• News

Press Release: NC Environmental Justice Network formally requests public records related to animal feeding operations’ role in highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks

Press Contact: Rania Masri, PhD; Co-Director, NCEJN rania@ncejn.orgSeptember 4, 2025 NC Environmental Justice Network formally requests public records related to animal feeding operations’ role in highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks 

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  • News

A Comprehensive Organizer Guide on Data Centers

A new comprehensive Organizer Guide titled “The Costs of Data Centers To Our Communities- and How to Fight Back” has been published by Kairos and Media Justice. For more on

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  • News

Resources on Understanding Data Centers and Their Environmental Impacts

Below you will find a number of resources that have been compiled over a couple of months for our NCEJN newsletter – please consider subscribing to learn more about the

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  • News

NCEJN’s Summit 2025

We Are Still Here: 27 Years of Holding Our Ground Resisting Injustice, Organizing the People, Mapping the Path, Building Power To Register visit: tinyurl.com/ncejn-summit2025-register Address: Franklinton Center At Bricks  

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  • News

Coalition Comments on Alcoa’s Badin Business Park NPDES Permit Renewal

The Southern Environmental Law Center, Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice respectfully submit the attached comments on behalf of the Yadkin Riverkeeper, the

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  • News

New Report Published Includes National Data on The Environmental Injustice of CAFOs

A New report was published last Tuesday showing that Animal feeding operations are associated with heightened concentrations of fine particulate matter and affect vulnerable communities in the United States. Our

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  • News

PODCAST: Listen to Dr. Rania Masri discussing Environmental Justice in North Carolina

Listen: Hear from our own Dr. Rania Masri in this week’s episode of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL)’s Podcast: Frontline Voices: Environmental Justice in North Carolina. In Our

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  • News

NCEJN’s Book Recommendations 2025

On January 21st, 2025 we announced the addition of our BOOK CORNER in our Tuesday newsletter. Here is the list of books we have recommended since then: Do you have

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  • News

NCEJN Joins “NC to Gaza Solidarity” Campaign

The North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN) has signed onto “NC to Gaza Solidarity” organized by Triangle Jewish Voices for Peace with a call to senator Tillis : STOP STARVING

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  • News

Unveiling Buc-ee’s Burden- NCEJN’s Statement at the Mebane Press Conference

Good morning, and thank you for being here. My name is Rania Masri, co director of the NCEJN. This report that you see before you is a consequence of a

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  • News

Press Release – Buc-ee’s Burden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2025 CONTACT: Kasey Kinsella, kasey@7directionsofservice.com ; Rania Masri, rania@ncejn.org  New Report Exposes Buc-ee’s Risks to Health & Local Economies MEBANE, NC – Buc-ee’s Burden: How

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  • News

Dr. VJ’s 2025 Book List to Celebrate Women’s History Month

In Celebration of Women’s History Month, Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson, NCEJN Co-Director shares this bibliography with the network. Please onsider buying books from an independent book store. To celebrate Women’s

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  • News

CDC Urged to Release Bird Flu Data as Trump Slashes Key Staff Combatting Outbreak

For Immediate Release, February 24, 2025 Contact: Hannah Connor, (202) 681-1676, hconnor@biologicaldiversity.org WASHINGTON— Public-interest groups called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today to release updated public information critical

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  • News

NCEJN Mourns The Passing of Rev. Dr. Nelson N. Johnson

With heavy hearts, we at NCEJN join the Beloved Community Center (BCC) in mourning the passing of Rev. Dr. Nelson N. Johnson of Greensboro, North Carolina. Rev. Johnson was the founding pastor

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  • News

End of Year Report – 2024

We are excited to share with you our first End of Year Report! Thank you to all of our NCEJN family and network, and especially to the communities we serve.

