Feb 22, 2021 | The Latest News
Celebrating Black Communities and Their Fight for Environmental Justice
The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice celebrates Black History Month in recognition of the struggles, sacrifices, and achievements that have brought us to this moment in time when racial equity is a goal shared by people of different races and backgrounds, from grassroots community organizations to the President of the United States. We pay special tribute to the following historic Black communities in the Gulf Coast Region whose vision for future generations drives their fight for environmental justice and equitable climate solutions:
- Africatown – Mobile, AL
- Handsboro/Mississippi City, Magnolia Grove, North Gulfport, The Quarters and Soria City – Gulfport, MS
- Lower Ninth Ward – New Orleans, LA
- Pleasantville – Houston, TX
- Wedgwood, Rolling Hills, Olive Heights – Pensacola, FL
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Feb 11, 2021 | The Latest News
We Welcome John Warford, Ph.D. as Program Manager for our Environmental Career Worker Training Program
We are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. John Warford to the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice family. Dr. Warford will serve as the Assistant Director of Operations & Training. He has over 20 years of professional experience as an education leader. A viable thought partner, program developer, workshop creator, and teacher, John is driven to devise, enhance, and maintain projects and initiatives grounded in his focus on producing problem-solvers, and community-based solutions. This commitment is demonstrated in his past and present roles of university professor, student affairs administrator, community builder, writer, and public speaker.
One of Dr. Warford’s most important duties includes serving as Program Manager for the Environmental Career Worker Training Program funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health Science. He will manage the administrative functions of the program ensuring its excellent function and success. This encompasses the collaboration with training staff, site managers, and consultants to develop, track and document performance goals. In order to keep training staff, site managers and consultants at top effectiveness; Dr. Warford has been charged with seeking out professional development opportunities for each.
An essential ingredient in the recipe for the program’s success is tracking the performance of program activities and budgetary requirements set out by the NIEHS in awarding the grant. Dr. Warford will produce budgetary reports and records of activities, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and NIEHS regulations, policies, and procedures. He will develop and maintain productive relationships with all ECWTP training sites as well as NIEHS representatives for programmatic and financial functions.
Dr. Warford will coordinate with the DSCEJ’s headquartered training staff to establish a schedule of training sessions and courses; stay current on industry job market gaps and trends; and promote participation in the training program by employing a strategy to reach and recruit prospective trainees in underserved communities that results in application for enrollment.
Dr. Warford will play a major role in nurturing the program’s success by supporting trainees while encouraging their full engagement in skills trainings and the necessity of taking advantage of internal and external services provided. He will develop new opportunities to enhance the types of training services offered. In tandem with program enhancement, Dr. Warford will also maintain and endeavor to increase the program’s job placement rate through coordination with placement consultants to achieve optimal hiring results for program graduates.
Join us in welcoming Dr. Warford as he fully transitions into his roles here at the Deep South Center.
Feb 10, 2021 | The Latest News
Houston Endowment awarded $1.25 million to support the establishment of the Robert D. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice (CECJ) at Texas Southern University. The center, named for Dr. Robert Bullard, TSU’s distinguished professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, will assist and support underrepresented and marginalized populations to build healthy, sustainable, and resilient communities in the era of climate change. Faith-based, social justice, and other related institutions will receive guidance through CECJ’s equity and racial justice mission to drive environmental and climate-related education, research, policy, and civic engagement.
“We are really excited about the Houston Endowment grant and the creation of a new center to expand our work that intersects environmental, climate, economic, health, and racial justice – work that began in Houston more than four decades ago,” said Dr. Bullard, known by many as the “father of environmental justice.
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Feb 8, 2021 | The Latest News
On February 9, 2021 at 9:00 am, a hearing will be held on a case brought by EEECHO and North Gulfport Community Land Trust. This case involves a permit issued by the MS Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to the MS Port Authority for the proposed North Port Project site. The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice is assisting EEECHO in this case with expert witnesses who conducted an environmental assessment of the North Port Project site in January 2020. Dr. Earthea Nance and Dr. David Padgett have filed testimony which details the following environmental hazards on the site that are risks for nearby communities. See details to attend this hearing in person or online.
(Read more)
Feb 3, 2021 | The Latest News
Biden to place environmental justice at center of sweeping climate plan
President Biden made tackling America’s persistent racial and economic disparities a central part of his plan to combat climate change Wednesday, prioritizing environmental justice for the first time in a generation.
As part of an unprecedented push to cut the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and create new jobs as the United States shifts toward cleaner energy, Biden directed agencies across the federal government to invest in low-income and minority communities that have traditionally borne the brunt of pollution.
“Lifting up these communities makes us all stronger as a nation and increases the health of everybody,” Biden said. (Read more)
Dec 23, 2020 | The Latest News
Dr. Beverly Wright, co-founder of the National Black Environmental Justice Network, has spent decades empowering communities that are vulnerable to toxic chemicals.
She has a list in her head of the most environmentally racist places in America. Near the top of it is Wedgewood, a low income Black community in Pensacola, Florida, surrounded by 13 landfills.
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