In honor of Earth Day 2023, may Fresno reverse its patterns of environmental racism | Opinion

After the recent rain storms, I looked east and was able to see the snow caps of the Sierra. It transported me back to my childhood when I could so clearly see the mountains that it felt like I could reach out and touch them. It’s a rare sight these days.

Pollution — along with a host of other environmental impacts — have since stripped Fresno of the environmental and economic prosperity that we deserve.

For too long, Fresno has faced economic, racial, and political barriers that have left behind those who stand to benefit the most from green jobs, clean air, and better health. Like many communities in the Central Valley, Fresno has shouldered the environmental and economic burdens that aren’t as deeply felt in other areas of the state. People of color disproportionately face negative health and environmental impacts from air pollution, flooding, drought and rolling blackouts. They also face inequities in educational attainment and employment. Those who are most impacted by pollution are also hit hardest by poverty.

It’s important to note that race or geography alone didn’t force communities like Fresno to be disproportionately impacted by climate change. Rather, our neighborhoods have been made into sacrifice zones as a result of direct and indirect discrimination across generations. As wealth accumulated in other areas of the state, our communities have been left out.

Now that historic levels of government funding are available, we have an unprecedented opportunity to not only change who benefits from climate solutions, but also to increase access to the work and wealth opportunities that the green transition promises. Through collaborative, intentional efforts, we can transform disadvantaged communities into places of economic prosperity.

As the deployment of climate solutions accelerates, we must be careful not to repeat patterns that have left communities under-resourced in the first place. To do so, we must adopt a holistic approach that leans on a diversity of stakeholders. Members of the community, entrepreneurs and businesses, organizations and elected officials should not only shape how green technologies are deployed, but also be active participants in creating programs that authentically meet the needs of the community itself.

From workforce development to technical assistance to community engagement, we have a historic opportunity to heal past wrongs. In doing so, we can reduce sacrifice zones and make sure that well-intentioned climate action doesn’t exacerbate existing disparities. It is not enough to simply put people first; centering communities that have been most harmed must be the bedrock of everything we do.

As we collectively face the climate crisis, we need to stop and ask ourselves: who are we centering in this work? Will the same people continue to benefit from the economic opportunity that the growing green economy brings? Rather than allowing wealth to follow familiar paths, we must build an inclusive green economy that uplifts diverse talent and minority-owned businesses. We must hold ourselves accountable for reversing patterns of environmental racism and do our part to build a more equitable future.

This Earth Day, I am reflecting on my responsibility — and our collective obligation — to create a better world. Let us no longer accept the disparities we see as permissible, but place those who have been left out at the forefront of our climate work. Together, we can preserve our planet, strengthen our economy, and uplift impacted communities.

As my daughter grows up here in the San Joaquin Valley, it is my hope that she won’t have to wait for a rain storm to see the Sierra. But that every day, she will be able to look east and through clear, fresh air admire their beauty — just like I did.

This story was originally published April 21, 2023 at 11:27 AM.