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  • News

A Coalition of Eight Organizations Hold Statewide Heat and Human Rights Events to Urge Adoption of Federal Heat Standards

Updated: News coverage of the events can be found here from NC Newsline and here from NC Health News. SPRING HOPE, NC (December 8, 2024) 7840 Old Bailey Hwy, Spring

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  • News

Hurricane Helene Relief Resources

More Information

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  • News

Funding Cop City in Durham – Postponed

This past Tuesday, November 12, the Durham Board of County Commissioners was to vote on spending $16 million to build a police training center – also known as Cop City.

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  • News

Bill Violating Due Process – Halted!

On November 12, the House voted on a bill (HR 9495) that would give the executive branch power to strip nonprofits of their status. This incredibly dangerous and unconstitutional legislation

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  • News

NCEJN In The News: Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina, making federal support for climate action and the just energy transition more critical than ever

Impacted communities across North Carolina speak on the elections and how the outcome affects their work and access to funding. The article also includes an interview with our Co-Director of

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  • News

North Carolina Poet Laureate Ms. Jaki Shelton Green Shares A Poem On NCEJN In Honor Of Our 25th Summit

“To celebrate the waking, wake. Burn in the daylong light… & praise.” – Muriel Rukeyser May these grounds, walls, & the soul of the Franklinton Center remind us that we

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  • News

North Carolina Communities’ Battle Against Animal Factory Pollution

From Earthjustice: “Overburdened communities in North Carolina face the harshest impacts of industrial animal production. Now, they’re taking a stand.” This article features Devon Hall, of the Rural Empowerment Association

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  • News

Energy Embargo Now to End the Genocide! No Environmental Justice Without Palestinian Liberation!

On the occasion of COP29, Palestinian grassroots organizations call on all civil society organizations at COP29 and around the world to mobilize urgently to impose an energy embargo on Israel

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  • News

Latino organizations seek solutions at environmental justice symposium

This year’s NCEJN summit broke records with the number of communities represented (~133), number of individuals which attended (~300), and the diversity of issues addressed. This article highlights the issues

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  • News

Naeema Muhammad Receives A Lifetime Achievement Award

Mama Naeema, Sister Naeema Muhammad was honored last night by Health & Environmental Funders Network (HEFN) with a lifetime achievement award for her role in the environmental justice movement and

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  • News

Congratulations to Our NCEJN 2024 Summit Award Winners

Every October since NCEJN’s establishment in 1998, we have acknowledged our EJ warriors with awards of appreciation. This year only, on our 25th Summit anniversary, we have created the Quarter Century

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  • News

North Carolina Communities’ Battle Against Animal Factory Pollution

Earthjustice, a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization, reported recently on the history of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Duplin and Sampson County, specifically the work being done by

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  • News

Attorneys working with alleged victims of ‘toxic building’ on NC State campus

WRAL News recently reported on Poe Hall, on the campus of North Carolina State University, regarding an environmental attorney accusing the school of neglecting cancer risk in the building. More

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  • News

U.S. Representative Alma S. Adams, (NC-12), Rep. McGovern (MA), and Senator Booker (NJ) Introduce The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act (IACA)

This Climate-Smart Farm Conversion Bill would use existing agricultural conservation funds to support farmers who opt to transition from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to sustainable and humane production systems.

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  • News

Press Release: Vigil to Protect NC Farmworkers

Rocky Mount, NC – As part of the Not One More Death campaign, El Futuro es Nuestro (The Future is Ours) and the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN), the

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  • News

Spidey Sense-r initiative kicks off in three North Carolina communities

Air pollution in the U.S. has been seen as a cost of progress – a necessary evil to have the gains provided by industrial manufacturing. However, Black, brown, and rural

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NCEJN Annual Environmental Justice Summit

At this annual summit, we strengthen relationships and networks and deepen inclusive spaces through linguistic equity and true intersectionality. We develop a stronger strategy for action – all toward building

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October 2025
Oct 19
19 October 2025
Bundle of Arrows Art Gathering: Education, Art & Performances to STOP the Fossil Fuel Buildout
Yesah Farm,5123 NC-119
Mebane,NC27302

