What do you do when corporations and politicians treat your neighborhood as expendable?

In this episode, Laura Cortez, organizer and co-director of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ), discusses growing up in Southeast LA, where pollution was treated as “normal,” and realizing it was environmental racism by design. We dig into EYCEJ’s history and victories: from shutting down the Exide battery plant to stopping the 710 freeway expansion

This is a conversation about grassroots power, holding systems accountable, and how collective action turns survival into lasting change.

Show Notes:

00:15 Meet Lara Cortez: Environmental Justice Advocate

00:50 Growing Up in Southeast LA

01:43 Discovering Environmental Injustices

02:14 Lara's Journey into Environmental Justice

07:50 The Impact of Pollution and Racism

09:22 Organizing for Change

11:42 The Power of Community and Culture

14:05 Navigating Bureaucratic Obstacles

21:51 Celebrating Wins in Environmental Justice

24:00 Community Actions and Organizing Efforts

25:31 EPA's Involvement and Legal Challenges

26:14 Victory Against Freeway Expansion

26:59 Exide Battery Plant Closure

28:39 Ongoing Cleanup and Local Hiring

30:38 Lead Contamination and Health Impacts

33:30 Community Engagement and Solidarity

42:37 Encouragement for New Activists

44:34 National and Regional Collaborations

46:50 Conclusion and Call to Action