Charlotte celebrates Environmental Justice Day Aug. 29

KEYONA SMITH

Charlotte’s Environmental Justice Day, launched in 2021 with a proclamation by then-Mayor Vi Lyles, combines activism with community activities and community awareness initiatives. SOL Nation, a Charlotte nonprofit, is organizing a community cleanup and tree canopy mapping in Historic West End for EJ Day on Aug. 29.

Beatties Ford Road neighbors are taking a grassroots approach to environmental justice.

SOL Nation, a Charlotte-based environmental advocacy nonprofit, is hosting EJ Day activities on Aug. 29 that include a community cleanup in Historic West End and mapping prospective sites for tree planting. Volunteers can register for the cleanup, which is from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., at bit.ly/ejdayccu. 

The staging area is Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Road.

Heat data maps of Charlotte neighborhoods show westside communities tend to be hotter – caused in part by comparative lack of tree canopy – than higher-income areas. SOL Nation is collaborating with Trees Charlotte on the canopy project.

“Part of our initiative is what does it look to have clean and healthy neighborhoods … but then also we’re looking at tree canopy because we know that the westside of Charlotte tends to be a couple of degrees hotter than other sides of town, such as Myers Park or Dilworth,” said Tiffany Fant, SOL Nation’s executive director. “This EJ Day, we’re really focusing on solutions, and one of our pillars is called sovereignty in practice, which means that we are really putting solutions into place – giving the community the opportunity to not just observe but participate in what it means to create the communities that we live in.”

In Charlotte, where development and environmental racism have sped removal of tree canopy in lower-investment neighborhoods, recent initiatives have been leveraged to improve the physical and economic health of historically underserved communities. In 2023, the city of Charlotte received a $1.1 million federal grant from the U.S. Forest Service to protect and preserve trees in its six Corridors of Opportunity.

The grant was part of a $1 billion national investment in urban and community forestry.

The face of climate advocacy and environmental justice is evolving as more people of color take on local leadership roles. SOL Nation, which is led by Black women, launches community initiatives to raise awareness and participation.

“What we call like the big greens – the big organizations that do conservation and things of that nature – were leading the work, but it has always impacted Black and brown communities disproportionately,” said Fant, who lives in Historic West End. “Black and brown communities have always been working, trying to advocate, but they didn’t have necessarily the resources of the power, so I think what’s happening now is people are realizing that they’re seeing … how they’re being directly impacted, and a lot of that looks like my energy bill is going up, the cost of food is going up, and so people’s ears are more tuned because it’s hitting the pocketbooks.

“Also, I think they’re seeing the direct correlation of what’s happening of how this air quality is impacting my personal life, and so what we do, we try to be culturally confident.”

EJ Day isn’t all work, however. Music and food are part of the program, which Fant said is part of celebrating community and commitment to environmental sustainability. The goal is to engage neighbors as advocates through awareness and relationships.

“I always joke and say it’s not the sexiest topic,” she said. “This isn’t a topic that necessarily catches people’s attention, so when we do things, it typically involves music, food, and then add some type of like fun aspect to it, or some type of relief that people may need, whether that’s groceries or they need gas cards. 

“We try to engage people in a way that is more than just a meeting. What is it that we as Black folks like to do? This work doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. We can have joy in it as we look for these solutions.”

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