Register: 7DS invites you to Bundle of Arrows Art Gathering: Education, Art & Performances to STOP the Fossil Fuel Buildout - Including musical performances by Lumbee/Tuscarora singer-songwriter Charly Lowry, and more! Bundle […]

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Oct 20
20 October 2025
The Greensboro Citywide People’s Town Hall 
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church,306 S English St
Greensboro,NCUnited States

Town Hall: The Greensboro Citywide People’s Town Hall with the Beloved Community Center creates a space for open and respectful dialogue between residents and elected officials. Monday, October 20, 2025 • 6:30—8:00 PM New Hope Missionary […]

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Oct 22
22 October 2025
Register: Rights of Nature: Reframing Conservation through Indigenous and Community-Led Law
Yesah Farm,5123 NC-119
Mebane,NC27302

Register: Rights of Nature: Reframing Conservation through Indigenous and Community-Led Law. Join 7 Directions of Service on Wednesday, October 22 • 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, YESA Farm, Pleasant Grove, NC

Find out more
Oct 24
24 October 2025
Conference: 2025 Labor Convergence on Climate - "From the Shop Floors to the Frontlines"
Hilton Charlotte University Place,8629 J.M. Keynes Dr
Charlotte,NCUnited States

Conference: Join the Labor Network for Sustainability for their 2025 Labor Convergence on Climate, “From the Shop Floors to the Frontlines“ from October 24-26, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Join Labor leaders, Workers, and climate advocates […]

Find out more
Oct 27
27 October 2025
Water Quality for Fisheries Symposium w/ Coastal Carolina Riverwatch
Duke Marine Lab,135 Duke Marine Lab Rd
Beaufort,NCUnited States

Symposium: Registration is open for the Water Quality for Fisheries Symposium with Coastal Carolina Riverwatch. Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort, NC, October 27-28

Find out more
Oct 29
29 October 2025
Listen In: Motown and the Making of Working-Class Revolutionaries: The story of the league of revolutionary black workers

Listen to an exciting conversation: Jerome Scott in conversation with Anne Olson for a discussion of Motown and the Making of Working-Class Revolutionaries: The story of the league of revolutionary black workers. Wednesday October […]

Find out more
November 2025
Nov 02
02 November 2025
Truthsgiving w/ 7DS
The Fruit,305 S Dillard St
Durham,NC27701United States

Register: 7DS invites you to Truthsgiving 2025: November 02, 2025 Doors: 2:00 PM - Show: 2:15 PM - All Ages at The Fruit, 305 S Dillard St, Durham, NC, 27701

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Nov 09
09 November 2025
2025 NC Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission Summit
Bennett College,900 E Washington St
Greensboro,NCUnited States

Register: 2025 NC Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission Summit. Bennet College. Greensboro, NC. November 9-11.

Find out more
  • Reflections

BWL’s Message to the People About Assata Shakur

This is a collective statement and it is published here with permission from the Black Workers League. “No movement can survive unless it is constantly growing and changing with the

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  • Reflections

Data centers & AI: draining our water resources, fueling fossil fuel expansion, and expanding the powers of repression and oppression

Sun Day and Make Billionaires Pay- September 21, 2025 – Rania Masri, NCEJN Director of Organizing & Policy I was asked to speak on climate change, immigration, and fascism.  Three

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  • Reflections

On Finding Your Place In the EJ Movement

Bea Baxley, NCEJN 2025 Intern I grew up in the suburban bubble that is Chapel Hill, and I never felt a strong connection to North Carolina. I didn’t feel that

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  • Reflections

Testimony from The People’s Hearing, Tucson Arizona

Ya Basta! Enough is Enough! by Linda Robles, founder of The Envrionmental Justice Task Force Introduction My name is Linda Robles, I was born in the 1960s, and have lived

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  • Reflections

Science Says: Badin Lake Needs Clean Water, Not More Toxins

On Tuesday August 19th, 2025, a public hearing was held on the renewal of the NPDES permit to Alcoa’s Badin Business Park. Among the 21 speakers, 14 spoke critically of

