Environmental Justice Organizations You Should Be Supporting

In a world where environmental challenges and climate change are becoming increasingly pressing issues, it's crucial to shine a light on organizations that are working tirelessly to make a positive impact. These aren't just any organizations; they're our personal favorites, and they're on a mission to create a better, more sustainable world that benefits everyone. These groups are like the superheroes of the environmental movement, tackling important issues like lead exposure, legal justice, and diversity in climate action. They're the kind of organizations that make you feel hopeful about the future and inspire you to take action.

Black Millennials 4 Flint

Black Millennials 4 Flint (BM4F) is a national environmental justice and civil rights organization that concentrates on combatting the disproportionate lead exposure seen in African American and Latinx communities. One of the main projects BM4F organizes is aiding the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Their website provides ways to send letters to elected officials, donate to clean water distribution, and donate towards health resources for victims of waterborne illnesses. Although Flint is the main issue BM4F tackles, they work with organizations nationwide to prevent and relieve lead poisoning in water sources for communities of color.

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment

The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) is a national organization that provides legal assistance to grassroots environmental justice organizations; especially groups in low-income communities. CRPE is rooted in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where some of the largest waste dumps west of the Mississippi are located. The organization started to mobilize local voices against environmental discrimination in low-income communities and has now grown to a national size resource hub for legal advocacy. By aiding lawsuits against companies that create environmental hazards, CRPE gives communities a chance to fight against environmental injustice.

WE ACT for Environmental Justice

WE ACT for Environmental Justice (WE ACT) is an organization that promotes and advocates for the political participation of low-income communities in order to impact environmental planning and decision-making. WE ACT is centered on creating action for low-income communities that are being affected by health crises caused by environmental hazards. WE ACT is based in New York and has been pivotal to the passing of multiple bills and policies such as the country’s first Safe School Water Act, NYC’s Environmental Justice Study Bill and Environmental Justice Policy Bill.

Intersectional Environmentalist

Intersectional Environmentalist (IE) is an organization that aims to educate communities on the importance of diverse voices in climate action. By hosting workshops, providing educational resources, and training young climate activists from diverse backgrounds, IE seeks to broaden the understanding and education of climate change and environmental justice. IE partners with organizations across the U.S to spread and deepen the understanding of how significant diverse voices are to the future of environmentalism. Through their Earth Sessions, which is a series of community driven environmental justice concerts, IE celebrates young, diverse, and talented music and art in hopes to create a safe, unifying space for education and community action.

RAVEN

Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs, or RAVEN, is an organization based in Canada that raises legal defense funds for Indigenous Peoples to defend their rights and cultural values. By taking legal action against corporations and the government, RAVEN seeks to protect and establish the legitimacy of Aboriginal history and the value of their ancestral lands. RAVEN fights to uphold the constitutionally protected rights of Indigenous Peoples against environmentally hazardous companies in Canada. Using funds raised by donations and events, RAVEN can completely represent and cover the costs of communities taking corporations to court, giving them a fighting chance without having to divest away from community resources. With the 8.4 million dollars that RAVEN has raised, they continue to advocate for climate action for the betterment of the Indigenous Peoples and the health of the world.