This article was jointly written by Stephanie Reese and Almeta E. Cooper.
Just a few weeks into Trump’s presidency, we are witnessing across our government and country the dismantling of programs meant to promote fair treatment and full access to resources for everyone, especially those who have historically been discriminated against. This is a dangerous step backward—one that strips away protections for communities already overburdened by the effects of pollution.
Cutting these programs perpetuates systemic injustice and inequality—and it signals a clear choice: Polluters over people. Corporate profits over public health. Political interests over the well-being of our most vulnerable communities. We will see lasting consequences of these actions for people across the country for decades. Consequences in the form of children attending schools near hazardous waste sites, neighborhoods polluted by oil refineries, smog once again enveloping our inner cities. We will see localities stripped of federal resources to address pollution, and no attempt at cleanup by EPA.
Tell Congress: Hold the Line on Progress to Cut Air and Climate Pollution
But we are not powerless. We must speak out—boldly. To be effective advocates, we must have the facts at our fingertips. That’s what you’ll find in these books. Below is my essential reading list for anyone concerned about the climate crisis and its disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities. Each book offers a unique perspective, and all make accessible the deep connections between race, justice, and environmental issues.
1. The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Plant by Leah Thomas
Written by the 2022 Time100 Next honoree, this book introduces the concept of intersectional environmentalism—a movement that connects access to clean air, clean water, and a healthy community with racial and social equity. It examines the disproportionate burden of pollution, global warming, and environmental degradation on historically marginalized neighborhoods and shares practical steps for creating a more fair and sustainable future, including the power of uplifting community voices for change.
2. Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel
Wealthier nations and industries have the biggest impacts on our environment, meaning global warming and inequality are really two sides of the same problem. In Unsustainable Inequalities, economist Lucas Chancel asks, “Can we lift people out of poverty and inequality while protecting the environment?” His answer is ultimately yes.
3. Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility by Dorceta Taylor
This book by a Yale professor exposes how historically disenfranchised communities of color are hit first and worst by pollution, global warming, and other harms—and in fact, this form of systemic racism has been embedded in urban planning and policy decisions for decades upon decades. Through case studies and research, she highlights the urgent need for environmental action to protect public health and human rights. Originally published in 2014, Toxic Communities could not be more timely.
4. Climate Change Is Racist: Race, Privilege and the Struggle for Climate Justice by Jeremy Williams
Written by an activist, Climate Change Is Racist argues that the climate crisis reflects and reinforces existing racial injustices. It challenges traditional climate activism by centering justice, calling for policies and solutions that prioritize the communities of color most affected by environmental threats.
5. Polluted Promises: Environmental Racism and the Search for Justice in a Southern Town by Melissa Checker
In Polluted Promises, anthropologist Melissa Checker tells the decades-long story of a Black community in Augusta, Georgia, fighting against industrial pollution poisoning their air and water and threatening their health. Through firsthand accounts and historical analysis, readers learn how corporations and policymakers often ignore or dismiss the concerns of historically marginalized groups and how resilience is a cornerstone in advocacy for real change.
6. We Are the Builders by Deepa Iyer
The children in our lives deserve accessible books about clean air, clean water, and justice too. This picture book by lawyer and activist Deepa Iyer invites children to Community Day in a close-knit, diverse neighborhood. It inspires young advocates, giving a gentle introduction to community organizing and how to find your place in a movement.
Tell Congress: Hold the Line on Progress to Cut Air and Climate Pollution