Environmental Injustice in the APIDA Community
A piece about the environmental injustices that the APIDA community faces, written by our interns Mythili Iyer, Sarah Liang, Cade Sugiyama, and Minah Yang.
Full visibility of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American experience is lacking in the US, partly the result of the spread of the monolithic misrepresentation of the APIDA community and the widespread “model minority” myth. The “model minority” myth acts as a racial wedge between the APIDA community and other minorities in the US, pitting the APIDA community against other minorities by pseudo-elevating the former community based on perceived, collective success; however, upon further examination of the diverse groups that make up the larger APIDA community, it is evident that the APIDA community as a whole is composed of members who fall within a wide range of socioeconomic categories.
Out of any minority group in the US, the APIDA community holds the widest disparity in income (source: Pew Research Center). These extreme income inequalities within the APIDA community indicate how there are, in fact, Asian American communities struggling with poverty, despite the misleading focus on higher-income Asian American communities. Selective representation in media, such as in Crazy Rich Asians or Bling Empire, further the false narrative that the community as a whole experiences the success and affluence of top earners within the community, overshadowing the substantial, underserved low-income APIDA communities across the nation.
As a whole, the APIDA community is often underrepresented by data and thus, frequently overlooked. Many are unaware of the struggling communities within the broad, APIDA umbrella that live in poverty or are in need of social services (sources: Urban Institute, Societies). The notion that the Asian American community is a monolith causes these smaller communities to be neglected and associated with wealth, success, and supposed triumph over other minority groups, despite being in equal need of government assistance. An aspect in which this ignorance has affected the APIDA community is shown through the environmental injustice that many Asian Americans, and BIPOC in general, are victim to.
What is environmental justice?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental justice refers to the “fair treatment of and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies'' (source: EPA). Environmental injustice disproportionately impacts communities of color, specifically in areas that have been gentrified by white-dominated businesses and corporations. In order to reduce the impacts of these injustices, steps must be taken at the local and national levels to create policies such as improving access to clean drinking water and reducing toxic air pollutants (source: Environmental and Climate Justice Solutions).
Examples of Environmental Injustice in APIDA Communities
Environmental justice as a whole has undoubtedly taken its toll on many APIDA communities in the US, where policy disproportionately affects those of our community. In Hawaii, for example, Pacific Islanders have borne the brunt of the increasing need for landfills as waste production increases with population growth. On the island of O’ahu, many know the Leeward Coast is predominantly inhabited by those who are of lower socioeconomic status, a majority of which are Pacific Islanders. In 1987 the state established the Waimanalo Gulch in this community, which became one of the island’s main landfills. Though it was originally supposed to be only used for eight years, it continues to operate even now. Due to this, many Pacific Islanders, and those who are of lower socioeconomic levels have been exposed to tons of pollutants in the air, adversely affecting their health. Though many are pushing for a new landfill to be created so that the Waimanalo Gulch can shut down, a majority of the new proposed locations will continue to be in areas that have populations that are mainly Pacific Islanders (source: Hawaii Public Radio).
Another example of environmental racism is that this past February, an oil spill at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California released 600 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay, spilling for at least two hours before emergency crews were deployed to contain the damage. This refinery has been a point of contention amongst city leaders and environmental justice advocates in Richmond for years, as it is one of the largest sources of pollution in California and has violated various environmental policies – 29 reported by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District between 2016 to 2018 alone. Approximately 80% of Richmond’s population is people of color, including a large community of Laotian refugees and other families of Asian descent, with nearly a fifth below the federal poverty line. The gross oversight of this refinery has resulted in detrimental consequences for these communities of color; 27% of children in Richmond have asthma, nearly double the rate amongst children nationwide, and roughly half the homes reported to have cancer-causing chemicals traced from the facility (source: The Guardian).
Similar patterns can be found on the other side of the nation in Chicago. After hearing about the potential for lead contamination in soil in areas with high industrial activity, urban studies student Kelly Chen brought a sample of her family’s garden soil to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana to be tested. The results showed that there was, in fact, a higher lead content in the soil sample than the EPA designated as safe for gardening. A larger study later showed that five out of six home garden soil samples collected from across Bridgeport came back with results that ranged from potential risk to high risk of lead poisoning. Although there is a higher concentration of home gardens in areas with large populations of Chinese immigrants (Bridgeport, Chinatown), there have been very few studies conducted or resources made available to warn these families of the risk of lead exposure (source: Southside Weekly). Industrialization and urbanization have historically disproportionately affected communities of color, and it is clear that time and time again city officials and corporations will refuse to pay mind to help protect the very families that they exploit.
What can you do?
While there is still a lot to be done to aid communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustice, steps have been taken in recent years to spread awareness and promote active changes. However, change starts with the acknowledgment of these issues and holding those who cause them accountable. Nonprofit organizations such as Climate Justice Alliance and Cultural Survival are actively working to amplify underrepresented voices and collaborate with grassroots movements to demand r government recognition of the urgency of the climate crisis (source: Green Dreamer). If you would like to learn more about what you can do to help the APIDA communities mentioned above, check out the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Chicago Asian Americans for Environmental Justice, and KAHEA - The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance.