Nicole Fabricant-Environmental Justice, Youth Activism, Grassroots Democracy
Season: 1
Episode :15
Description
Baltimore is a big port city with a strong industrial history. It is also a city with a history of racism and exploitation. Industrial toxic emissions on the South Baltimore Peninsula are among the highest in the nation and residents have significantly lower life spans than other parts of the city and the state.
But where there is domination, exploitation, and environmental racism there are movements of resistance, regeneration, and environmental Justice. In South Baltimore a coalition of students and community leaders have stood up not only to fight injustice but also to build a new world.
Today’s guest Dr Nicole Fabricant, chronicled this Struggle in the book "Fighting To Breathe: Race, Toxicity, and the Rise of Youth Activism in Baltimore". Dr Fabricant is also a co founder of south Baltimore community land trust She has been organizing with Free Your Voice youth in Curtis Bay for 13 years and she is Professor of Anthropology at Towson University and director of Latin American Studies.
Towson University where Dr Fabricant teaches , is near and dear to me, It is a public college just North of Baltimore City and it is were i did my undergraduate work, and were I coached debate in the mid 2000’s.
Today we are going to discuss the book and the struggle in south Baltimore, how that connects to organizing on campus, and the lessons it provides us for broader organizing for grassroots democracy in Baltimore and Beyond.