Rising Tides

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Sacoby Wilson, a nationally recognized environmental health scientist and scholar whose work centers on environmental justice, health equity, and community-engaged science.

We explore the many ways in which environmental injustice affects people’s health and discuss the reality of sacrifice zones, where residents face disproportionate environmental burdens and limited political power, leav...

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Javiera Barandiarán about how dominant approaches to climate change often ignore justice, deepen existing inequalities, and rely on solutions that shift environmental harm rather than eliminate it.

We discuss electric vehicles and lithium extraction, where Dr. Barandiarán challenges the idea that EVs are inherently sustainable. Drawing from her upcoming book Living Minerals, she argues that the globa...

In this episode, I sit down with educator and environmental justice leader Lindi von Mutius to discuss why access to green space is a matter of justice. Professor von Mutius explains how the denial of environmental goods has long shaped who gets to experience nature’s benefits and who does not, and how the physical and mental benefits of green space remain unevenly distributed across communities.

We talk about the long history of ex...

In this episode, I sit down with Isa Gaillard and Valeria Menendez from Equitable Cities, an organization with planners, researchers, and advocates transforming the way people move through their communities. Rooted in justice and lived experience, Equitable Cities addresses the inequities that have shaped America’s transportation systems, from highways that divide neighborhoods to underfunded public transit.

We explore why...

In this episode, I speak with farmer and activist Karen Washington about the deep roots of food injustice and the power of communities to create change. Ms. Washington shares why she coined the term “food apartheid,” which captures the human realities of race, economics, and systemic inequity that “food desert” overlooks. 

Noting that hunger is manmade, Ms. Washington emphasizes that change happens by shifting power. She does not dw...

In this episode, I sit down with Professor Shalanda Baker, Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan, and one of the nation’s most influential voices in energy justice. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Professor Baker served as the Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she where she architected groundbreaking federal efforts to embed ...

In this episode, I speak with Christopher Chavez, Deputy Policy Director at the Coalition for Clean Air, about his journey from growing up in Long Beach to becoming a leading advocate for air justice in California. Drawing from personal experience in one of the state’s most polluted regions, Chavez shares what inspired him to enter public service and how his work today connects policy to the real-life impacts of air pollution.
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In this episode, I'm joined by Chanell Fletcher, Deputy Executive Officer of Equity, Communities & Environmental Justice at the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Ms. Fletcher leads statewide efforts to ensure that all communities, especially those historically marginalized, have access to clean air and protection from climate harm.

We talk about how policies like redlining and zoning have created unequal air ...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Benjamin Pauli, Associate Professor at Kettering University and longtime environmental justice advocate, to unpack the Flint water crisis: what caused it, who was responsible, and how the people of Flint fought back. Dr. Pauli shares his insights as a researcher, activist, and Flint resident, tracing how unelected emergency managers made top-down decisions and how those decisions led to widespre...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Kimberly Jones about water justice in our communities. Dr. Jones dives deep into the pressing issue of water insecurity, exploring where our water comes from, who controls it, and the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact access to safe drinking water.  From the ongoing challenges of contamination and pollution to the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities, Dr. Jones ...

In this episode we look back at Love Canal, where buried chemical waste beneath a New York neighborhood highlighted how scientific uncertainty about causation was used to justify government inaction. Stephen Lester, a scientist who worked alongside community leaders like Lois Gibbs, explains how residents came together, organized, and fought persistently to secure protection for their families.

Stephen Lester currently ser...

In this episode, Professor Clifford Villa explains what toxic waste is, how its disposal disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, and how the Superfund program aims to address these inequities.

Professor Villa served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management, where he led policy initiatives across a range of programs and supported the Biden Administration's goals...

In our first episode, Professor Running-Grass introduces the concept of environmental justice, reviews its origins and principles, and talks about the future direction of this movement.

Professor Running-Grass is an educator and a long-time social justice and environmental activist. His expertise spans several fields including multicultural education, critical pedagogy, and environmental education. He led the creation of T...