Andrew,
Do you know if you live in a state, city, or county that has high-quality air or water?
Black people are 61% more likely than white people to live in an area with a FAILING grade for at least one pollutant. And honestly, it's no surprise that the government has neglected Black communities and their needs.
As climate change continues to push us towards a point of no return, our collective sense of urgency seems to be decreasing. Today, we are finding more and more cities that are struggling to provide basic necessities like water to their families.
Take New Orleans for example,
"cancer alley" as it is locally known,
where there's an 85-mile passageway of petrochemical companies, which is also home to majority Black residents. For years, these plants have been spewing dangerous, vile chemicals into the air that have been linked to likely cause cancer. In Philadelphia,
JUST last week, eight thousand gallons of toxic pollutants leaked into the Delaware River, forcing people to utilize only bottled water– which they had to purchase themselves.
And who gets the short end of the stick? Who has to bear the brunt of these disasters?
Black folks. As if providing for our families, children, spouses and ourselves wasn't superhuman enough, our neighborhoods are affected longer when situations like this occur. Research has even shown that when water shut-offs happen, the majority of Black communities are
four times more likely to suffer the repercussions.
We've had many demands for President Biden – one of them including new and improved infrastructure. Well here's why: Climate change only adds to these setbacks. Crumbling water systems, lack of accessibility in different geographical areas, toxic air from pollution or power plants, and so much more. Plus, as rising sea levels and heavy storms continue to hit us more and more often, flooding damages our roads, bridges, and railways– the list goes on and on and on.
The fact is this: Our communities are being hit and the government doesn't seem to care. So as always – we keep us safe. The time is now to step into helping replenish our communities and the earth – before we permanently have to deal with a new norm. We do so by educating ourselves and each other, taking individual responsibility towards helping to protect our planet, and bringing protest to policy by demanding our legislators address the climate crisis immediately. Andrew, this is a part of the long-term fight for ensuring Black communities no longer remain the hardest hit by climate-related disasters and have the means to be free, safe, cared for, and well. Our people deserve it – so please, chip in $5 or whatever you can spare to help us gather resources to help fuel our climate-related efforts. In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
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