September 17th 2023.
A new audio docuseries hopes to honor the legacy of Hazel Johnson, who has been dubbed the “mother of environmental justice.” According to Capital B News, the podcast, entitled Help This Garden Grow, pays tribute to Johnson’s work in the fight for environmental justice.
In 1979, Johnson founded the People for Community Recovery (PCR). Through the PCR, she sought to prove that the Altgeld Gardens Public Housing project put its residents at a higher risk of cancer due to air pollution, lead pipes, and asbestos. Her work drew a connection between the living conditions and the deaths of children and adults, including her husband.
Daniel Kisslinger, a co-host of the series, explains the importance of honoring Johnson’s legacy. “We hope to provide momentum toward building the physical legacy and lineage that Hazel wanted and deserves,” he said. “The lineage of her work will enable us to survive and thrive as a city and as a community as we fight for environmental justice.”
As a result of Johnson’s and the PCR’s efforts, new water and sewage lines were installed in the community and residents were trained to become environmental remediation workers. Johnson and the PCR also successfully petitioned the federal government to take action on decommissioned projects by large companies.
Damon Williams, another host of Help This Garden Grow, emphasizes the importance of understanding the history of environmental justice. “Everyone now uses the language of environmental justice, but we thought it was important to acknowledge just how Black that history is,” he said.
The podcast includes commentary from Johnson’s daughter, Cheryl Johnson, who took over the PCR following her mother’s death in 2011. The series also provides insight into the ongoing fight for environmental justice in Chicago. Last year, activists went on a hunger strike to protest a polluting scrapyard being moved from a wealthy, white Lincoln Park neighborhood to a Southeast Side community of mostly Black and Latino residents.
Help This Garden Grow is available to listen on Spotify and Apple Music. This podcast offers an opportunity to learn more about Johnson and the PCR’s work and to recognize the importance of environmental justice.
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