Environmental justice has been on the top of everyone’s minds ever since the mass firings of national park workers and the major research funding cuts as a result of the Trump administration’s constant executive orders. On Thursday, March 27 from noon-1 p.m., the Center for Social Impact hosted a panel which sought to discuss environmental justice in Utah. During the panel they discussed ways individuals can help.
The panel hosted: Turner Bitton, Founder and Executive Director of the Utah Center for Civic Improvement; Wisam Khudhair, Community Capacity and Wellbeing Partnership Manager; Ofa Matagi, Executive Director of the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition; Judy Ou, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute; and Jay Rock, Member of the Climate Hope community board at the Natural History Museum of Utah.
A major question posed during the panel was, “What are some feasible solutions community members can take to help our environment?” Turner Bitton responded, “Community organizing is the antidote to the amount of despair we see in today’s political landscape.” He continued to say that individuals can help through protesting, scientists can help through research and journalists—amateur and professional—help to document and inform. Judy Ou answered the question saying, “Please sign up for research studies. Sign up for as many as you can! The research being done right now is invaluable and it is with your help that the studies can be made possible.”
We are all living through hard times right now. But that is why we must now more than ever rely on our own communities. Bitton mentioned a few things that people are doing to help fight environmental injustice, but environmental justice is accessible because everyone has a place in bettering our environment.
When asked the question, “How can you make environmental justice more accessible?” Ofa Matagi replied, “We must educate people about the environment in a culturally responsible way. It’s hard for people to think about environmental justice when they are barely getting by as it is. If we keep the impacted community in mind, we can give them a chance to feel heard.”
For researchers hoping to work with specific communities, this advice is especially important to understand. One cannot expect those they are working with to respect their culture if that respect is not reciprocated. Through collaboration and mutual respect researchers can better help the communities that they work with.
A question which stayed at the top of the audience’s mind was, “How does art help with environmental justice?” Jay Rock answered, “Art is a part of environmental action. It helps to inspire and inform those who do not understand the injustice taking place.”
This panel is a glimpse of the possibilities provided by community work. While many tread through the world with despair for what is ahead, working with one another is a sure way to know that tomorrow can be better than today.
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