Overview
Leah Thomas founded Intersectional Environmentalist (IE) as a platform to connect social and climate justice grassroots movements. Her book of the same name is a manifesto for an inclusive path towards an equitable, just, and healthy future for the earth and the humans who live on it. IE was borne from Thomas’ feeling of isolation as a person of color from mainstream environmental education and activism:
“I watched predominantly white environmental protesters chain themselves to buildings, illegally deface property, trespass, and flaunt their arrests on camera during their protests, and I started to wonder: how? When nonviolent protesters or innocent Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian citizens are met with injustice for smaller infractions, such as existing, I had to ask: how privileged must one be to so boldly participate in theatrical protests?”
The book focuses mainly on US American contexts (Thomas is based in Los Angeles), but it’s an important read for audiences everywhere. The systems ruining our climate are the same ones oppressing and harming marginalized communities all over the world - it’s the same fight. Marginalized communities will bear the worst effects of global heating, yet are still kept from the policy decisions. The machinery of American climate and social justice organisations are still largely white and male, and this needs to change.
What does Intersectionality in Environmentalism mean?
Much of the book focuses on the unique environmental problems facing BIPOC communities in the United States. One jarring example is the “air pollution burden” that Black and Latinx people experience: they are exposed to more than 50% more air pollution than they cause, while white Americans experience 17% less air pollution than they cause (a “pollution advantage”)!
Heat islands are another example of inequality around pollution and climate. 43% of Black Americans and 32% of Asian Americans live in areas that have more concrete, less green cover, and fewer green spaces than white Americans. These factors lead to higher ambient temperatures and the neighbourhoods become islands of hotter temperature. These data show the staggering human cost of American inequality, and underscore the importance of building inclusive climate justice movements that center the experiences of those most impacted.
Concepts: intersectionality and privilege
Backing up, what does “intersectionality” really mean? Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, the creator of the term, defines it as:
“The complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.”
Intersectionality is such an important concept! Basically, the sum of oppressions based on identity are greater than its parts. For example, society places barriers for a Black trans* woman that people who are Black and cis, or white and trans*, do not face. For those looking for a deeper exploration of intersectionality through Black, female lenses in German, we recommend Farbe Bekennen (”Showing our Colors” in English), edited by Katharina Oguntoye, May Ayim, and Dagmar Schultz, and Schwarz. Deutsch. Weiblich. by Natasha Kelly.
On Privilege
We really appreciated her passages on privilege. When we discuss privileges - unearned benefits you enjoy - the goal is not to shame you. Being privileged does not make you a bad person, nor does it mean that you have it easy. The goal with understanding our privileges is to help us see the things we have that others don’t, and the ways we can extend those benefits for everyone to enjoy.
Storytelling, history, and giving credit where it’s due
Another large part of the book was on storytelling, narratives, history, and social focus. Who gets celebrated for vegan lifestyles - the white influencer who “discovers” it, or the South and East Asian communities who have been practicing (what’s now called) veganism for centuries? She makes the point that many in the Global South have been living low-waste for much of history, yet get none of the credit.
“Instead of rebranding solutions trom a Western perspective, environmentalists should seek to amplify the cultural practices of BIPOC communities globally and also give them credit for inspiring the ideas for what modern veganism and vegetarianism look like in the first place.”
You don't have to glue yourself to a road - accounting is part of the movement too
One of Leah’s mentors once told her, “Even the revolution needs accountants” and that really resonates with us. Everyone has a part to play, and environmental justice movements must include everyone. We make games but we see the bigger picture: the revolution needs low-waste, transparently-made games, and it needs you - the changemakers - to be recharged and healthy, with lots of strong community around you. We’re here to make that happen.