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  • Reflections

Uphold Environmental Justice in West Badin: Enforce Title VI, Protect Our Community

On Tuesday August 19th, 2025, a public hearing was held on the renewal of the NPDES permit to Alcoa’s Badin Business Park. Among the 21 speakers, 14 spoke critically of

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  • Reflections

Just Futures: Aligning Investment with Social Justice, Equity, and Community Power

At NCEJN, we have been searching for a 401(k) service provider for our staff. While our financial resources are modest, we firmly believe that everyone deserves access to retirement and

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  • Reflections

Testimony on the NC Carbon Plan: A Call for Justice, Transparency, and Local Power in Our Energy Future 

My name is Rev. Mac Legerton. I serve as Co-Director of the Robeson County Cooperative for Sustainable Development (RCCSD). I’m here today to sound the alarm about NC’s 30-year energy

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  • Reflections

Testimony As Resistance

yh Patt gave testimony at the People’s Hearing on Wednesday, June 11 in Greensboro. Hello,  My name is “yh”.  That is, one letter from my mother and another from my

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  • Reflections

Testimony of Resistance: On Kinship, Settler Colonialism, and the Many Futures We Must Build

Madhusudan Katti, Assoc Professor and Director of Science, Technology and Society + Leadership in Public Science, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NCSU, gave this testimony at the People’s

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  • Reflections

Testimony of Resistance: Public Education, Empire, and Environmental Justice

Tina Shull, PhD, UNC Charlotte professor, at the Peoples Hearing (June 11, 2025) It’s an honor to be here and participate in solidarity; thank you NCEJN for your organizing and

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  • Reflections

A Testimony On The Fight Against Systemic Injustice: Disruptive Peace and Imaginative Ambition

Shaun McMillan, educator and activist with Blueprint NC, gave testimony at the People’s Hearing on Wednesday, June 11 in Greensboro.   Good morning my name is Shaun McMillan. I use he,

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  • Reflections

Testimony on Exploitation by Design

Amy Elkins, Community Health Worker and Co-Founder of NC Field gives a testimony on exploitation, environmental racism & systemic neglect of latino communities in Eastern North Carolina. Amy Elkins represented

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  • Reflections

A Reflection On NCEJN’s Second Quarterly Meeting

Bea Baxley, 2025 NCEJN Intern Bingham park, through the chain-link fence, is beautiful. Today is a perfect day to spend in a park, one of the last sub-75° Saturday mornings

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  • Reflections

On Documenting Injustice and Possibility

Dani Lin Hunter, NCEJN Research and Education Manager I promised Luma and Rania I would write a reflection, and truthfully, I’m not sure what I have to say right now

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  • Reflections

On NCEJN’s 2025 Graduating Research & Education Interns

Today we proudly congratulate our 2025 graduating interns!Colleen Dongarra and Rhiannon Williams, our Research and Education interns, and Emma Jo Donnelly, our Archival intern, have each made invaluable contributions to

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  • Reflections

On The Work of Cypress Fund

Kayla Bacote, Program Officer at Cypress Fund – “a social justice intermediary focused on strategically investing funding and people power to strengthen and fortify the movement ecosystem in North and South Carolina

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  • Reflections

On The Struggle Carried Forward

Today is May 1st- International Workers’ Day. NCEJN will be in Raleigh at the May Day event – to demand justice and dignity for workers and to protest against the

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  • Reflections

On True Community-Led Research

Vidal Lormendez, a Community Health Worker and the Migrant Services Specialist at NC FIELD. Vidal regularly helps design, test, and implement projects alongside our agricultural workforce across 41 eastern North

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  • Reflections

On A Student’s Experience At The NCEJN Summit

Carson Mease, Sustainable Development undergraduate student at Appalachian State University On the 18th of October, 2024, students of Appalachian State University’s Applications in Environmental Justice class traveled to Whitakers, North

