Environmental Justice and Accessibility for Women of Color: An Analysis of Historical Struggles, Advocacy, and Policy

A blog by Orrin Jones, Young Expert at GHRH

Women of color face disproportionately higher environmental risks and systemic barriers to resources due to intersecting inequalities of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. This injustice is not a recent development but is deeply rooted in historical systems of exclusion and discrimination. At the same time, women of color have been at the forefront of the environmental justice movement, advocating for equitable access to environmental and public health resources while confronting the structural inequalities perpetuating these disparities. By integrating ecofeminist and intersectional frameworks, this paper explores the historical and contemporary struggles of women of color, their grassroots leadership, and the policies needed to address systemic injustices.

Historical Context: The Evolution of Environmental Justice

Race, Gender, and Environmental Disparities

Environmental justice as a movement began as a response to systemic racial inequities in the siting of toxic facilities and access to clean resources. As Bullard (1990) highlights in Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: Race Still Matters, communities of color have long been disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards such as industrial pollution, hazardous waste sites, and poor-quality infrastructure. These burdens are often gendered, with women of color bearing unique responsibilities as caregivers, health advocates, and community leaders.

Bullard's work emphasizes the interplay between race and policy, noting that communities of color are often excluded from decision-making processes, leaving them vulnerable to environmental harm. This exclusion has a ripple effect: women in these communities not only face direct exposure to environmental hazards but also contend with the broader socioeconomic impacts on their families and communities.

Linking Population and Environmental Advocacy

Jade Sasser, in From Darkness into Light: Race, Population, and Environmental Advocacy, explores how environmental advocacy has historically excluded marginalized populations, often framing population growth in these communities as a problem rather than addressing the systemic inequities driving environmental harm. Women of color have resisted this narrative, reframing environmental advocacy to focus on equity and justice. Sasser’s work highlights how women-led movements have reshaped the discourse around population and environmental health, advocating for solutions that prioritize community empowerment over blame.

The Role of Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism provides a theoretical framework to understand the intersecting vulnerabilities faced by women of color in environmental justice. As Kirk (1997) explains, ecofeminism links the exploitation of marginalized groups with the degradation of nature, arguing that the same systems driving environmental harm also perpetuate racial and gender inequalities. This perspective underscores the importance of addressing these issues simultaneously to achieve meaningful environmental justice.

Grassroots Leadership in the Environmental Justice Movement

Women as Catalysts for Change

Women of color have been pivotal in grassroots environmental justice movements, often leading community-based initiatives to combat systemic neglect. Luke D. Fisher, in Women Out Front: How Women of Color Lead the Environmental Justice Movement, underscores the central role of women as organizers, educators, and advocates. Fisher points to examples such as Black women in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley," who have fought tirelessly against the proliferation of petrochemical plants in their communities.

Grassroots leadership often involves confronting powerful industries and governmental inaction, as women mobilize their communities to demand accountability. These efforts are rooted in lived experiences, with women drawing on their roles as caregivers and community leaders to articulate the need for systemic change.

Case Study: The Flint Water Crisis

The Flint water crisis remains one of the most prominent examples of grassroots environmental justice advocacy. Women in Flint, many of them Black mothers, spearheaded efforts to bring national attention to the crisis, collect evidence, and demand policy changes. Fisher (2015) highlights how these women leveraged their positions within their communities to organize protests, educate the public, and pressure officials for accountability.

The activism in Flint illustrates the power of grassroots leadership in holding systems accountable while highlighting the challenges women of color face in advocating for justice. Despite their efforts, systemic barriers often hinder long-term solutions, emphasizing the need for structural reforms to support such movements.

Policy Evolution and Advocacy

From Protest to Policy

Environmental justice activism has evolved over decades, transitioning from grassroots protests to formal policy advocacy. In From Protest to Policy: The Political Evolution of California Environmental Justice Activism, 1980s–2010s, the authors trace how movements led by women of color in California transformed local organizing into statewide policy initiatives. By advocating for legislation such as the California Environmental Quality Act amendments, activists were able to institutionalize environmental justice principles in policy frameworks.

This transition reflects the growing influence of women of color in shaping environmental policy, as they leverage their grassroots experiences to advocate for systemic change. However, this evolution also presents challenges, as activists must navigate bureaucratic systems that often resist change.

