A Discussion With Leah Thomas, Intersectional Ecologist
by
Sophie Capshaw-Mack|November 10, 2021
Eco-communicator Leah Thomas coined the term “intersectional environmentalism,” an inclusive kind of environmentalism that promotes for the protection of individuals along with the planet. Picture: Val Vega
Leah Thomas, founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist platform, joins world leaders, policymakers, and fellow activists to convene about environment action for the United Nations twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties, referred to as COP26. Thomas is going to COP26 as a member of journalism in addition to being one of the “influential leaders and thinkers” speaking at The New York Times Climate Hub, which coincides with the world summit.
As a self-described “eco-communicator,” Thomas work highlights ecological justice and the convergence of environmentalism with social justice issues, including the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. She coined the term “intersectional environmentalism” in an Instagram post that rapidly went viral in May 2020 in the middle of the prevalent BLM demonstrations and requires racial justice. In Thomas words, intersectional environmentalism is “an inclusive variation of environmentalism that advocates for both the security of individuals and the planet.”
Intersectional environmentalism acknowledges the overlap in between systemic damage versus Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities and the Earth. The motion also acknowledges the disproportionate impacts of environment change on other marginalized groups, consisting of people with specials needs as well as ladies and gender minorities.
In the following interview, which has been lightly modified, Thomas discusses COP26, elaborates on intersectional environmentalism, and provides guidance to the next generation of activists and educators.
What is something that you desire world leaders and policymakers to know due to COP26?
I desire them to know that all talk isnt sufficient any longer. Honestly, Ive been actually jaded with policy and these big occasions. I went to another environment event, and they brought the CEO of Shell onstage. I resembled, this is not what I signed up for. There are a great deal of business interests that are included at these environment events. I would encourage world leaders to just deal with on-the-ground activists before they work with Shell, for circumstances, and attempt to provide them a redemption arc.
If you look at the data, Indigenous individuals secure 80% of the worlds staying biodiversity. Why are we talking about these lavish services when there are extraordinary individuals around the world who currently have options to the issue?
Before you founded the Intersectional Environmentalist platform, you studied environmental science and policy at Chapman University. What do you want you found out as a trainee that was never consisted of in the curriculum?.
I truly wish that the history of the environmental justice movement, in particular, was taught in my program. We discovered everything about the development of Earth Day and the development of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which occurred after the passage of environmental laws, like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. I didnt really hear a lot about how the ecological motion actually co-opted a lot of the effective protest strategies from the civil liberties movement, however without individuals from the civil liberties movement.
Environmentalism was mainly a white, middle- and upper-class motion that wasnt extremely intersectional. After that, in the 80s, we see a development of a mostly BIPOC-led environmental justice motion that is attempting to deal with some of the inequity in ecological policy that was truly dealing with Black and brown communities.
I think having that context would be really essential since the manner in which it was taught to me resembled, there was this ecological motion and it just took place, but no kind of nod to the civil liberties movement. There was very little exploration into the environmental justice motion either, which didnt get a whole lot of attention, and I believe that it should.
Thats something I wish we wouldve talked about more. I likewise believe generating social justice into ecological programs in some capability is really important, and not just as a section or a chapter of a book, but having an entire class that is a requirement. I believe that social justice is so intertwined with environmental results.
How can folks best support you and your work at the Intersectional Environmentalist, the not-for-profit company you founded?
By engaging with our material online and sharing it with teachers and professors. When our products are adopted in the classroom setting, I enjoy it. Try to sign up with if you can if we have a brand-new initiative. Also, donating actually helps. We are a 501( c)( 3) company, and we want to make certain we are paying everybody a living wage. Thats what were aiming towards due to the fact that we likewise wish to reveal that environmental justice work must be compensated relatively. There ought to be a growing number of careers in this space. Enhancing, contributing, sharing, and joining us are ways to support.
What guidance would you provide to the next generation of activists who want to get involved in the intersectional climate motion? Where can they start?
Finding out about the history of the environmental justice movement and finding out about those cool heroes who deserve to have their location in environmental history. Overall, people should look at their local neighborhoods, educate themselves, and actually have fun with it.
One manner in which individuals can educate themselves is by reading your forthcoming book, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet. Could you please inform us more about that?
When I wrote it, I was truly believing about what I wanted when I was a young, Black ecological science student. I attempted my best to put a few of that in the book.
This book is really a history book in some methods; it speaks about eco-feminism and intersectional theory. It talks about the daddy and mother of the ecological justice movement. Readers will speak with varied people all over the world about how they practice environmentalism and explore these viewpoints from a nuanced approach.
Check out Thomas website for additional information about her work. You can likewise follow her Instagram, @greengirlleah.
Sophie Capshaw-Mack is an alumna of the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program at Columbia University. You can check out more of her stories here.
As a self-described “eco-communicator,” Thomas work emphasizes environmental justice and the merging of environmentalism with social justice concerns, consisting of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) motion. I actually wish that the history of the ecological justice movement, in particular, was taught in my program. We learned all about the development of Earth Day and the development of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which occurred after the passage of ecological laws, like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. I didnt really hear a lot about how the environmental movement really co-opted a lot of the successful demonstration methods from the civil rights motion, however without the individuals from the civil rights movement.
Finding out about the history of the ecological justice movement and learning about those cool heroes who deserve to have their place in ecological history.