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  • Reflections

On Waging Love: Reflections on Justice, Memory, and Commitment to Collective Struggle

Reverend Wesley Morris, Senior Pastor at Faith Community Church These words were transcribed from a recording made at the Black Workers for Justice Banquet, of Reverend Wesley Morris, Senior Pastor

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  • Reflections

On What Makes An Organizer

Anthony Diaz, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Newark Water Coalition My name is Anthony Diaz and I am the co-founder and executive director of the Newark Water Coalition. Newark

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  • Reflections

On The Working Conditions of Airport Workers in NC

Nicholas Johnson, Former Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Prospect Airport Services Employee. Nick was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. In the summer of 2024, I worked at Charlotte Douglas International

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  • Reflections

On Standing Up For Science

This speech was given by Dr. Dani Lin Hunter, NCEJN Research and Education Manager at Halifax Mall in Raleigh, NC on March 8, 2025 as part of the Stand Up

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  • Reflections

Reflection On The History of EJ In Northampton County

Ms. Belinda Joyner, Concerned Citizens of Northampton County Right after Hurricane Katrina, there were two men that moved to Durham from New Orleans. One of the men had nowhere to

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  • Reflections

On Returning to Service on The NCEJN Board

Caption: Peter Gillbert, Naeema Muhammad, Elizabeth Haddix, & Don Cavellini at NCEJN’s Annual Summit Peter Gilbert, Supervising Attorney at Legal Aid of North Carolina, and NCEJN Board Co-Chair. I am

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  • Reflections

On An Evolving Role & Love

M. Zulayka Santiago, MPA. ​Founder & Creative Director Libelula Consulting, and departing NCEJN Board Co-Chair. Read her book! Although I have admired the work of NCEJN for many years, my

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  • Reflections

On the State Supreme Court

Photo credit to John McCann at North Carolina Black Alliance Gino Nuzzolillo, Campaigns Manager, Common Cause North Carolina The North Carolina Supreme Court is among the most important institutions we

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  • Reflections

On Radical Imagination for the PFAS Resolution We Deserve

Dominique Beaudry, Graduate Student at Duke University “If you’re from Concord, go get your thyroid checked!” a friend posted on her instagram. After noticing a lump in my neck, I

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  • Reflections

On Engaging Youth in the EJ Movement

Doris T. Davis, Assistant Director. Concerned Citizens of Tillery The Concerned Citizens of Tillery (CCT), a non-profit social change organization celebrating 45 years of positive social change is one of

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  • Reflections

On Countering Violence

Araceli Argueta, Organizing and Advocacy Director for AFSC’s New Jersey Immigrant Rights Program. It has been less than two weeks, and Trump’s Executive Orders have had rippling effects across North

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  • Reflections

On The Fight for Indigenous Cultural Preservation + Protecting The Great Trading Path

Beverly Payne, Tribal Council Member of the Occaneechi community, walks along the historic Trading Path in Hawfields Cemetery in Mebane, North Carolina. Photo courtesy of Roderico Y. Díaz, Iximché Media.
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  • Reflections

On the Merchants of Death Tribunal

Rania Masri, NCEJN Director of Policy and Organizing, gave these concluding remarks given at the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal press conference on January 15, 2025. (Watch) The Final Report of this Tribunal begins by

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  • Reflections

On Finding Hope In 2025

Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson, NCEJN Director of Infrastructure and Development A new year can start at any time.  Across our planet, worldwide celebrations ushered in 2025 on January 1st.  

