Literacy For Environmental Justice

LITERACY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (LEJ) WAS FOUNDED IN 1998 BY PASSIONATE BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT YOUTH WHO SAW THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES, POLLUTION, AND HEALTH CRISES PLAGUING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENVISIONED A GREENER, HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. SINCE THEN, LEJ HAS WORKED WITH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES IN BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT SUCH AS TOXIC POLLUTION FROM THE FORMER HUNTERS POINT NAVAL SHIPYARD; GROWN AND PLANTED 250,000+ NATIVE PLANTS TO RESTORE LOCAL URBAN PARKLANDS SUCH AS HERONS HEAD PARK AND CANDLESTICK POINT SRA FOR THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT; INTRODUCED THOUSANDS OF BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT SCHOOL CHILDREN TO THE WONDERS OF NATURE RIGHT IN THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ECO-ADVENTURES PROGRAM; AND PROVIDED GREEN JOB TRAINING, THROUGH THE ECO-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, FOR HUNDREDS OF UNDERSERVED, LOCAL YOUTH AGES 18-25 WHO HAVE GONE ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS. TODAY, LEJ SERVES MORE THAN 1,200 YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANN

LEJ SERVES THE BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST SAN FRANCISCO.SAN FRANCISCO IS A TALE OF TWO CITIES. ON THE CITYS WESTERN SIDE, RESIDENTS ENJOY A WEALTH OF PARKS SUCH AS CRISSY FIELD AND THE NEW $118 MILLION PRESIDIO TUNNEL TOPS PARK; HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS FROM LARGE GROCERY STORES TO BOUTIQUE MARKETS TO COUNTLESS RESTAURANTS; AND THE PEACE OF MIND AND FREEDOM THAT COMES WITH LIVING IN A SAFE, LOW-CRIME NEIGHBORHOOD.ACROSS THE CITY IN THE SOUTHEAST, LIES A DIFFERENT SAN FRANCISCOBAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT. FOR DECADES, THIS HISTORICALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS SERVED AS THE DUMPING GROUND FOR SAN FRANCISCOS DIRTY UTILITIES, HEAVY INDUSTRY, AND TOXIC POLLUTION. THIS THREE-SQUARE-MILE INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IS BORDERED BY TWO FREEWAYS AND HOME TO 700 HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES, 325 UNDERGROUND PETROLEUM STORAGE TANKS, TWO SUPERFUND SITES, AND DECADES OF ILLEGAL DUMPING (SF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH -SFDPH).IT IS ALSO HOME TO 34,000+ RESIDENTS, 26% OF WHOM ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN OF ANY SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD (SFDPH). ACCORDING TO CALENVIROSCREEN, 80% OF BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT RESIDENTS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR WITH 33% IDENTIFYING AS AFRICAN AMERICAN (THE CITYS LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS), 34% AS LATINX, AND 25% AS ASIAN AMERICAN. APPROXIMATELY 40% OF FAMILIES IN BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT ARE SEVERELY LOW-INCOME, LIVING TWICE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVELA CYCLE OF POVERTY THAT WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. UNLIKE FAMILIES ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CITY, A HEALTHY STROLL AROUND THE BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT AN OPTION. IN ADDITION TO AIR POLLUTION FROM HEAVY INDUSTRY AND THE NEIGHBORING FREEWAYS, MORE THAN HALF OF BAYVIEW RESIDENTS REPORT FEELING UNSAFE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT HAS DOUBLE THE VIOLENT CRIME RATE OF SAN FRANCISCO AS A WHOLE (SFDPH).ACCORDING TO THE SFDPHS BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT COMMUNITY RESILIENCY REPORT, BAYVIEW-HUNTERS POINT RECEIVED LOW TO VERY LOW RANKINGS FOR RESIDENTS ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD. IN ADDITION, THAT SAME REPORT NOTED THAT UNLIKE OTHER PARTS OF SAN FRANCISCO, HEALTHY, GREEN PARKLANDS AND TREES ARE SCARCE IN THIS HEAVILY INDUSTRIALIZED NEIGHBORHOOD.LEJ SERVES OVER 1,000 SFUSD YOUTH EACH YEAR AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT AUDIENCES IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. WE ENGAGE BAYVIEW RESIDENTS IN VOLUNTEER PARK STEWARDSHIP, WORKSHOPS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY.