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  • Science, Struggle, and Solidarity: Fighting for Environmental Justice with Kibri Everett (pt. 1)

    Science, Struggle, and Solidarity: Fighting for Environmental Justice with Kibri Everett (pt. 1)
    2025/09/09
    What does it mean to fight for environmental justice when the very language of justice is under attack?

    In this first episode (of a 2-part series), I talk with environmental scientist, small business owner, and consultant Kibri Hutchison Everett about the fight for environmental justice. We trace her journey from growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina (my hometown), to working in federal environmental data analysis, and ultimately to founding her own company to support communities on the frontlines of pollution and disinvestment.

    We talk about her work with the HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative, and Kibri speaks candidly about the realities of working with marginalized communities, and calling environmental racism what it is, even when federal agencies and political leaders try to erase the term. Together, we unpack how industries target poor Black, Brown, and rural communities, how changes in White House can roll back decades of progress overnight, and why grassroots organizing and data sovereignty remain critical tools for resistance.

    This is not just a policy discussion; it’s a call to action. Tune in to learn how environmental justice plays out on the ground and why vulnerable communities are still forced to fight for clean air, clean water, and basic dignity.

    Resources:
    HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative
    Article: Environmental Justice in an Era of Federal Rollbacks
    HBCU EJ Screening Tool
    Justice40 Awards Tracker

    Connect with Kibri Everett
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kibri-hutchison-everett-646b051b3/
    Instagram: @the.enviro.vegan
    @key.environmental.consulting
    Websites:
    www.keyenvi.com
    www.palmettofutures.org

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support.

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    44 分
  • Don’t Just Go Green...Go Just: The Fight for Environmental Justice with Dr. Bruce Strouble

    Don’t Just Go Green...Go Just: The Fight for Environmental Justice with Dr. Bruce Strouble
    2025/08/05
    In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, Dr. Joseph is joined by scholar, strategist, and activist Dr. Bruce Strouble, the founder of Citizens for a Sustainable Future and author of By Any Dreams Necessary - Anti-Racist Strategies for Sustainability, Resilience, and Environmental Justice in African-American Communities.

    Dr. Strouble's expertise made for a dynamic conversation about what it really takes to build grassroots environmental power in Black communities. Dr. Strouble brings deep insight into how environmental injustice intersects with political disempowerment, economic inequality, and systemic neglect, particularly in the South. From democracy to youth organizing, he shares stories from the field and hard-earned lessons about community-driven change.

    They dive into:
    ⚡ Why climate solutions often leave Black communities behind
    🗳️ How local organizing and political literacy can shift power
    🌱 What true sustainability means in communities that have been chronically under-resourced
    💡 And why it’s time for the environmental movement to center justice

    This episode calls us to rethink how we talk about “green” policy and who’s shaping the conversation. If you care about equity, grassroots organizing, and real solutions that empower the most affected, this is an episode you can’t miss.

    🎧 Tune in to hear how Dr. Strouble is flipping the script and building a future rooted in justice, power, and people.

    Connect with Dr. Bruce Strouble
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucestroublephd/
    https://www.facebook.com/ProfessaStrouble/
    https://www.instagram.com/dr_strouble/
    https://twitter.com/ProfesaStrouble
    Info@brucestroublejr.com
    https://www.brucestroublejr.com

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    49 分
  • "Powerless": How Two Scholars Are Rewriting the Energy Narrative

    "Powerless": How Two Scholars Are Rewriting the Energy Narrative
    2025/07/22
    In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, Dr. Lesley Joseph sits down with public health expert Dr. Diana Hernández of Columbia University and sociologist Dr. Jennifer Laird of Lehman College to talk about their new book, Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy.

    More than 1 in 4 U.S. households struggle to afford their utility bills, with many facing shutoffs, debt, and the constant stress of choosing between heating and food, or cooling and rent. Powerless brings this hidden crisis into the light, exposing how energy insecurity is not just a personal hardship but a systemic failure rooted in race, class, housing, and policy.

    In this episode, Drs. Hernández and Laird reveal:
    ⚡ Why low-income and marginalized communities are disproportionately energy insecure
    🏠 How housing conditions, debt, and disconnection policies deepen inequality
    💡 And how we can rethink policy and infrastructure to create a more just energy future

    🎧 Tune in now to learn how these two brilliant minds are helping rewire how we think about energy, poverty, and power in America.

    Resources:
    Powerless - The People's Struggle for Energy

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    1 時間 1 分
  • Gajarah by Somia Sadiq: A Story of Resilience and Belonging in the Pursuit of Justice

    Gajarah by Somia Sadiq: A Story of Resilience and Belonging in the Pursuit of Justice
    2025/07/08
    In this episode, Dr. Lesley Joseph sits down with author, conflict practitioner, and activist Somia Sadiq to discuss her new novel, Gajarah, a story that challenges how we understand land, justice, grief, and the tangled threads of human resilience. Born in Pakistan, raised in Canada, and shaped by a life between cultures and continents, Somia brings her lived experience, and her deep work in justice and peacebuilding, to the page. Through her unforgettable protagonist, Emahn, she explores trauma, displacement, and the often-unspoken truth that healing isn’t linear, and justice doesn’t always come with closure.Dr. Joseph and Somia explore questions like:🌿 What if land was a character in your story?💔 Why do some conflicts never really end, even when we say they’re resolved?🔥 What does environmental justice look like when we move beyond human-centered narratives?If you’ve ever felt stuck between cultures, longed for a language to express the “in-between,” or wondered how storytelling can bring us closer to justice—this episode will speak to you.🎧 Tune in now to hear how Somia's new book, Gajarah, invites us to feel more deeply, think more critically, and honor the land and people that shape our stories.Buy the book and follow Somia Sadiq on Social Media: https://www.somiasadiq.com/https://www.somiasadiq.com/gajarahhttps://www.instagram.com/somiasadiq/https://www.linkedin.com/in/somiasadiq/Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: Instagram: @envjusticelab YouTube: @envjusticelab Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.comDon’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/supportConnect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: Instagram: @envjusticelab YouTube: @envjusticelab Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.comDon’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    48 分
  • Pollution, Power, & the Price of Telling the Truth: The Stunning Resignation of Kimberly Terrell of the Tulane Environ. Law Clinic

    Pollution, Power, & the Price of Telling the Truth: The Stunning Resignation of Kimberly Terrell of the Tulane Environ. Law Clinic
    2025/06/24
    In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, our host, Dr. Lesley Joseph, responds to a deeply troubling development: the resignation of Dr. Kimberly Terrell from the Environmental Law Clinic at Tulane University. A respected environmental scientist, researcher, and advocate, Dr. Terrell left her position as the Director for Community Engagement, citing political and donor-driven censorship, after years of research exposing the disproportionate health dangers experienced by the residents of Louisiana’s Cancer Alley.

    Dr. Joseph unpacks what this moment means for academic freedom, community-centered research, and the future of environmental justice in the U.S. He draws a clear line between truth-telling and power, asking hard questions about whether universities are still safe havens for critical inquiry, or simply extensions of corporate and political interests. Why are researchers being silenced for revealing the truth about pollution, cancer, and environmental injustice? What happens when scientific evidence threatens the bottom line? And how should the environmental justice research community respond?

    This episode is both a tribute to Dr. Terrell’s courage and a rallying cry for researchers, activists, and citizens alike to keep fighting. Because justice demands it.

