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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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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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 281

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Hurricane Helene Relief Resources

More Information

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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September 2025
Sep 04
04 September 2025

RSVP: Rally to Protect Water with 7 Directions of Service (7DS)— Before the Sep 4th hearing, gather at 4:30 PM at Harmon Park in Kernersville to hear from powerful speakers and get inspired, then head over […]

Sep 06
06 September 2025
Walnut Creek Wetland Center,950 Peterson St
Raleigh,NCUnited States

Register for Partners in Environmental Justice Raleigh (PEJ)’s annual Big Sweep watershed cleanup! Saturday, September 6 • 8:00–11:00 AM at Walnut Creek Wetland Center | 950 Peterson St., Raleigh

Sep 10
10 September 2025

Register: 11th Annual CEEJH Environmental Justice & Health Disparities Symposium. The symposium will take place virtually on Wednesday September 10, and in person from Thursday September 11 - Saturday September 13, at the […]

Sep 11
11 September 2025

Thursday Sep 11 – Attend Forsyth Commission Meeting – register

Sep 18
18 September 2025

Festival: The 40th Annual Farm Aid festival will be held in Minneapolis September 18-20. Farm Aid’s annual festival is an all-day celebration of music and family farmers featuring a unique lineup of artists […]

Sep 20
20 September 2025
200 Northeast Blvd,200 Northeast Blvd
Clinton,NCUnited States

The Environmental Justice Community Action Network (EJCAN)’s 5 year Anniversary Banquet will be Saturday, September 20 at 200 Northeast Blvd., Clinton, NC. The keynote speaker is Richard Moore, former Co-chair of the White House […]

Sep 22
22 September 2025

Summit: Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (COFED) is accepting applications for Build, Unlearn, Decolonize, an immersive, in-person experience for emerging QTBIPOC food & land stewards. September 22-26. Reach out at bud@cofed.org to see if this […]

Sep 26
26 September 2025

Join: Peace Hill at Avila will be hosting Footsteps Ahead of Ours: A cultural review of the first occupants of Orange and Durham counties on Sept. 26 • 5:00 PM— Sept. 27 • 7:00 PM at Avila Center for […]

Sep 27
27 September 2025
Hendersonville Theatre,229 S Washington St
Hendersonville,NCUnited States

Screening: Conserving Carolina invites you to Stories of Resilience: Films from the Year Since Hurricane Helene. This event, on the anniversary of the storm, features short films by PBS NC. September 27 • 7:30—9:30 PM at the […]

October 2025
Oct 03
03 October 2025

Save the Date: Bertie’s Forgotten Black and Native Patriots of the Revolutionary War. October 3-4, 2025

Oct 03
03 October 2025
University of Detroit Mercy,4001 W. McNichols Rd
detroit,MI48221

Conference: The 13th Annual Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners (BUGs) Conference is happening October 3 to 5 2025, in Detroit, Michigan. BUGs is the largest national gathering for Black farmers, growers, land stewards, and food […]

Oct 03
03 October 2025
Marriott Greensboro Downtown,304 N. Greene Street
Greensboro,NCUnited States

Summit: The 2nd annual NC Climate Week Summit, Friday October 3. ​Hear from North Carolina leaders in green economic development, transportation, and clean energy. ​Learn more here. There will be virtual workshops for all […]

Oct 07
07 October 2025
Barber Park Event Center,1502 Barber Park Dr
Greensboro,NCUnited States

Join the Office of Sustainability and Resilience on Tuesday, October 7 • 9:00—11:00 AM  as they welcome the NC Sustainable Business Council for an engaging and impactful session on how emerging State policies could impact the work that they […]

Oct 08
08 October 2025
Harris Conference Center,3216 CPCC Harris Campus Drive
Charlotte,NC28208United States

Register: CleanAIRE NC is hosting the 10th Annual NC BREATHE Conference.This year’s theme explores the intersection of planetary and human health and community resilience. The conference will be Wednesday-Thursday October 8-9 2025 at the Harris […]

Oct 20
20 October 2025
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 […]

Oct 22
22 October 2025
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

November 2025
Nov 09
09 November 2025
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.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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What We Consider Environmental Injustice & What We Set Aside

Image Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en
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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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The Ongoing Injustices Faced by Farm Workers in North Carolina

Leticia Zavala, Co-Coordinator, El Futuro Es Nuestro On July 7th, I got a call from a worker saying, “Lety another worker passed away from heat, I don’t know who or where

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The White House Summit on Environmental Justice in Action

Dr. Chris Hawn, NCEJN Co-director of Research & Education This week I joined government officials, advocates, and EJ leaders from across the country to mark the one year anniversary of

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The Significance of July 20, 2024?

Dr. Valerie Anne Johnson, Co-Director of Infrastructure and Development Do you know what is significant about tomorrow, July 20, 2024? Those familiar with Octavia Butler and her incredibly visionary novel

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Our Second Quarterly Meeting at Robeson County Hosted by The Lumbee Riverkeeper and The Winyah Rivers Alliance

Luma Kennedy – NCJN Communications Manager Robeson County, which is both the largest county in North Carolina, and has the largest indigenous population and a significant Black community, is also

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Biogas

Landfills

Pipelines

Fracking

Coal Ash

CAFOs

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