WFU Environmental Justice Summit to feature civil rights activist Rev. Ben Chavis
Environmental justice and civil rights activist Rev. Ben Chavis will deliver the keynote address at Wake Forest University’s spring Environmental Justice Summit.
“Environmental Justice in the Midst of Polycrisis: Where Do We Go From Here?” will be held on Wednesday, April 30, in Benson University Center from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Chavis is a prominent civil rights and environmental justice activist credited with coining the term “environmental racism” in the early 1980s. He is a vocal advocate for environmental justice, highlighting the disproportionate impact of pollution on minority communities and advocating for policy changes. Chavis is best known for his activism around the protests against the dumping of toxic waste in Warren County, North Carolina.
“We recognize that what began in Warren County, North Carolina, in 1982 was the catalyst for a growing, vibrant environmental justice movement throughout the world today with an outcry demanding justice and equality,” said Chavis. “The solution to environmental racism is environmental justice for all of humanity.”
Scholars and activists on the frontlines of environmental justice will host discussions on the fight for energy justice, environmental impacts on mental health, Indigenous environmental justice and recent academic research findings related to the field.
The discussion is sponsored by the University’s Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative (EEJI) with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
“We are honored to welcome Rev. Benjamin Chavis—an architect of the environmental justice movement and a lifelong advocate for equity—to our Wake Forest,” said Corey D. B. Walker, dean of the School of Divinity, professor of Humanities, and principal investigator of the EJJI. “His deep commitment and visionary leadership continue to inspire critical conversations about the intersection of environmental justice, civil rights and community empowerment. This annual summit reflects our deep commitment to advancing environmental justice, sustainability, and education that drives real-world change.”
The Summit is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Registration is required.
Additional sponsors include Wake Forest’s School of Divinity, School of Law, Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability and the Environment and Sustainability Studies Program.
Categories: Environment & Sustainability, Happening at Wake
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