After February’s historic winter storm, many Houstonians and Texans are still recovering and rebuilding, including many in the Texas Children’s community. As with previous hurricanes and other climate disasters, Black families and other communities of color were disproportionately impacted by the storm’s aftermath. For March, 2021, we encourage you to “Take Five” to learn about environmental racism across the United States and in our own backyard:
- Learn: Dr. Robert Bullard is Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University and winner of the United Nations Lifetime Achievement Award (https://www.unep.org/championsofearth/laureates/2020/robert-bullard). He developed the concept of Environmental Justice. Learn about this concept and explore his books and publications at https://drrobertbullard.com/#
- Watch: 14-minute video about the personal impacts of environmental racism on people in neighborhoods across Houston https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsUBShDee3Y&t=518s
- Read: Cancer clusters – including pediatric leukemia and several adulthood cancers – have been found in Houston’s 5th Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods, attributed to toxic pollution from burning creosote-treated wood rail ties at a nearby railyard https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/environment/article/cancer-cluster-fifth-ward-houston-15885717.php
- Get informed: Texas State Senator (District 13), Borris Miles, introduced a bill to the Texas Legislature to reduce air contaminant emissions, with the goal of minimizing impacts on vulnerable communities https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB87/id/2215245
- Support: Non-profits like West Street Recovery (https://www.weststreetrecovery.org/) organized after Hurricane Harvey to help neighborhoods impacted by environmental racism recover, organize, and get prepared for future climate threats. They help residents repair and rebuild homes, engage community members on their staff, distribute funds and health resources (e.g., PPE) to the community, and engage in advocacy. Air Alliance Houston (https://airalliancehouston.org/) is a non-profit that conducts research, education, and advocacy to “reduce the public health impacts from air pollution and advance environmental justice.”