“What is the climate justice issue in Milwaukee? It’s not an issue of an of a sudden disaster. It’s not a flood. It’s about slow violence,” says Arjit Sen. “It’s something that has been happening historically over time, in which Black and brown communities in Milwaukee are not just segregated, but they’re seen as lacking value.” An exhibit currently showing at the Milwaukee County Historical Society and running through June 1st aims to shine a light on slow violence and the resilience of Milwaukee communities. It is a project of the Humanities Action Lab, a coalition of universities led by Rutgers University-Newark that creates traveling public projects on the past, present, and future of pressing social issues.

The show starts with the national exhibition “Climates of Inequality: Stories of Environmental Justice.” It is participatory public memory project that aims to share the histories of “frontline” communities who have contributed the least to the climate crisis but bear its heaviest burdens

The Milwaukee specific exhibit, “Unfinished Project,” features the work of the Buildings-Landscapes-Cultures (BLC) Field School, which has been an active partner in Milwaukee neighborhoods like Sherman Park, Midtown, Washington Park, and other areas. It is broken into to work up into three categories: Food Justice, Housing Justice, and urban guardians.

Arijit Sen joins host Douglas Haynes along with Camille Mays, founder of Peace Garden Project in Milwaukee and Wilmarie Medina-Cortes, exhibitions and program manager for the Humanities Action Lab. They discuss the significance of community gardens and public exhibits in addressing climate inequality and shared perspectives on community-led efforts for social justice, healing, and creating safe spaces in neighborhoods affected by violence.

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