Continuing Dr. King's Legacy: A personal story
Guest post by Philip Pantaleo, Nature Consortium’s 2011-2012 Americorps volunteer
“My service at Nature Consortium gives me the opportunity to make a significant impact on issues of environmental and racial justice in my community.” – Philip Pantaleo
As a community member of Seattle’s most diverse neighborhood, South Park, I am confronted with the realities of environmental injustice every day. Living a block from the Duwamish river and the superfund site along the river’s banks, I see the impact on my community from not having safe and equal access to the local environment. The soil in South Park was so contaminated with pollutants introduced by local industry that it was not safe to grow food in our front yards. Our water is so dirty and unsafe that we cannot harvest our local river fish for fear of toxin consumption.
Thankfully, through coordination and determination, we in South Park have rallied together to fight to protect our right to utilize a clean and safe natural environment. Environmental justice is a constant battle to ensure that all members of a community have equal and unfettered access to the natural resources around them.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was considered to be the father of environmental justice, as he saw the connection between the environment, working conditions, and the health of the community. His words changed our notions of communal and environmental health. In 1968 before his death, he helped sanitation workers in Memphis rally against unsafe and unhealthy working conditions that disproportionately affected African Americans. Nature Consortium is honoring his legacy by raising awareness of the environmental injustice facing us today.
“The question is not, “If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, ‘If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?’ That’s the question.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Duwamish River in Seattle is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. All of Seattle’s superfund sites containing hazardous waste, many of which are along the Duwamish River, are located in the city’s most diverse neighborhoods. This means that communities of color are disproportionately at risk. I believe it is unfair and unjust for a community to bear the burden of environmental degradation as a result of actions by members outside of our community.
My service at Nature Consortium gives me the opportunity to make a significant impact on issues of environmental and racial justice in my community. By ensuring the health of our neighboring forest, we contribute to the health of our neighbors. The plants and soil in the West Duwamish Greenbelt help to filter pollution in the air, noise, and water in the Duwamish corridor. By removing invasive species and replanting the forest, we hope to strengthen this vital natural resource. We know our health is connected to our environment; we are confronted daily by this reality. That is why we work together; that is why we work toward progress; that is why we work to ensure environmental justice for all in our community.
Today, on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we dedicate our work toward making Dr. King’s dream a reality.
–Philip Pantaleo, 2011-2012 Americorps Restoration Project Assistant