I am building off of the first part of my last post: Update on Evanston environmental justice. And folks who give a f*ck.
Since that post was published, a second person – Alex Pretti – was murdered by federal agents. The feds lied about what actually happened, refused cooperation with local law-enforcement investigation of the scene, and continued its assault on the city of Minneapolis.
Hamilton Nolan wrote that “we will all be Minneapolis soon.” Given ICE’s history in Chicago and suburbs – including Evanston – I expect that to be a near certainty.
So I want to document the ethos and know-how of folks with whom I am connected in our community. The folks working on environmental justice (EJ) and climate change who, like Sean Sherman (the Sioux Chef), appear to me to live a both/and existence. They attach deeply to specific causes such as environmental justice or Indigenous food systems. They are expert in its practice and continue to practice. The both/and is they are simultaneously resisters to the dangerous, authoritarian, reality-denying cabal of federal leaders and their enablers.
This is what I experience as core beliefs of the EJ folks I work with in Evanston. It’s not difficult to see how these establish a sensibility which carries across both the EJ cause and resistance to our slide into fascism:
- They believe that some things – like the environment we live in – affect all of us. There are no “others” in that situation. There are only humans.
- They believe that everyone in a local community should enjoy the same access to assets that lead to healthy lives. They know, however, that race, history, systems and mindsets create disparities.
- They believe that folks must have real power to lead the way in which solutions to these challenges are designed and implemented. It’s co-creation. Designing with, not for.
- They see civic engagement – with local city staff and political leaders – as a duty. Do something. No thing is too small.
- They believe in the power and capability of mutual aid.
Out of this emerges know-how that I see as critical in the coming months:
- Folks know how to quickly organize and collaborate to get something done to meet a short-term situation. Ad hoc, emergent organizing based on who is available and what they can contribute.
- Folks know how to organize and collaborate to build for the long term. Across community interest groups, based on what folks can contribute.
- Folks know who-knows-what, or who might know someone who knows. These are rich networks.
- Folks know how to craft communications for different situations and different audiences. (Advocacy with city government is different than communicating to community partners).
- Folks know how to do stuff with very limited resources and/or to generate “enough” resources from community members (without breaking the community’s trust).
I am sure there are others. These are top of mind at the moment.
As I continue to work on, write about EJ, I’m sure I’ll be paying attention to all of this even more. It’s hard not to, given the conditions.
Jeff Merrell 