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Historically, marginalized communities have disproportionately suffered the consequences of environmental degradation and pollution, resulting in health disparities and perpetuated poverty.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), air pollution is a much more worse problem for lower income neighborhoods, where racial and ethnic groups are constantly dealing with greater exposure to pollutants. The ALA study also showed that these marginalized groups experience worse responses to the pollution itself.
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researched the health effects of particle air pollution across the country and found that nonwhite populations, especially Black people, faced a higher risk from this specific type of pollution that is typically emitted directly from construction sites, wildfires, wood burning, gravel pits, agriculture, and dusty roads.
A report from the Natural Resources Defense Council showed that almost 40 percent of the U.S. population continues to drink water from unsafe systems, and communities of color are at an increased risk of exposure to unsafe water. The report highlighted 406 counties with the worst health violations and contamination which also happened to have the largest populations of low-income people, people of color, and nonnative English speakers.
Despite this bleak situation, the potential for change is highlighted in a recent study that examined disparities in environmental grantmaking.
The Yale School of the Environment found that over 80 percent of general support grants, the most important grant for organizations to receive, went to white-led organizations. In addition to that, less than 10 percent of the general support grants end up going to organizations for people of color. Male-led organizations received just over half of the grants and more than two-thirds of the total grant money. Organizations led by white leaders got more than 80 percent of both the grants and grant dollars. Even further, white-male-led organizations were awarded both the most grants and grant dollars taking in roughly 48 percent of the grants and approximately 61 percent of the grant dollars doled out.
Moreover, limited access to resources and networks further exacerbates these disparities. Despite these challenges, minority-led organizations have demonstrated resilience and creativity in addressing environmental issues within their communities. It is in these communities where hope blossoms.
The impacts of funding disparities are not abstract; they manifest in the lives of millions across the United States. In Flint, Mich., a city with a 56.7 percent Black population, the water crisis that began in 2014 continues to affect the health and well-being of residents. Grassroots organizations have stepped up to fill gaps left by insufficient governmental support, providing clean water, and advocating for long-term solutions. According to the Yale study recommendations, foundations must adopt flexible funding practices, analyze funding patterns for biases, increase staff diversity, and provide general support grants to people of color-led groups and diversity practitioners. They must also increase funding for emergent issues, reduce biases in funding, and display all grants awarded on their website. These practices will promote greater equity and inclusion and better support the communities they serve.
In California's Central Valley (Sacramento, Bakersfield, Fresno and Hanford), more than half of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. Latino farmworkers and their families face hazardous levels of pesticide exposure, leading to increased rates of cancer and respiratory illnesses.
In both instances, community-led organizations offer a beacon of hope, working tirelessly to enact change and secure a healthier future for their communities. The group 350 Colorado, headed by Patricia Garcia-Nelson, led a coalition of organizations in 2022 that received millions of dollars from the EPA to buy tools to combat air pollution. The coalition convinced legislators that the pollution was being created by under-regulated oil and gas companies. Separately, in South Los Angeles, Reverend Helena Titus helped lead a protest against a proposed Catholic Archdiocese-owned oil drill site that was just blocked this past February by the city.
To foster this hope and empower marginalized communities, grantmakers must prioritize minority-led organizations and invest in capacity-building initiatives. Providing these organizations with the resources and support they need not only empowers communities to tackle environmental challenges but also fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing among diverse stakeholders.
Grantmakers should increase transparency and accountability in their processes by collecting and publishing demographic data on grant recipients and supporting third-party assessments of their grant making practices.
Yet, the responsibility for promoting environmental equity extends beyond grantmakers. Governments and society play a crucial role in advancing environmental justice through policy and community engagement. By implementing stronger environmental regulations in marginalized communities and allocating public funding for community-based environmental projects, we can take significant strides toward environmental equity.
Public-private partnerships and collaborations between minority-led organizations, governments, and businesses are essential to addressing the unique environmental challenges faced by marginalized communities across the country. Public awareness campaigns on environmental justice can foster a more informed and engaged citizenry.
Together, we can harness the hope inspired by minority-led organizations and work toward a more equitable and just environmental future. By addressing racial disparities in environmental grantmaking and empowering our communities with resources and support, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a cleaner, greener, and more just world.
LaTricea Adams is founder of Black Millennials for Flint.
Felipe Benitez is founder of Corazon Latino.
The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.
