Submitted by Rev. Brooks Berndt, UCC National Office
One of the best resources of the environmental justice movement today is its own history. Leading scholars in the field of environmental justice have described the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit as one of the most significant events in the movement’s history. It was an event hosted and organized by the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice. In 1991, this summit literally re-defined the word “environment.”
No longer did the word refer to remote wilderness areas and pristine natural landscapes as was often the case for largely white environmental organizations. The environment became where one lived, worked, studied, played, and prayed. It became the water one drinks in one’s home. It became the air one breathes in one’s neighborhood. It became the safety of one’s workplace. The summit produced the landmark 17 Environmental Justice Principles that are still used as a source of moral guidance for environmental organizations to this day. The ripple effects of the summit continue to be felt today.
In this webinar, we will learn from three key participants in the summit: Charles Lee, Vernice Miller-Travis, and Richard Moore. Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1 pm ET on Wednesday, October 13th, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!
