We Need to Empower Coastal Women to Combat Climate Crisis
As I scrolled through the internet, a particularly emotional blog caught my eye called Preta No Verde (or “black women in green”). Since the site is originally posted in Portuguese, it took me a moment to navigate, but I soon found myself hooked into the Afrodiasporic perspective presented by Elenita Sales, the 22-year-old writer. Learning about her experiences as a black climate activist from a small coastal community highlighted the unequal impacts of environmental crisis and need for change.
Social injustice and environmental racism are rooted in our society, and it is our duty seek out the perspectives of disproportionately impacted minority groups and empower these communities. As an environmental biology student, I have been taught the importance building a strong relationship between humans and nature. If we wish to improve ecological conditions of coastal communities, recover their productivity and economy, and eliminate environmental discrimination, we must listen to the voices of the central stakeholders in these communities- coastal women.
The Afrodiasporic Perspective
Through her blog, Elenita shares her perspective on sustainability and the struggles of being a black climate activist. The goal of her blog is clear: fight environmental racism by sharing more representative perspectives. According to Morehouse (2015), Afrodiasporic perspectives display “an understanding of black life as inextricably linked with the brutality of slavery” in an attempt to properly engage with these communities and foster inclusive relationships.
“I decided to do something to contribute to this change…giving me strength and reminding me how powerful we are- no matter what society says” ~ Elenita Sales
Sadly, there are thousands of coastal communities alongside Elenita’s that are unequally affected by environmental crisis which highlights the reality of environmental racism. It is critical that the perspectives of these people are shared to better inform policy and spread awareness to the upcoming generations.
The Profound People
Elenita is not the only one feeling inspired to share their experience as a coastal woman. Yaquemilsa Fredeinda Matishi Vicente began her activist journey when she fell in love with her natural surroundings at the age of 12 in Peru. As a member of the Matigenka-Ashinka people, she fights to raise environmental awareness, reduce anthropogenic pollution, and promote equal rights for Indigenous peoples. Yaque brings these issues to light by presenting her culture, experiences, and dreams through various nonprofit organizations and projects.
“Without identifying the problems, we can’t have a direction” ~ Yaquemilsa Fredeinda Matishi Vicente
The Matigenka-Ashinka people hope to foster a new generation of people built on equality, peace, and environmental awareness. By making the voices of Indigenous women heard, the cultural knowledge vital to climate restoration can be shared. However, this will only be possible through international support and equal rights for Indigenous peoples.
Turning Panic into Passion
Alongside Elenita and Yaque stands ecological advocate, Steff McDermot, shares her perspective on living in coastal societies and her journey to activism. Steff is a young, self-proclaimed conservationist who speaks about various personal experiences, ranging from mental health to sustainable agriculture. By overcoming a traumatic history of sexual assault and mental illness, she found her passion in protecting the marine life she grew up around. She is from the Cayman Islands which fuels her passion for sharing Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) culture, and served as a motivation for overcoming sexual trauma, depression, anxiety, and a panic disorder.
“This line of work has saved my life. It has given me a sense of purpose, and a reason to stay alive” ~ Steff McDermot
Steff shares her perspective and hopes for a sustainable society through her work with environmental programs, including the Ocean Heroes Regional Bootcamp, the Sail for Climate Action (S4CA) campaign, and the Central Caribbean Marine Institute.
Using Communication to Fuel Change
The work of these women has shown me the impact of meaningful conversations and the importance of diverse perspectives in environmental activism. With the multitude of inequality and diversity, it is critical to increase interaction between different groups of people and amplify the voices of LAC and Indigenous peoples.
“We learned to communicate to understand, rather than just communicating to reply. Communication is not just verbal” ~ Steff McDermot
From pollution to climate change and the effects of overfishing, it is clear to see how coastal communities are disproportionately affected by environmental problems, and these communities are generally some of the smallest contributors to environmental change. This inequality is only now being brought to the public’s attention through activists like Elenita, Yaque, and Steff.
If we do not listen to these integral perspectives and embrace open discussions around environmental discrimination, even though they are difficult, we cannot truly understand the reality of our modern environmental issues. By empowering costal women, sharing Afrodiasporic perspectives, and fighting for equal rights of Indigenous people, we have a chance at improving the relationship between humans and nature.
