By Ben Jealous James Hiatt lives in an area along the Mississippi River in Louisiana that has been dubbed “Cancer Alley.” Teeming with chemical plants and oil and gas refineries, the air the residents of this area breathe contains more carcinogens than anywhere else in the country. One of those oil and gas facilities is […]
Category: ENVIRONMENT
Posted inWord In Black
American Foundation of Suicide Prevention working to bring mental health equity to Black people
By Anissa DurhamWord In Black If you’re feeling suicidal or concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting themselves, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. The lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is staffed by trained counselors “Within the Black community, we’ve […]
Posted inENVIRONMENT
Kenya’s leader wants a paved road through forest. Scientists worry about impact on ecosystem
By Carlos MureithiThe Associated Press ABERDARE RANGE, Kenya (AP) — In a dense layer of green thousands of feet above sea level, cedar, podo and hegeina trees pattern the landscape, thick moss hanging from their branches and feathery lichen attached to their barks. Numerous streams and rivers flow between them, plunging over steep waterfalls. Buffaloes, […]
Posted in!Front Page National News
Andrew Young reflects on Civil Rights Movement at Washington National Cathedral
By Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor dbailey@afro.com Seated humbly in a chair on the platform of the Washington National Cathedral, former United Nations Ambassador and Congressman Andrew Young preached extemporaneously Jan. 14. King confidante, friend, collaborator and fellow pastor, Young is among a dwindling number of activists who worked and served full time in the Civil Rights […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Health care officials wrestle with ongoing racial health disparities in nation’s capital
By Helen BezunehSpecial to the AFRO As the U.S. confronts a fresh surge of COVID-19 infections this winter, the ongoing issue of racial health disparities in D.C. continues to show nagging gaps. While D.C. is home for some of the nation’s highest ranked medical centers, data from the District’s eight wards show uneven health outcomes. […]
Posted inTechnology
Inequitable algorithms: Facial recognition’s alarming pattern of misidentifying Black individuals sparks calls for reform
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – Recent research conducted by Scientific American Online supported fears that facial recognition technology (FRT) can worsen racial inequities in policing. The research found that law enforcement agencies that use automated facial recognition disproportionately arrest Black people. The report’s authors stated that they believe these […]
Posted inENVIRONMENT
District residents look forward to cleanup of toxic waterways
By Asha TaylorSpecial to the AFRO Washington, D.C. residents have struggled to enjoy their local waterways for years due to hazardous pollution. Following the enactment of the largest environmental settlement in D.C. history, the Potomac Electric Power Company, also known as Pepco, will be responsible for cleaning up the District’s local rivers, including the Potomac […]
Posted inCommentary
A glimpse at the new American economy…if we can seize the moment
By Ben Jealous What if the answer to undoing the harm wrought by the demise of America’s manufacturing sector was right in front of us? An economic boom waiting to happen, to rebuild communities and revitalize our beaten-down working class…and, this time, without the rampant industrial pollution that fuels climate change and sickens our people… […]
Posted inENVIRONMENT
EPA Administrator Michael Regan announces move to replace public school buses with electric vehicles
By Ashleigh FieldsAFRO Assistant Editorafields@afro.com Decades after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called for environmental justice, Michael Regan is leading the push for environmental equity. The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical graduate has a track record of gold when it comes to championing civil rights within disenfranchised communities. He currently serves as the 16th administrator […]
Posted inCommentary
How the clean energy win in Michigan provides a roadmap for other states
By Ben Jealous If you live in Detroit or another part of Michigan where there’s a looming threat of bodily harm from fossil fuel pollution, it just got a little easier to breathe a sigh of relief … and to maintain your ability to breathe in general. The historic Clean Energy Future Package and Clean […]
Posted inHBCU
Historically Black college brings autonomous vehicles to Greensboro, N.C.
By Megan SaylesAFRO Business Writermsayles@afro.com North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T ), the largest historically Black college in the country, is in the process of bringing self-driving shuttles to the Greensboro, N.C. community. The university unveiled three autonomous vehicles, known as Aggie Auto shuttles, in November 2022 before testing them in […]
Posted in!Front Page
Storm drenches Florida and South Carolina while heading up East Coast
The Associated Press GEORGETOWN, S.C. (AP) — A late-year storm unleashed heavy rain and gusty winds as it barreled up the East Coast on Dec. 17, forcing water rescues from flooded streets and the cancellation of some holiday celebrations. Authorities rescued dozens of motorists stranded by floodwaters in South Carolina’s waterfront community of Georgetown, according […]