With the death of George Floyd, once again communities of color in Wisconsin and around the world are in pain as they grapple with yet another violent police killing of a Black American. This horrific and senseless killing forces all of us to reckon with the manifestations of racism that exist in the fabric of our country. At Clean Wisconsin, we believe we have a responsibility to address the ways in which environmental issues impact the most vulnerable communities.
We know that people of color, and more specifically Black people and communities, are disproportionately impacted by issues ranging from air pollution to the lack of access to safe drinking water. We know that communities of color will more likely be affected by the impacts brought on by climate change—in many ways, they already are. These issues are the result of decades of unjust social policies that have a direct negative impact on quality of life, economic opportunity, and public health of people of color. This must change.
We recognize that dismantling these unfair and oppressive systems will take time. We will continue to listen to, support, and elevate the voices of our partners in the Black, Brown, Latinx, and First Nations communities to work for racial and environmental justice in Wisconsin and beyond.
Mark Redsten,
President & CEO
Silence isn’t an option.
