Congresswoman Cori Bush is calling for change on “deadly environmental racism” days after the globe marked Earth Day.
In a tweet on Sunday (April 24), the representative from Missouri cited her own battle with asthma she says worsened with police tear gas and other toxins present in the St. Louis neighborhoods where she grew up.
“I am a Black Congresswoman with asthma –– asthma made worse by police tear gas & growing up in toxic neighborhoods,” Bush wrote on the social media platform.
“Black children in St. Louis make 10x more visits to the emergency room for asthma than white children every year,” she added. “This deadly environmental racism must change.”
Bush is not alone in calling for a change in the environment –– especially in Black communities. Mari Copeny, also known as “Little Miss Flint” also took to Twitter over the weekend to mark the eight years she’s been fighting for clean water in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.
“8 YEARS!!!! Over half of my life fighting for clean water. There are kids here that have lived their entire lives with toxic water,” Copeny captioned a photo. She added: “And what’s even worse, is Flint is not alone.”
Earlier this month, the EPA announced its plan to address environmental racism and has since launched an investigation into Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” where predominantly Black residents have been exposed to known carcinogens for years.
EPA Director Michael Regan vowed to take steps to get environmental justice for historically marginalized communities.
“Too many communities whose residents are predominantly of color, Indigenous, or low-income continue to suffer from disproportionate high pollution levels and the resulting adverse health and environmental impacts,” Regan said in a message to agency staff earlier this month. “We must do better. This will be one of my top priorities as Administrator, and I expect it to be one of yours as well.”
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