    Resources:
    Tulane scientist resigns citing university censorship of pollution and racial disparity research - AP News

    Research from Dr. Terrell and the Environmental Law Clinic:
    Air pollution is linked to higher cancer rates among black or impoverished communities in Louisiana - Environmental Research Journal

    Toxic air pollution and concentrated social deprivation are associated with low birthweight and preterm Birth in Louisiana - Environmental Research Journal

    Pervasive racial and ethnic disparities in the U.S. petrochemical workforce

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    36 分
  • Where the Trash Goes - and Who It Hurts: Exploring landfilling in South Carolina, the United States, and beyond

    Where the Trash Goes - and Who It Hurts: Exploring landfilling in South Carolina, the United States, and beyond
    2025/06/10
    In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, I break down the findings from my latest research publication, entitied “Race, Class, Gender, and Waste: A Spatial Analysis of Landfill Siting and Intersectional Inequities in South Carolina.” This article is not simply a data-driven study; it is an investigation into how race, gender, income, and geography intersect to determine who ends up living next to the landfills in South Carolina… and who doesn’t. I explain why landfills are still important in today’s environmental justice movement. I talk about the history of waste-related activism, and discuss how communities, particularly Black women, Hispanic women, and female-led households in poverty, are disproportionately burdened by the health, environmental, and social harms of landfill placement.

    The episode goes beyond statistics. It’s a reflection on the academic resistance to justice-focused research in engineering, an ode to cross-institutional collaboration, and a rallying cry for policy change, intersectional thinking, and true community engagement.

    🎧 Tune in now to hear why it’s time we rethink how we manage our waste, and who bears the cost.

    Resources:

    Race, Class, Gender, and Waste: A Spatial Analysis of Landfill Siting and Intersectional Inequities in South Carolina - Environmental Sociology

    Toxic Waste and Race in the United States - Full Report

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    44 分
  • Unseen Suffering: The Mental Scars of Environmental Injustice

    Unseen Suffering: The Mental Scars of Environmental Injustice
    2025/05/14
    In this episode, we confront a powerful but often overlooked reality: environmental injustice doesn’t just harm our bodies - it harms our minds and breaks our spirits.

    As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode sheds light on the hidden emotional toll of living in neglected, polluted, and disaster-prone communities. From climate anxiety to post-traumatic stress, Dr. Joseph explains how the fear, powerlessness, and injustice faced by frontline communities leads to real, lasting psychological harm. Drawing from research and real-world examples, including Flint, Michigan and global conflict zones, Dr. Joseph explores how trauma, uncertainty, and systemic neglect affect mental wellness just as much as contaminated water or polluted air. And the message is clear: these impacts are not random. They are patterned. They are unjust. And they must be addressed.

    This episode is both a call for recognition and a call to action. If we truly care about justice, we must care for the mental health of those most affected. Whether you’re an advocate, policymaker, healthcare provider, or someone seeking to understand more, this episode will expand your perspective and your compassion.

    🎧 Tune in now to discover why mental health must be part of every environmental justice conversation.

    Resources:
    The Mental Distress of Environmental Injustice - Urban Health Council
    The Emotional Distress of Living in an Environmental Justice Community - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    34 分
  • Legacy Environmental Justice, pt. 6 - Reflections and the Road Ahead (The Finale)

    Legacy Environmental Justice, pt. 6 - Reflections and the Road Ahead (The Finale)
    2025/04/29
    In the conclusion to this series, our special guest Savannah Domenech and I take a reflective look back at their deep dive into Rochester’s legacy of environmental injustice. Throughout this series, we explored how Kodak’s rise and fall left deep economic, environmental, and public health scars on the Rochester community. In this episode, Savannah shares personal stories, research insights, and the powerful realization that even lifelong residents often don't know the full extent of the damage. We discuss why legacy environmental injustice doesn't end when a company closes its doors - and why community awareness, activism, and healing must continue. From environmental pollution to gentrification, the conversation reminds us that true justice requires confronting the past and committing to building a better future. We urge all of you listening to dig into your own local histories, connect with your neighbors, and advocate for change - because the fight for clean, safe, and equitable communities impacts everyone.

    🎧 Tune in for a conversation that will leave you informed, inspired, and ready to act. The journey doesn’t end here - it’s just the beginning.

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

    Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
    Instagram: @envjusticelab
    YouTube: @envjusticelab
    Email: theenvironmentaljusticelab@gmail.com

    Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support
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    29 分