Protections are essential for ensuring laws and policies safeguard both people and the environment. And under the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, equal protections means fair treatment under the law for everyone—regardless of race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status. But historically, Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color have faced the brunt of environmental, health, and climate change impacts. Despite historic advancements in recent years, deregulation efforts threaten to make things even worse for frontline communities that are demanding democracy delivers on its promise.
Guest: Abre’ Conner is the Director, Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP where she oversees strategy and collaboration to dismantle environmental racism.
Key Topics:
- The intersection of Civil Rights, Environmental Justice, and Democracy
- Fighting to strengthen protections that center people, not just the environment
- Critical Race Theory
- How threats to environmental justice go beyond any one political party or presidency
- Potential impacts from the Supreme Court ruling on Chevron Deference
- Weakening of protective agencies, like the EPA, through plans like Project 2025
Additional resources
- James Baldwin’s 1965 debate at Cambridge University
- Order Toxic Wastes and Race and Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty FREE, Here. Just pay for shipping.
- More contextual books to consider on Critical Race Theory.
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