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Pick an EJ Hero that inspires you and research their origin story

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Pick an EJ Hero that inspires you and research their origin story

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Important life experiences to consider:

Where did they grow up? What era? What was their foundational experience as a youth like?

What industries or aspects of environmental racism  affected them and their families?

What were some cornerstone experiences that defined the direction of their EJ work?

When, Where and How did they get started with this work?

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/3t232swqubudk2z/EJ-Hero-Full-Poster-Series.pdf?dl=0

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1. Grew up in South Carolina
2. One of his favorite pastimes was observing and studying the frogs, snakes and other wildlife that lived in the wetlands near his home. He won a state science fair with research that showed that anole lizards had to be awake in order to change color.
3. Research published by Hayes and other scientists was used as evidence in a class action lawsuit against Syngenta by 15 water providers in Illinois that was settled for 105 million dollars in May 2012.
4. Atrazine has been banned or is being phased out in more than 35 countries but is the second-most commonly used herbicide in the United States.
5. Because of Hayes, there is now significantly more regulation of pesticides and drinking water.

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Who are your local community heroes?
What have they been doing within your community?

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Milly Zantow. Back in 1978, she made note of the amount plastic being dumped at her regional landfill. At the time, plastic recyclers would not recycle because of the lack of identification on the plastic waste itself. She pioneered the plastic recycling number symbols.  (there is a lot more to her story)

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In 2009, adventurer Rue Mapp founded the nonprofit Outdoor Afro to celebrate African Americans’ connections with nature and leadership in exploration spaces. Today, the organization has chapters in 30 states and 80 leaders who guide members through nature tours and other recreational activities. Due to a lack of representation, there's a misperception that African Americans don't like the outdoors. The most recent National Parks data shows that 78 percent of visitors are white and when African American, Asian American, and Latinx populations do visit, they often report feeling uncomfortable.  (source: https://www.greenamerica.org/blog/8-black-leaders-whove-revolutionized-climate-movement)

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Love the Drawdown climate hero videos such as the four local (ATL) people profiled at the bottom of this web page: 

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Love the Drawdown climate hero videos such as the four local (ATL) people profiled at the bottom of this web page: 

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Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia

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Why Garden to Drawdown Carbon from the Atmosphere and Sequester it in Plants and Soil?

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I am not aware of an inspiring person from where I am currently from and I did a quick google search to see if there was anyone that sparked my interest but I think I’ll need more time! So I’ll share one from my old community. When I lived in Hawaii there were so many activists regarding the environment and equity. The most powerful was actually one of my professors. I think when you can relate to them personally it’s more impactful. She led movements to protect the oceans/ lands from destruction. I was always moved by anyone who stood up for their island, their home in Hawaii. They were all inspiring.

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'Rising through the ranks of the USDA Forest Service as history’s first black female forester, Melody Starya Mobley’s story could be seen as a remarkable example of systemic success. However, behind the walls of this proud institution, Melody suffered years of abuse, oppression, and tokenism that catapulted her into a lifetime of moral courage. After 28 years serving our public lands, followed by a decade of recovery, Melody emerges from the ashes of trauma to share her story. Her mission is to create positive change for groups that have been historically excluded from natural spaces.'

https://www.starya.org/

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Was (is?)faculty at the Metropolitan State University where he taught a foundational course in community organizing and community economic development.

First became involved in EJ work during his junior year as an environmental studies major, when he attended a protest on campus around asking the school to divest its resources from South Africa.

Encourages self-care, because this work can be taxing and painful!

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Frank and Audrey Peterman Discovered National Parks: They've Never Been the Same.

In August 1995, Audrey and Frank Peterman got into their Ford F-150 truck in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to drive around the entire United States. With a tent and camping gear in the covered cab and no itinerary, they drove and camped across the country for 12,500 miles, marveling at the spectacularly beautiful sights they encountered. Discovering the special places that are protected in the National Park System "for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people," they were shocked to see that almost everyone around them was white. The Petermans decided that instead of "complaining about the dark," they'd shine the light on the national parks so that all Americans feel invited and welcome. They have been pursuing that mission for almost 30 years.

