People over Plastic

Episode 4 - Season of Dissent (Live from NYC Climate Week)

Our Season Finale comes to you live from NYC Climate Week. It was an unforgettable afternoon honoring and elevating the power of expression, unity, and civil disobedience in the Environmental Justice movement. This episode features powerful stories from activists and organizers who have taken bold stands against environmental injustices that threaten their communities and our shared future. 
 
Guests: 
Thalia Cachimuel, Director of Philanthropic Networks, NDN Collective
Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Environmental Health
Chris Tandanzo, Poet and Former New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance organizer
 
Story Salon Host: Michael McKenzie, Counterstream's Executive Director
 
Key Topics:
Does our current democracy function enough for us to protect it?
Dissent is a sacred act for historically excluded communities. 
It also means “We are going to give you hell.”
The importance of storytelling and reclaiming narratives to drive social and environmental change
The fight to free Leonard Peltier as a story of truth and reconciliation.
How environmental justice advocates are the embodiment of dreams.
The power of Gen-Z.
The interconnectedness of environmental justice work and the movement to end the genocide in Gaza.
 
Additional resources
See images from the Season of Dissent Story Salon
NDN’s #FREELEONARDPELTIER Toolkit
The urgent need for federal policy on ‘forever’ chemicals, by Kizzy Charles-Guzman
Revisit some of other Story Salons:
Cancer Alley Rises Up: Honoring Black Women in Environmental Justice
Climate Week 2023: In Houston, Texas
Food Sovereignty As a Pathway to Justice
Story Salon at Hip Hop For Change
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Episode 3 - Protest with Candice Fortin

One of the most fundamental freedoms in American democracy is the freedom of expression and assembly. In other words: our right to protest. This freedom ensures everyone can speak out and mobilize without fear of censorship or retaliation. It allows everyday people to challenge disinformation, hold those in power accountable, and rally together for changes that protect both people and the planet. But censorship, criminalization, and complacency threaten the fight for equity and justice, at a time when direct action is more important than ever.
 
Guest: Candice Fortin, U.S. Campaigns Manager for 350.org, a global climate nonprofit fighting for a world beyond fossil fuels.
 
Key Topics:
The power of protest and direct action
Criminalization of environmental activists in the United States and around the world
From the founding of the EJ movement in Warren County, NC 
To the recent murder of Manuel “Tortuguita” Paez Terán who was killed by Georgia state troopers while protesting against Cop City
Censorship of pro-Palestinian voices
The need for white liberals to support historically excluded communities in the fight for democracy and justice
 
Additional resources:
See Candice in action at the America’s Energy Summit
Learn more about Cop City in People over Plastic episode The Hot Seat
Learn more about direct actions like the Summer of Heat here and in our latest issue of Peace & Riot.
 
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People over Plastic is a project of Counterstream Media. 
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Disclaimer: Counterstream Media does not endorse any political candidate or party. These conversations aim to create a safe space for open dialogue.

Episode 2- Protections with Abre' Conner

Protections are essential for ensuring laws and policies safeguard both people and the environment. And under the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, equal protections means fair treatment under the law for everyone—regardless of race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status. But historically, Black,  Indigenous, and other communities of color have faced the brunt of environmental, health, and climate change impacts. Despite historic advancements in recent years, deregulation efforts threaten to make things even worse for frontline communities that are demanding democracy delivers on its promise.
Guest: Abre’ Conner is the Director, Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP where she oversees strategy and collaboration to dismantle environmental racism.
 
Key Topics: 
The intersection of Civil Rights, Environmental Justice, and Democracy
Fighting to strengthen protections that center people, not just the environment 
Critical Race Theory
How threats to environmental justice go beyond any one political party or presidency
Potential impacts from the Supreme Court ruling on Chevron Deference
Weakening of protective agencies, like the EPA, through plans like Project 2025
 
Additional resources
James Baldwin’s 1965 debate at Cambridge University 
Order Toxic Wastes and Race and Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty FREE, Here. Just pay for shipping.
More contextual books to consider on Critical Race Theory.
 
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If you haven’t already, subscribe to People over Plastic on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app to automatically get the latest episode each week.
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Episode 1 - Participation with PennElys Droz

Participation plays a critical role in building a thriving democracy. But participation goes far beyond voting—it’s a powerful tool for reclaiming rights, restoring land, and ensuring justice for communities that have long been left out of decision-making. Which is why we’re looking at participation through an Indigenous perspective. Indigenous knowledge systems can inform and inspire broader movements for justice and democratic participation.
 
