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It’s time to write a new, and a more nuanced, story about the environmental movement — one that’s centered in justice and equity.
Our world is defined by the stories we tell. For too long, those in power have told a fanciful story: that even though the U.S. is the richest country in the world, we can’t afford to acknowledge, much less address, the intersecting crises of climate change, systemic racism, and extreme inequality.
Climate Justice
nounA term and a movement that recognizes the intersecting links between environmental, racial, social, and economic justice. Climate justice demands that solutions come from those hit first and worst by environmental harm, and that these solutions be rooted in justice for all people.
Historically, major environmental groups have also largely failed to connect these crises, while centering a white dominant viewpoint that erased those who didn’t look like a “typical” environmentalist.
It’s time to write a new story.
That’s why we created Lit, a climate justice storytelling project that connects the dots between climate change, systemic racism, and extreme inequality — while highlighting the women, men, youth, LGBTQ+, Black, Brown, and Indigenous people around the world who are tackling them.
We hope these stories inspire you to write your own — and join us in the collective struggle to create a more just and equitable world.
Climate Justice
nounA term and a movement that recognizes the intersecting links between environmental, racial, social, and economic justice. Climate justice demands that solutions come from those hit first and worst by environmental harm, and that these solutions be rooted in justice for all people.
Rob Chambliss / Earthjustice
– Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice President
Finding Our Power
Rob Chambliss / Earthjustice
“A climate movement that isn’t centered in justice is no movement at all.”
– Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice President
Our new storytelling series, Lit: Stories from the Frontlines of Climate Justice, seeks to elevate the stories of people pushing for a just future and livable climate — and inspire others to do the same.
Hannah Rothstein for Earthjustice
– Anthony Victoria-Midence, Clean Air Advocate
What It’s Like to Be Boxed in by Amazon Warehouses
Hannah Rothstein for Earthjustice
“[Living and working in a polluted environment is] like this slow violence that the e-commerce chain inflicts. It’s a cycle of madness.”
– Anthony Victoria-Midence, Clean Air Advocate
Warehouse workers and communities are demanding stronger environmental health protections and increased corporate responsibility.
Ella Trujillo for Earthjustice
– Marcela Mulholland, Climate Justice Activist
None of Us Can Go it Alone if We Want to Make Big Change Possible
Ella Trujillo for Earthjustice
“Working alongside other broken-hearted people is the most healing practice I know. Broken-hearted helpers are the ones who topple unjust systems and give birth to new ones.”
– Marcela Mulholland, Climate Justice Activist
Climate justice activist Marcela Mulholland recounts her journey through climate grief to finding solace and solidarity with others of her generation.
Ana Latese for Earthjustice
– Crystal Johnson, Climate Resiliency Activist
Florida’s Waters are Rising, But So Are Its People
Ana Latese for Earthjustice
“This is a resourceful community. We do whatever we have to do to make it, because we're used to going without.”
– Crystal Johnson, Climate Resiliency Activist
Residents, city leaders, and frontline workers are rallying around climate resilience strategies in the absence of federal leadership.
Fuse Green for Earthjustice
– Keith Rushing, Earthjustice Communications Strategist
Justice in the Time of Two Crises: COVID and Climate Change
Fuse Green for Earthjustice
“Segregation, isolation, exclusion. For people of color, indigenous communities, and tribal nations, social distancing…is an all too familiar concept.”
– Keith Rushing, Earthjustice Communications Strategist
COVID-19 has upended the world almost instantly, exposing longstanding, systemic injustices that are just as present in the slower-motion climate crisis. There is a just path forward in both cases.
Rachelle Baker for Earthjustice
– Mishka Banuri, Youth Climate Activist
Young People Don’t Need a Degree to Fight for Their Future
Rachelle Baker for Earthjustice
“I felt incredibly nervous to join in. I had major imposter syndrome — doubting that I could contribute something of value to this group since I was just a high school student.”
– Mishka Banuri, Youth Climate Activist
How a Utah youth activist convinced the conservative statehouse to acknowledge the threat of climate change.
John Osgood for Earthjustice
– Mari Rose Taruc, Energy Justice Advocate
It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Household Gas
John Osgood for Earthjustice
“When people see something cleaner and better, it changes our expectations. [T]here’s a lot of psychology simply starting by believing that these things are possible.”
– Mari Rose Taruc, Energy Justice Advocate
Thanks to new technology and stronger protections, a future where anyone can live in a healthy home free of gas pollutants is now more than a green dream.
Molly Crabapple for Earthjustice
– Marina Silva, Environmental Activist
She Grew Up in the Amazon, and Now She’s Fighting for Its Life
Molly Crabapple for Earthjustice
“Living in those two worlds — [the city and the Amazon rainforest] — helps me to see my country broadly.”
– Marina Silva, Environmental Activist
Marina Silva talks about the importance of addressing climate change in the wake of unprecedented Amazon rainforest wildfires.
Victoria Cassinova for Earthjustice
– Isabel Valentín, Climate Justice Activist
We Have to Believe We Can Change the World Drastically
Victoria Cassinova for Earthjustice
“For many Puerto Ricans, we [do] not yearn for a livable future. Instead, we demand a livable present as one of the first victims of the climate crisis.”
– Isabel Valentín, Climate Justice Activist
How protesting forces those in power to face the injustices the system has created.
Ann Marshall for Earthjustice
– Jessica A. Knoblauch, Earthjustice Senior Staff Writer
It’s Time to Imagine — and Demand — the Just World We Deserve
Ann Marshall for Earthjustice
“[W]hat’s radical is the refusal to reimagine and rebuild a more just economic and social society — when clearly the current one is broken.”
– Jessica A. Knoblauch, Earthjustice Senior Staff Writer
You can’t build what you can’t believe. That’s why we’ve illustrated our vision for what a just world could look like.
Left: James L. Amos / Getty Images; Right: Sally Deng for Earthjustice
Our Lit vision includes moving from fossil-fueled, polluted cities to clean-powered communities.
