Friday: Letter to a Key Senate Committee

Climate Change, Environmental Justice & Black Progress

Key Issues:

Climate Change & Its Impact on Black Communities

Black communities are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of climate change because of where they live and the resources available to them. Many live in urban heat islands with less green space, facing higher risks during heat waves. They endure more extreme weather and flooding, yet often lack the resources to recover. Poor air quality increases illness, and climate gentrification pushes families out of their neighborhoods. Despite all this, Black voices are often left out of climate policy decisions.

Climate change is not just an environmental issue—it’s a racial justice issue. When Black communities are the first to feel the impact and the last to be protected, it reveals deep systemic inequities that must be addressed. Environmental justice must include everyone, or it is not justice at all.

Environmental Justice

Environmental justice looks at how pollution, zoning, and public policy have systematically harmed Black communities for decades. Some key ways include:

Black neighborhoods face more toxic waste, highways, and factories, while lacking grocery stores and clean water—like in Flint and Jackson. Parks, schools, and transit plans often ignore or harm these communities. Despite this, Black environmental activists are frequently left out of major movements. Justice means recognizing and fixing these deep, ongoing inequalities.

Environmental justice fights for clean air, water, land, and fair treatment for Black families, especially where pollution and neglect have been allowed to thrive.

Black Progress & Sustainable Futures

This category is about turning the environmental crisis into an opportunity for Black empowerment and leadership. It highlights:

Black farmers and land stewards have long cared for the Earth, yet their legacy is often overlooked. We must invest in Black-led solutions—community gardens, green jobs, and eco-education. Climate activism is a civil rights issue, rooted in dignity and survival. Black voices must shape policy, culture, and healing through land, heritage, and sustainability, especially in communities impacted by racism and displacement.

This is about building a future where Black communities thrive, not just survive, in a clean, just, and green world.

Why it Matters

Environmental racism and weakened protections endanger Black communities, increasing pollution, displacement, and economic hardship. Climate change worsens inequality, while policy rollbacks threaten public health. Ensuring fair wages, housing, and healthcare is essential for justice and progress. We must act now to protect lives, rights, and opportunities for marginalized communities.

Daisy Bates: The Power of Words in the Fight for Justice

Daisy Bates was a civil rights leader, journalist, and a fearless voice for justice. As the president of the Arkansas NAACP, she played a key role in the historic integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, supporting the brave students known as the Little Rock Nine.

But Daisy didn’t just organize marches—she used the power of the written word. Through countless letters, editorials, and petitions, she demanded federal protection for Black students, exposed violent resistance to desegregation, and called out injustice at every level of government. Her letters to the White House and members of Congress helped pressure President Eisenhower to send in federal troops to protect the students.

As the publisher of the Arkansas State Press, she also encouraged Black citizens to write letters of protest and demand accountability, knowing that words could move mountains when united with courage.

Daisy Bates reminds us that writing is a form of resistance—and that real change often starts with a voice, a pen, and the will to speak truth to power.

Send Your Letter

To send your letter, visit the letter download page There, you’ll find everything you need—including your name, your letter, and instructions for completing both the letter and the envelope.