mentioned. I like how you point out that BLM is not just about criminal and police cases, but is more broad to include environmental health. Thank you for the article! I did not know about the Hunters Point issue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rudi HernandezSeptember 16, 2018 at 11:54 AM

    Hi Matt!
    you make a GREAT point that the black lives matter movement is not just about criminal cases, but also regarding their health through the environment!!! I NEVER thought about it that way. great insight! thanks so much, I love it!

    ReplyDelete

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