This is the final half of a two-part interview with Mustafa Santiago Ali in which we discuss Environmental Justice (EJ) in the United States.
- Where is the fight for EJ taking place in the United States?
- What are the common links in the EJ movement in the US and globally?
- Who are the people on whose shoulder the EJ movement in the US was built?
Our guest Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali is a thought-leader, strategist, policymaker and activist committed to the fight for environmental justice and economic equity. He has worked at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for 24 years. During his time at the EPA, he also served as the Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice and Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization. At the EPA he elevated environmental justice issues and worked across federal agencies to strengthen environmental justice policies, programs and initiatives. In March 2017, he resigned from the EPA to join the Hip Hop Caucus where he led the strategic direction, expansion and operation of their portfolio on climate, environmental justice, economic equality and civic engagement. He currently serves as the Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation and is also the founder of Revitalization Strategies, a business focused on moving the most vulnerable communities from “surviving to thriving.” Find him on Twitter.
Our interviewer for this episode is Dr. Crystal Upperman. She has spent more than a decade working on climate change and public health. She has worked as a Sr. Researcher at the World Resources Institute, led climate adaptation and business development at AECOM, along with stints at the Maryland Department of Health, Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and R&D for BASF. She has a PhD in Environmental Sciences and a Master’s in Public Administration. She’s a proud Trinidadian. And, recently, she has joined Aclima as a Senior Scientist to oversee the company’s efforts to integrate public health information and informed risk characterization into their products. Find her on Twitter.
Episode references:
- Think 100% — The Coolest Show on Climate Change by the Hip Hop Caucus
- Hazel Johnson — The “Mother Of Environmental Justice”
- Moving from “Surviving to Thriving,” by creating a clean, healthy and well-protected environment, that honors culture, innovation and positive change
Music by Ritesh Prasanna.
Podcast website: https://atmospherictales.com