"We were trying to expose people to the overwhelming beauty and lively history in the national parks," says Mrs. Peterman. "So imagine our shock when we learned about climate change in 1997 and the dire effects it would have. We started paying attention right then and we've been sounding the alarm ever since."

Books by Audrey Peterman

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

She's been likened to Joan of Arc, and Audrey and Frank Peterman are credited with "helping prepare America's national parks for their second century of service."

"It was you and Frank who started all of the awareness of non-white connection to the parks, seemingly a century ago. Progress, as always, was slow, and much remains to be accomplished. But everything takes a starter, from sourdough bread to the constructs in the minds of people and agencies. You, Audrey, were the critical starter. The pioneer. The person who never gives up, yet remains human and lovely at all times. Thank you
so very much." - J. Reynolds. Former deputy director of the National Park Service.

To book Audrey for your next event, contact booked@authorsunbound.com or complete the form below.

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Frank and Audrey Peterman Discovered National Parks: They've Never Been the Same. In August 1995, Audrey and Frank Peterman got into their Ford F-150 truck in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to drive around the entire United States.

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"The fact you don’t hear MaVynee Oshun Betsch mentioned alongside conservationists like John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and perhaps Rachel Carson says more about who we enshrine in history books than Betsch’s remarkable contributions to the environmental movement and her valiant campaign to save a landmark of Black history. "

MaVynee Betsch defended Florida's American Beach, an oceanside resort for Black families, from development. She supported countless environmental groups with earnings from a successful international career as an opera singer.

Her contributions have been forgotten by many. According to Zelalem Adefris: “I think a lot of people go unnoticed for their amazing work in preservation and social justice, especially Black activists. But their impact speaks to what people, when they follow their passions, contribute to the movement to support their communities and their neighborhoods.”

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https://www.stefanmoss.com/about-5

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BIOGRAPHY

Stefan Moss is a Bahamian-American environmental scientist and educator. As a scientist, he worked in the public sector on UN-related projects in The Bahamas including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and assisted in the completion of the Bahamas National Implementation Plan for POPs. Additionally, he cowrote the 2003 Bahamas National Invasive Species Strategy and the Layman's Guide to Alien Invasive Plant Species in the Bahamas. In the private sector, he applied his experience in environmental toxicology to work on soil and groundwater remediation projects in the United States for Fortune 500 companies such as Exxon Mobil and BP, and in The Bahamas for the construction of the luxurious Bahamar resort.

Moss completed graduate studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and his work, supported by the Tennessee Aquarium, explored the presence of PCBs, PBDEs and organochlorine pesticides in the Tennessee River. His thesis included the development of curriculum materials for middle and high school students in Hamilton County, sparking an interest in place-based education and citizen science. From 2015-2020, Moss served as adjunct professor of Environmental Science at Georgia State University, and also held an academic appointment at Georgia Military College. In 2014, he launched The Moss Group as a platform for youth mentorship, environmental education and stewardship. Stefan currently serves as a K-12 Science Educator at Whitefield Academy in Georgia. and consults with public and private organizations such as the U.S National Park Service, U.S Forest Service, Greening Youth Foundation, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

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In 2018 Stefan created the Saltwater Underground Railroad Experience, a Google Earth project that retraces the steps of freedom seekers in the southeastern states in the early 19th century. The project follows their journey from slave plantations, coastal fortifications and maroon communities to The Bahama Islands, where they developed sustainable communities that still exist today. Inspiration for the project came from visits to numerous national and state parks in the southeast, where stories of an "Underground Railroad" going south to Florida and beyond were told. Utilizing interactive maps, peer reviewed articles and newspaper clippings, the project dives headfirst into Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and sustainable communities, but more importantly, the stories of the brave men and women who risked their lives in search of freedom.

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Aside from his scientific and sustainability pursuits, Stefan is an award winning singer, songwriter and musician. His songs explore themes of spirituality, philosophy and environmentalism, crafted at his home studio in metro Atlanta.

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BIOGRAPHY Stefan Moss is a Bahamian-American environmental scientist and educator. As a scientist, he worked in the public sector on UN-related projects in The Bahamas including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and assisted in the completion of the Bahamas National Implementation Plan for POPs.