Environmental Justice at the Crossroads

Julie Sze et al. (2015), in Environmental Justice at the Crossroads, explore the tensions within the environmental justice movement as it seeks to address increasingly complex issues such as climate change and global inequality. Women of color remain at the forefront of these efforts, advocating for intersectional approaches that address the root causes of environmental harm while promoting sustainable solutions. Sze et al. argue that the movement’s future depends on its ability to adapt to these challenges while remaining grounded in the principles of equity and justice.

Barriers to Healthcare and Environmental Health

Healthcare Accessibility in Marginalized Communities

Environmental health disparities are exacerbated by systemic barriers to healthcare access in marginalized communities. As Unger (2012) highlights in Beyond Nature’s Housekeepers, women of color in underserved areas often lack access to preventive care, leaving them more vulnerable to the health impacts of environmental hazards. This inaccessibility is further compounded by economic and logistical challenges, such as inadequate transportation and limited healthcare funding.

Addressing these disparities requires systemic reforms that prioritize equitable healthcare access alongside environmental protections. Policies that integrate public health and environmental justice can mitigate the dual burdens of environmental harm and health inequities faced by women of color.

Intersection of Environmental and Reproductive Health

Reproductive health is a critical dimension of environmental justice for women of color. Exposure to environmental toxins has been linked to a range of reproductive health issues,

including infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects. Bell (2016) emphasizes the importance of addressing these risks through targeted interventions that prioritize the health and well-being of women in marginalized communities.

Future Directions

Strengthening Grassroots Movements

Grassroots movements remain the backbone of environmental justice advocacy. Supporting these efforts requires investments in community-based initiatives, capacity-building programs, and funding for grassroots organizations. Ensuring that women of color have the resources and platforms to lead these movements is essential for achieving long-term change.

Policy Recommendations

To address the systemic barriers driving environmental and health inequities, policymakers must:

1. Enforce Environmental Protections: Strengthen Regulations on Industrial Pollution and Prioritize Environmental Health in Marginalized Communities

a. Environmental protections must be enforced and enhanced to ensure that marginalized communities are not disproportionately exposed to harmful environmental toxins. Examples of actions include:

i. Tightening Regulations on Polluting Industries: In areas like Flint, Michigan, where the water crisis highlighted severe failures in environmental protection, stricter regulations must be imposed on industrial pollution. The city’s historical neglect of water infrastructure, largely affecting its Black community, emphasizes the need for more robust standards for water quality. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund could be used to support local governments in upgrading aging water systems and preventing exposure to dangerous pollutants.

ii. Implementing Comprehensive Monitoring and Enforcement: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has set a strong example with its efforts to combat air pollution, particularly in communities like those in the San Joaquin Valley, where air quality is among the worst in the U.S. With stricter monitoring systems and community-based data collection, policies can better track and limit emissions from nearby agricultural operations and oil extraction sites, thus protecting the health of marginalized residents. Strengthening the enforcement of CARB's air quality standards can help ensure long-term improvements.

iii. Prioritizing Vulnerable Communities: The Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen), developed by the U.S. EPA,helps to identify communities most vulnerable to environmental risks. This tool should be used to prioritize investments in green infrastructure, such as urban parks and trees in low-income neighborhoods that are prone to higher temperatures and air pollution. For instance, in Los Angeles, environmental justice programs that plant trees in areas of color can mitigate the urban heat island effect, providing both health benefits and environmental sustainability.

iv. Support for Climate Resilience: In New Orleans, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the city has implemented resilience strategies focusing on infrastructure that helps vulnerable populations cope with climate-related disasters. Expanding similar investments in underserved communities nationwide will ensure that communities of color and low-income areas are better equipped to adapt to the effects of climate change.