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  • Reflections

On Bridging Environmental Justice and Farmworker Realities

Yesenia Cuello, Executive Director, NC FIELD, Inc For thousands of people employed in the multi-billion dollar industry of agribusiness across North Carolina, the phrase “environmental justice” often feels like a

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  • Reflections

On Health Research as a Tool for Environmental Justice

Dr. Elizabeth (Libby) McClure, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology at UNC Last week I talked with someone working in one of the many care hubs that community organizations and mutual

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  • Reflections

Species Extinction & The Environmental Justice Movement

Luma Kennedy, NCEJN Communications Manager Species extinction is a serious issue that is already impacting every aspect of our lives. The data is staggering. Industry, industrial agriculture, unchecked development, mining,

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  • Reflections

In Remembrance of The People’s Professor

First we hear from Mama Naeema Muhammad: “First and foremost, we always called him the “People’s Professor”—a term of endearment from the community. We loved Steve for his humility; when he

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  • Reflections

On A Day in West Badin with the Environmental Justice Advisory Council

Aleena Oakley, NCEJN Hi! My name is Aleena Oakley; I’m a lifelong NC resident with roots in the Charlotte area, and I have been working with NCEJN and the Concerned

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  • Reflections

The 25th NCEJN Summit, and how the experience relates to my work

Anita Cunningham, Executive Director, NC Climate Solutions Coalition, Director, NC Disaster Response and Resilience Network First, let me say the NC Environmental Justice Summit had everything I needed to nurture my body, mind

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  • Reflections

NCEJN’s Resource Readiness Workshop Series

Ashley Daniels, NCEJN Team Member In September 2024, NCEJN introduced a new offering: Resource Readiness Workshops for grassroots EJ leaders in the state. The ten participating organizations were concentrated in

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  • Reflections

PFAS pollution and other EJ issues at the Sampson County Landfill

Denise Robinson, Deputy Director of Environmental Justice Community Action Network (EJCAN) On August 30, on behalf of EJCAN (the Environmental Justice Community Action Network) the Southern Environmental Law Center filed

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  • Reflections

Why NCEJN?

yh Patt, J.D., Ph.D, long time activist in social & environmental justice This year, I trained with the Anne Braden Program (ABP), which is an anti-racist training for white people.

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  • Reflections

On Political Education

Dr. Kim. E. Koo, Rocky Mount Racial Justice Group On September 1st, a strategic meeting was held by a coalition of organizations (El Futuro es Nuestro, NCEJN, USSW and FAN)

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  • Reflections

Joining The NCEJN Research & Education Team This Summer

Colleen Dongarra, NCEJN Intern 2024 I view spiderwebs differently now. They used to be a nuisance – something I stumbled into during an early morning hike. I would feel a

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  • Reflections

Using Collective Power to Unveil & Fight Injustice

Chelsea Lundquist-Wentz, NCSU’s Campus Community Alliance for Environmental Justice (CCAEJ) Founding Member In December 2023, as Poe Hall’s closure sent classes online and ousted faculty and graduate students from their

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  • Reflections

Having a Seat at The Table- The True Meaning of a Power Lunch

Beverly A. Scarlett, Co-Founder & Director of Education, Indigenous Memories Few people are willing and less can express gratitude for togetherness. Something so simple can be challenging, but not for

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  • Reflections

Just One View from “The Trenches”

Don Cavellini, Co-Chair, Pitt Co. Coalition Against Racism (CAR) We have experienced a greater willingness among progressive activists to collaborate with like-minded colleagues. This seems to be true for individuals

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  • Reflections

What We Consider Environmental Injustice & What We Set Aside

Image Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en
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  • Reflections

18th Annual Protecting Mother Earth Conference

Dr. Dani Lin Hunter, NCEJN Research & Education Manager Hi everyone! This past week I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful mountains of Cherokee, North Carolina, to attend the

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Become a Member

We’re excited to announce that we are developing a membership program and invite individuals, organizations, and institutions who share our values to join us in the fight against environmental injustice.

As a member, you’ll be part of a dedicated community focused on:

  • Promoting health and environmental equity for all
  • Supporting community-driven solutions that foster environmental justice
  • Embracing intersectional strategies to address environmental injustices
  • Engaging communities as equal partners in every decision-making process

A variety of membership tiers ensure that everyone can participate, regardless of your financial situation. If you’re interested in becoming a member, please fill out our interest form. We will contact you in January of 2025 with further information.

Ready to make a difference? Sign up today!

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