Guest: 
Dr. PennElys Droz is the Power Building and Curriculum Coordinator with NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy organization.
 
Key Topics: 
The founding of the U.S. Democratic system, which was built on Indigenous ideas from the Haudenosaunee (The Six Nations People)
How the complex relationship between indigenous communities and the U.S. Democratic system impacts participation in environmental justice and beyond
Voting rights and ongoing challenges to achieving a truly representative government
The LandBack movement as participatory justice
Solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement
Indigenous Economies in contrast to colonial, capitalist, and extractive economies — like the petrochemical (plastic) industry. 
 
Additional resources
Explainer video on the Haudenosaunee’s influence on the US Constitution with a Haudenosaunee scholar.
Explore more about NDN Collective here.
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Season 5 Trailer - Democracy and Dissent

Welcome back to a very special season of the People over Plastic Podcast “Democracy and Dissent” where we’re exploring the intersection of Environmental Justice & Democracy. The urgency surrounding democracy is at an all-time high. But this is about more than politics, who wins the presidency, or maintaining the status quo. It’s about ensuring democracy delivers on its promise—for everyone, not just those in power.
 
Over the next episodes we’ll tackle three of the most critical aspects of democracy through the lens of environmental justice: Participation, Protections, and Protest. 
 
Host Shilpi Chhotray will have candid conversations with Environmental Justice thought leaders who have complex and differing relationships, histories, and hopes for democracy. Tune in and listen wherever you get your podcasts — because the fight for environmental justice is also a fight for democracy itself.
 
If you haven’t already, subscribe to People over Plastic on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app to automatically get the latest episode each week.
 
People over Plastic is a project of Counterstream Media. 
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S4E5 - Whose movement is this? (with environmental justice champions Wawa Gatheru, Dr. Beverly Wright, and Roishetta Sibley Ozane)

In our season finale, we shine a spotlight on the vital leadership of Black women in the realm of environmental justice. Often, after environmental catastrophes wreak havoc on frontline communities, well-funded environmental organizations descend like Trojan horses, offering solutions that often lack community input. In some cases, these organizations and their so-called 'relief' efforts blow in and out of communities as quickly as the crises themselves.
 
Today, our co-hosts Shilpi Chhotray and Alexis Young explore the enduring impact of Black women leaders who have nurtured spaces of care and refuge for communities on the frontlines of the climate justice movement. Joining us are remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives to urgent issues that affect their communities.
 
Roishetta Sibley Ozane, founder of The Vessel Project of Louisiana; Dr. Beverly Wright, founder of The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; and Wawa Gatheru, founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, share their journeys and insights. These visionary leaders have focused on creating sustainable, community-centered solutions that prioritize long-term well-being.
 
Join us for a captivating discussion as we honor the incredible contributions of Black women in environmental justice, highlighting their enduring commitment to communities that cannot escape the frontlines of the climate justice movement. You’ll want to listen to the very end for a special poem by internationally-acclaimed poet and activist Sunni Patterson.
 
Check out our website for additional reporting on guests featured on Season Four of The People over Plastic podcast. https://peopleoverplastic.co
 

S4E4 - Faith in the Fight (with community organizers Dr. Joy Banner, Shamyra Lavigne, and Frankie Orona)

On today’s show, we delve into the profound role that faith plays for Black and Indigenous environmental organizers in their relentless pursuit of both climate justice and racial justice. Drawing inspiration from Matthew 17:20-21, which reminds us that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, we explore how they've harnessed their faith to drive change.
 
Joining us are remarkable individuals whose faith has moved industrial polluters and deepened their connection with the Earth. Dr. Joy Banner, Co-Founder of the Descendants Project, and Shamyra Lavigne, from Rise St. James, share their powerful narratives of how their faith compelled them to take action against industrial polluters, ultimately reclaiming their homes.
 
Additionally, Frankie Orona, representing The Society of Native Nations, sheds light on the ancestral wisdom passed down through generations—the kind of wisdom that encourages a profound and healing relationship with nature. Frankie advocates for this enduring connection with the Earth, one that soothes and honors our planet.
 
Tune in as our co-hosts Shilpi Chhotray and Alexis Young explore the intersection of faith, environmental activism, and the transformative power of belief in the fight for justice and the Earth's well-being.
Check out our website, peopleoverplastic.co, for additional reporting on Dr. Joy Banner, Shamyra Lavigne and Frankie Orona, and follow us on Instagram and TikTok.