2. Invest in Healthcare Infrastructure: Expand Access to Affordable, High-Quality Healthcare in Underserved Areas, with a Focus on Preventive Care and Environmental Health

a. Increasing access to healthcare, particularly preventive and environmental health care, is essential for mitigating the health risks posed by environmental hazards. Examples include:

i. Expanding Health Insurance Access and Coverage: The Affordable Care Act (ACA), though successful in expanding insurance coverage, must be further expanded to reach all marginalized populations, particularly in states that did not expand Medicaid, such as Alabama—where Congresswoman Terri Sewell has advocated for healthcare expansion. These areas have large communities of color who often lack access to healthcare. Expanding Medicaid would help more women of color, who are disproportionately uninsured, access preventive services that can help mitigate the health impacts of environmental toxins.

ii. Increasing Funding for Community Health Centers: In Rural Alabama, community health centers are essential in providing care for underserved populations. The Community Health Centers Program, which receives funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is an example of a successful model. By increasing funding for these centers, women of color in rural and urban poor areas can gain access to screenings for chronic diseases, reproductive health services, and care for conditions caused by environmental hazards like asthma, lead poisoning, and cancer.

iii. Enhancing Environmental Health Education and Training for Healthcare Providers: In New York City, public health campaigns have focused on educating healthcare providers about asthma management in children due to high levels of pollution. By expanding training like this to rural healthcare providers, particularly those working in predominantly minority areas like Baltimore, healthcare professionals can better diagnose and manage health conditions exacerbated by environmental toxins.

iv. Establishing Public Health Campaigns on Environmental Risks: In California’s Central Valley, home to numerous agricultural facilities, a public health campaign about pesticide exposure could raise awareness about the harmful impacts on pregnant women and children. The Central California Environmental Justice Network (CCEJN) provides an example of community-led efforts to combat toxic exposures. Expanding such campaigns at the national level could help educate women of color about the links between environmental toxins and conditions like premature birth, respiratory illnesses, and cancer.

v. Supporting Mental Health and Reproductive Health Services: In Flint, Michigan, the health effects of the water crisis were compounded by a lack of mental health resources. In response, local organisations like The Flint Rising Coalition have advocated for the expansion of mental health services to help residents cope with the trauma of ongoing environmental hazards. Increasing investments in mental health services, along with reproductive health care, would address the compounded vulnerabilities women face, particularly in communities already burdened by environmental injustice.

3. Promote Intersectional Research: Support Studies that Examine the Interplay Between Environmental Harm, Health Disparities, and Systemic Inequalities to Inform Evidence-Based Interventions

a. Intersectional research plays a crucial role in understanding how environmental harms affect marginalized populations. Examples include:

b. Supporting Research into Environmental Racism and Health Disparities: The University of California, Berkeley, and The Center for Race, Poverty, and the Environment have pioneered studies on environmental racism affecting communities of color. Their research, which examines how proximity to toxic waste sites and industrial pollution correlates with poor health outcomes in minority communities, should serve as a model for other universities. Expanding funding for such research would help develop evidence-based policies that target specific needs of affected populations, such as tailored health interventions or housing policies.

c. Expanding Research on Gendered Environmental Injustices: Dr. Julie Sze and Dr. Robert Bullard have long focused on the intersection of race, gender, and environmental justice. Supporting interdisciplinary studies that examine these

intersections in communities like the Mississippi Delta or New York’s South Bronx, where women of color are particularly vulnerable, would illuminate the systemic factors that exacerbate environmental injustices. This could include studying the links between environmental degradation and women’s health, particularly concerning reproductive and maternal health outcomes.

d. Developing Localized Policy Solutions: Research into how local environmental policies impact women of color in areas such as Detroit or Oakland could help create localized policy recommendations. These policies should reflect community-specific concerns, such as access to clean drinking water or the proximity of homes to factories, and would ensure that government actions are informed by the lived experiences of marginalized populations.

4. Amplify Voices of Women of Color: Ensure Representation of Women of Color in Decision-Making Processes Related to Environmental and Public Health Policy a. Women of color have long been at the forefront of environmental justice movements. To effectively address environmental justice issues, their

representation must be ensured in policy-making. Examples include:

i. Support for Grassroots Movements: Grassroots organizations like Black Women for Wellness in Los Angeles, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice in New York City, have played a significant role in advocating for policies that prioritize the health of women of color. Governments at the local, state, and federal levels should invest in funding and providing

platforms for these organizations to ensure that the voices of women of color are heard in policy discussions about environmental health.

ii. Elevating Leadership in Environmental Justice Advocacy: Policies should encourage the leadership of women of color in decision-making processes. For instance, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s leadership on the Green New Deal represents a step toward greater inclusion of

marginalized communities in the environmental policy arena. Expanding such leadership opportunities at all levels of government and in corporate governance would ensure that policies reflect the needs and perspectives of affected communities.

iii. Ensuring Representation in Environmental Regulatory Agencies: The U.S. EPA and other environmental agencies must actively seek to diversify their leadership and advisory boards to reflect the communities most

affected by environmental harm. For instance, nominating women of color to key environmental justice positions within regulatory agencies would help ensure that policies and regulations consider the unique

vulnerabilities and needs of these populations.

