You probably do not know this, but your morning cup of coffee carries a dark story. It's a story riddled with deforestation, child labor, slavery, corporate denial, and environmental injustice. 

This week, Etelle Higonnet, founder of Coffee Watch, joins the Environmental Justice Lab to expose how the global coffee industry profits from environmental destruction and human suffering, and what must change. Etelle pulls back the curtain on the hidden costs of coffee production: forests cleared for plantations, farmers trapped in poverty, children and women enslaved, and powerful corporations dodging responsibility. But this isn’t just a story of despair. It’s a call to action. She lays out a vision for reform, from traceable supply chains to living wages and consumer activism that forces accountability.

If you drink coffee, you’re part of this system. But, according to Etelle, you can be part of the solution. Let's go!



Resources: 
Wake up and Smell the Deforestation - Coffee Watch Report

Morally repugnant’: Brazilian workers sue coffee supplier to Starbucks over ‘slavery-like conditions - The Guardian

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Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

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What happens when the leaders in your hometown turn a Black neighborhood into a dumping ground?

In part 2 of our conversation, environmental scientist and advocate Kibri Hutchison Everett takes us back to my hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina, to confront the legacy of the so-called “Trash Pile.” What began with the placement of unlined landfill in the heart of a Black neighborhood, the Trash Pile stands as a stark example of how racist policy choices create sacrifice zones in the United States. It is now a neighborhood with no water, sanitation, or city services, despite being within city limits.

Kibri shares how this desolate community still bears the scars of contamination, land loss, and disinvestment, and why she purchased a parcel of land there to transform it into a test site for community science and grassroots advocacy. Together, we explore how pollution, policy, and poverty intersect, and how data, organizing, and courage can shift the fight from environmental injustice to environmental and economic liberation.

This is not just a story about Rock Hill, South Carolina or even the plight of Black communities in the South. It’s about the structures that allow entire communities to be written off, and the movements rising to reclaim land, dignity, and a livable future.

Connect with Kibri Everett
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kibri-hutchison-everett-646b051b3/
Instagram: @the.enviro.vegan and @key.environmental.consulting
Websites: www.keyenvi.com & www.palmettofutures.org

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support.

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

What does it mean to fight for environmental justice when the very language of justice is under attack?

In this first episode (of a 2-part series), I talk with environmental scientist, small business owner, and consultant Kibri Hutchison Everett about the fight for environmental justice. We trace her journey from growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina (my hometown), to working in federal environmental data analysis, and ultimately to founding her own company to support communities on the frontlines of pollution and disinvestment.

We talk about her work with the HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative, and Kibri speaks candidly about the realities of working with marginalized communities, and calling environmental racism what it is, even when federal agencies and political leaders try to erase the term. Together, we unpack how industries target poor Black, Brown, and rural communities, how changes in White House can roll back decades of progress overnight, and why grassroots organizing and data sovereignty remain critical tools for resistance.

This is not just a policy discussion; it’s a call to action. Tune in to learn how environmental justice plays out on the ground and why vulnerable communities are still forced to fight for clean air, clean water, and basic dignity.

Resources: 
HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative
Article: Environmental Justice in an Era of Federal Rollbacks
HBCU EJ Screening Tool
Justice40 Awards Tracker

Connect with Kibri Everett
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kibri-hutchison-everett-646b051b3/
Instagram: @the.enviro.vegan
@key.environmental.consulting
Websites: 
www.keyenvi.com
www.palmettofutures.org

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support.

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, Dr. Joseph is joined by scholar, strategist, and activist Dr. Bruce Strouble, the founder of Citizens for a Sustainable Future and author of By Any Dreams Necessary - Anti-Racist Strategies for Sustainability, Resilience, and Environmental Justice in African-American Communities.

Dr. Strouble's expertise made for a dynamic conversation about what it really takes to build grassroots environmental power in Black communities. Dr. Strouble brings deep insight into how environmental injustice intersects with political disempowerment, economic inequality, and systemic neglect, particularly in the South. From democracy to youth organizing, he shares stories from the field and hard-earned lessons about community-driven change.