S4E3 - Rooted In Resistance (with environmental justice leaders Dr. Denae King, Michael McKenize, Patrice Simms, and Dr. Robert Bullard)

Welcome to a special live episode of "All Eyes on the Gulf." Join us as we sit down with Dr. Denae King and Michael McKenzie, champions in the fight for climate justice. With Dr. King's expertise in environmental toxicology and McKenzie's educational and extensive research background, they take us on a personal journey from their early work to their current community-based environmental initiatives in Houston and beyond.
Recorded at the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, this dynamic conversation moved our live audience, and now, it's your turn to be part of the experience. Special guest Patrice Simms, a leading environmental attorney and scholar, and co-founder of People over Plastic, adds depth to the discussion, highlighting the urgency of their mission.
Opening this episode is Dr. Robert Bullard, who is known as the father of environmental justice. His speech emphasizes the historical significance of the environmental and climate  justice movement. 
Join co-hosts, Alexis Young, staff reporter for People over Plastic and Ryan Jeter, HBCU Coordinator at Environmental Defense Fund guide an extraordinary conversation that uncovers the roots of resistance in this live recording.  Special thanks to the Plastic Solutions Fund for sponsoring this episode. 
For more information about People over Plastic visit: www.peopleoverplastic.co and follow on Instagram and TikTok.
 

S4E2: False Solutions (with climate justice activists Dr. Joy Banner, Yvette Arellano, and grassroots change-makers Bekah Hinojosa and Destiney Barnes)

In today's episode, we'll explore the growing challenge faced by climate skeptics and those profiting from the fossil fuel industry. It's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the undeniable impacts of oil and gas giants, the plastics industry, and the issue of environmental racism. In this context, we see the rise of false solutions that claim to protect our environment, but often prioritize profit over the well-being of people and the health of our planet.
 
Joining us today are two remarkable voices in the climate justice movement. Dr. Joy Banner, Co-Founder of the Descendants Project, and Yvette Arellano, Founder and Executive Director of Fenceline Watch, will help us dissect these false solutions that they encounter in the ongoing battle against industrial polluters.
 
We'll also be inspired by the stories of grassroots change-makers. Brownsville Community Activist Bekah Hinojosa will share insights into the challenges her community faces against SpaceX and LNG facilities. And Louisiana Green Corp graduate Destiny Barnes will shine a light on the positive steps being taken in her community to support clean energy and green infrastructure.
 
Tune in as our co-hosts Shilpi Chhotray and Alexis Young navigate the complex landscape of climate change, uncovering false solutions, and celebrating the real progress being made in communities like New Orleans, Louisiana.
 
For our podcast episode featuring South Baltimore organizer Shashwanda Campbell, tune in here. Don’t forget to check out our website <www.peopleoverplast.co> and follow us on Instagram and TikTok.

S4E1 - Shady Business (with community organizers Dr. Joy Banner, Josette Cruz, Shamyra Lavigne, and Goldman Prize winner Diane Wilson)

In the world of business, decisions can range from risky to downright shady. The line between the two blurs, especially in industries like oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastic production. Land acquisition and permits for pollution resulting from the gruesome history of racial segregation and government-sponsored redlining often raise ethical questions.
In this episode of 'All Eyes On The Gulf,' the first episode of season four of The People over Plastic podcast, we dive deep into these murky waters. Our environmental reporter Alexis Young, connects with courageous environmental activists across the Gulf region, from Texas to Louisiana, unveiling the shady dealings in the oil and gas industry.
Prepare to hear the unfiltered truths from those on the frontlines. We're honored to feature voices like 2023 Goldman Prize Winner, Diane Wilson, who's taken on multi-billion dollar Formosa Plastic. Joining Alexis are also resilient community members, like Dr. Joy Banner, Co-Founder of the Descendants Project, Josette Cruz from Brownsville, Texas, and Shamyra Lavigne of Rise St. James, daughter of the 2022 Goldman Prize Winner, Sharon Lavigne.
Tune in for a powerful conversation between co-hosts Alexis Young and Shilpi Chhotray, shedding light on the shady decisions that impact our communities. It's time to unveil the truth behind the corporate smokescreens and the legacy of environmental racism.
RESOURCES:
Click here to see the “Banking on Climate Chaos” graphic. And for our podcast episode featuring Bernadette Dementieff of the Gwich’in Nation, tune in here. Don’t forget to check out our website for Alexis’ additional reporting on Dr. Joy Banner, Josette Cruz, Shamyra Lavigne and Diane Wilson and follow us on Instagram and TikTok.