The Role of Intersectional Frameworks

Intersectional frameworks, including ecofeminism, offer valuable tools for understanding and addressing the complex challenges faced by women of color. By integrating these perspectives into policy and advocacy, the environmental justice movement can create more equitable and inclusive solutions.

Developing Deeply Intersectional Environmental Justice Scholarship As Stephanie A. Malin argues in Developing Deeply Intersectional Environmental Justice Scholarship (2022), there is a critical need for environmental justice scholarship that embraces a deeply intersectional approach, particularly when examining the experiences of women of color. Malin calls for scholarship that not only incorporates race and gender but also addresses how these identities intersect with other factors such as class and geography. This intersectional lens allows for a fuller understanding of the environmental injustices faced by marginalized communities, which are often overlooked in mainstream environmental discourse. By centering these experiences, environmental justice research can become more inclusive and responsive to the diverse realities of affected individuals (Malin 2022).

Women’s Pathways into Activism

Tracy E. Perkins, in Women’s Pathways Into Activism: Rethinking the Women’s Environmental Justice Narrative in California’s San Joaquin Valley (2021), redefines the environmental justice movement by exploring the unique ways in which women in agricultural regions have historically been leaders in grassroots activism. Perkins argues that their activism is deeply rooted in both personal and collective histories of resilience, shaped by the harsh realities of the agricultural industry and the environmental degradation it causes. These women not only address environmental issues but also challenge broader social and economic inequalities in their communities. Perkins’ work shifts the focus away from traditional top-down narratives, recognizing the importance of local, community-based leadership in advancing environmental justice (Perkins 2021).

Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement In From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement (2019), Luke W. Cole examines the profound impact of environmental racism on marginalized communities, particularly women of color. Cole highlights the ways in which race, class, and environmental degradation are inseparably linked, with communities of color bearing the brunt of industrial pollution, poor housing, and limited access to healthcare. His analysis underscores the importance of addressing these intersecting issues to create equitable environmental policies. By connecting the rise of the environmental justice movement to the ongoing struggles of women of color, Cole emphasizes the need for policy solutions that acknowledge and confront both environmental and racial inequalities simultaneously (Cole 2019).

Conclusion

Environmental justice is intrinsically tied to the pursuit of racial and gender equity, with women of color playing a pivotal role in advocating for change. Their leadership in grassroots movements has been crucial in challenging systemic inequalities and fighting for a healthier, more equitable environment. Achieving environmental justice requires a multi-faceted approach that not only addresses the root causes of environmental harm but also ensures that the voices and experiences of marginalized communities are central to decision-making processes. By fostering inclusive policies and amplifying the leadership of women of color, society can move toward a future where environmental health and justice are accessible and equitable for all.

*The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the Young Experts and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Girls Human Rights Hub. The content shared here is intended to provide insights and perspectives on girls human rights and human rights issues, but it is important to recognise that individual opinions may vary.

References

● Bell, Karen. Achieving Environmental Justice: A Cross-National Analysis. 2016. ● Bullard, Robert D. Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: Race Still Matters. ● Cole, Luke W. From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement.

● Fisher, Luke D. Women Out Front: How Women of Color Lead the Environmental Justice Movement.

● Kirk, Gwyn. Ecofeminism: Linking Nature and Women’s Rights. 1997. ● Perkins, Tracy E. Women’s Pathways Into Activism: Rethinking the Women’s Environmental Justice Narrative in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

● Sasser, Jade. From Darkness into Light: Race, Population, and Environmental Advocacy. ● Sze, Julie, et al. Environmental Justice at the Crossroads. 2015.

● Unger, Rhonda. Beyond Nature’s Housekeepers: Women, Environment, and Health. 2012.