They dive into:
⚡ Why climate solutions often leave Black communities behind
🗳️ How local organizing and political literacy can shift power
🌱 What true sustainability means in communities that have been chronically under-resourced
💡 And why it’s time for the environmental movement to center justice

This episode calls us to rethink how we talk about “green” policy and who’s shaping the conversation. If you care about equity, grassroots organizing, and real solutions that empower the most affected, this is an episode you can’t miss.

🎧 Tune in to hear how Dr. Strouble is flipping the script and building a future rooted in justice, power, and people.

Connect with Dr. Bruce Strouble
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucestroublephd/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ProfessaStrouble/
https://www.instagram.com/dr_strouble/
https://twitter.com/ProfesaStrouble
[email protected]
https://www.brucestroublejr.com

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, Dr. Lesley Joseph sits down with public health expert Dr. Diana Hernández of Columbia University and sociologist Dr. Jennifer Laird of Lehman College to talk about their new book, Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy.

More than 1 in 4 U.S. households struggle to afford their utility bills, with many facing shutoffs, debt, and the constant stress of choosing between heating and food, or cooling and rent. Powerless brings this hidden crisis into the light, exposing how energy insecurity is not just a personal hardship but a systemic failure rooted in race, class, housing, and policy.

In this episode, Drs. Hernández and Laird reveal:
⚡ Why low-income and marginalized communities are disproportionately energy insecure
🏠 How housing conditions, debt, and disconnection policies deepen inequality
💡 And how we can rethink policy and infrastructure to create a more just energy future

🎧 Tune in now to learn how these two brilliant minds are helping rewire how we think about energy, poverty, and power in America.

Resources: 
Powerless - The People's Struggle for Energy

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode, Dr. Lesley Joseph sits down with author, conflict practitioner, and activist Somia Sadiq to discuss her new novel, Gajarah, a story that challenges how we understand land, justice, grief, and the tangled threads of human resilience. Born in Pakistan, raised in Canada, and shaped by a life between cultures and continents, Somia brings her lived experience, and her deep work in justice and  peacebuilding, to the page. Through her unforgettable protagonist, Emahn, she explores trauma, displacement, and the often-unspoken truth that healing isn’t linear, and justice doesn’t always come with closure.

Dr. Joseph and Somia explore questions like:
🌿 What if land was a character in your story?
💔 Why do some conflicts never really end, even when we say they’re resolved?
🔥 What does environmental justice look like when we move beyond human-centered narratives?

If you’ve ever felt stuck between cultures, longed for a language to express the “in-between,” or wondered how storytelling can bring us closer to justice—this episode will speak to you.

🎧 Tune in now to hear how Somia's new book, Gajarah, invites us to feel more deeply, think more critically, and honor the land and people that shape our stories.

Buy the book and follow Somia Sadiq on Social Media: 
https://www.somiasadiq.com/
https://www.somiasadiq.com/gajarah
https://www.instagram.com/somiasadiq/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/somiasadiq/

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, our host, Dr. Lesley Joseph, responds to a deeply troubling development: the resignation of Dr. Kimberly Terrell from the Environmental Law Clinic at Tulane University. A respected environmental scientist, researcher, and advocate, Dr. Terrell left her position as the Director for Community Engagement, citing political and donor-driven censorship, after years of research exposing the disproportionate health dangers experienced by the residents of Louisiana’s Cancer Alley. 

Dr. Joseph unpacks what this moment means for academic freedom, community-centered research, and the future of environmental justice in the U.S. He draws a clear line between truth-telling and power, asking hard questions about whether universities are still safe havens for critical inquiry, or simply extensions of corporate and political interests. Why are researchers being silenced for revealing the truth about pollution, cancer, and environmental injustice? What happens when scientific evidence threatens the bottom line? And how should the environmental justice research community respond?

