As you may already know, February is Black History Month, and we want to take a moment to highlight a few Black trailblazers in the environmentalism space. We selected these folks because of the undeniable environmentally-centric through-line that connects all of their individual movements. They’re creating a brighter, greener future in all of their respective spaces, and we want to make their voices and movements louder.
Robert D. Bullard
A Professor at Texas Southern University, Robert D. Bullard has been called the “father of environmental justice” and is a thought leader in the world of environmental racism. His work investigates the inequitable impact that global emissions have on populations of lower socioeconomic status — predominantly people of colour. Bullard is spreading awareness about the connection between social justice and environmentalism, with the staunch belief that awareness can bring about change. Most recently, the UN honoured Bullard with the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award which is the highest honour in the environmental sphere — a nod to Bullard’s influence in this space.
Leah Thomas is an environmentalist from Ventura, CA who is passionate about exploring the relationship between social justice and environmentalism. Thomas believes that racial and economic injustice are inextricably linked to the environment, and she’s determined to advocate for social equality as a means to halt climate change. Through three eco-lifestyle blogs dedicated to advocating for environmental justice and education, Thomas is making waves as a new environmentalist, in an accessible way for the younger generation. Thomas is leading by example on how to treat our planet a little bit nicer.
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03 Majora Carter
An environmental justice activist from the South Bronx, Majora Carter is changing the landscape of urban development towards becoming more environmentally and sustainably focused. Carter runs a B-Corp real estate development company in New York and is dedicated to bringing sustainability to the real estate industry’s forefront— a historically unsustainable industry. She is passionate about shifting towards environmentalism within underprivileged communities in New York and has a TedTalk titled “Greening the Ghetto”, which succinctly captures the goal of her work.
These folks are a drop in the bucket of the Black environmentalists who are doing the work to make the world a better, more equitable place for all of us. They’re challenging the status quo when it comes to environmentalism and creating lasting change for generations to come.