This episode is both a tribute to Dr. Terrell’s courage and a rallying cry for researchers, activists, and citizens alike to keep fighting. Because justice demands it. 

Resources: 
Tulane scientist resigns citing university censorship of pollution and racial disparity research - AP News

Research from Dr. Terrell and the Environmental Law Clinic:
Air pollution is linked to higher cancer rates among black or impoverished communities in Louisiana - Environmental Research Journal

Toxic air pollution and concentrated social deprivation are associated with low birthweight and preterm Birth in Louisiana - Environmental Research Journal

Pervasive racial and ethnic disparities in the U.S. petrochemical workforce

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode of The Environmental Justice Lab, I break down the findings from my latest research publication, entitied “Race, Class, Gender, and Waste: A Spatial Analysis of Landfill Siting and Intersectional Inequities in South Carolina.” This article is not simply a data-driven study; it is an investigation into how race, gender, income, and geography intersect to determine who ends up living next to the landfills in South Carolina… and who doesn’t. I explain why landfills are still important in today’s environmental justice movement. I talk about the history of waste-related activism, and discuss how communities, particularly Black women, Hispanic women, and female-led households in poverty, are disproportionately burdened by the health, environmental, and social harms of landfill placement.

The episode goes beyond statistics. It’s a reflection on the academic resistance to justice-focused research in engineering, an ode to cross-institutional collaboration, and a rallying cry for policy change, intersectional thinking, and true community engagement.

🎧 Tune in now to hear why it’s time we rethink how we manage our waste, and who bears the cost.

Resources: 

Race, Class, Gender, and Waste: A Spatial Analysis of Landfill Siting and Intersectional Inequities in South Carolina - Environmental Sociology

Toxic Waste and Race in the United States - Full Report

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In this episode, we confront a powerful but often overlooked reality: environmental injustice doesn’t just harm our bodies - it harms our minds and breaks our spirits.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode sheds light on the hidden emotional toll of living in neglected, polluted, and disaster-prone communities. From climate anxiety to post-traumatic stress, Dr. Joseph explains how the fear, powerlessness, and injustice faced by frontline communities leads to real, lasting psychological harm. Drawing from research and real-world examples, including Flint, Michigan and global conflict zones, Dr. Joseph explores how trauma, uncertainty, and systemic neglect affect mental wellness just as much as contaminated water or polluted air. And the message is clear: these impacts are not random. They are patterned. They are unjust. And they must be addressed.

This episode is both a call for recognition and a call to action. If we truly care about justice, we must care for the mental health of those most affected. Whether you’re an advocate, policymaker, healthcare provider, or someone seeking to understand more, this episode will expand your perspective and your compassion.

🎧 Tune in now to discover why mental health must be part of every environmental justice conversation.

Resources: 
The Mental Distress of Environmental Injustice - Urban Health Council
The Emotional Distress of Living in an Environmental Justice Community - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

In the conclusion to this series, our special guest Savannah Domenech and I take a reflective look back at their deep dive into Rochester’s legacy of environmental injustice. Throughout this series, we explored how Kodak’s rise and fall left deep economic, environmental, and public health scars on the Rochester community. In this episode, Savannah shares personal stories, research insights, and the powerful realization that even lifelong residents often don't know the full extent of the damage. We discuss why legacy environmental injustice doesn't end when a company closes its doors - and why community awareness, activism, and healing must continue. From environmental pollution to gentrification, the conversation reminds us that true justice requires confronting the past and committing to building a better future. We urge all of you listening to dig into your own local histories, connect with your neighbors, and advocate for change - because the fight for clean, safe, and equitable communities impacts everyone.

🎧 Tune in for a conversation that will leave you informed, inspired, and ready to act. The journey doesn’t end here - it’s just the beginning.

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community:
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support

Connect with our Environmental Justice Lab community: 
Instagram: @envjusticelab
YouTube: @envjusticelab
Email: [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and rate the podcast wherever you listen! Support our work by joining the Supporters Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-environmental-justice-lab--5583745/support