What a great sermon and reflection on environmental justice as a way of loving God and our neighbor. Thank you for posting this. I particularly appreciate how you hold up Sharon Lavigne as an exemplar. You may be aware that journalist James Bruggers wrote a piece about how Lavigne and many of the leaders seeking environmental justice in Cancer Alley are Black women of faith. At a time when so many environmental issues tend to get categorized as primarily "technical" and "policy" issues in nature, you point to the fact that these are first and foremost matters of the heart and matters of basic human decency (that also have obvious technical and policy dimensions to them). In other words, these are matters that ought to be central for how we live out our faith in a society that has grown far too accustomed to concentrating environmental sacrifices "over there" in places like Cancer Alley so that we can live in healthier and greener environments "over here" in our communities.
Sue this is truly powerful. These are facts and sobering statistics about so many "Cancer Alleys" that we as a culture cannot turn away from. Thank you for including Sharon Lavigne's inspiring story and the references to "Caste" - one of the most powerful books on race that I have ever read. I hope the response you got to this sermon included interest in the upcoming trip to these areas!
Kathleen---I'm with you 100%. Creating meaning, connection and purpose is joyful work. And by the way, that is how we create a future that we want to live in! I loved your last several posts. Will miss you over the summer!
What a great sermon and reflection on environmental justice as a way of loving God and our neighbor. Thank you for posting this. I particularly appreciate how you hold up Sharon Lavigne as an exemplar. You may be aware that journalist James Bruggers wrote a piece about how Lavigne and many of the leaders seeking environmental justice in Cancer Alley are Black women of faith. At a time when so many environmental issues tend to get categorized as primarily "technical" and "policy" issues in nature, you point to the fact that these are first and foremost matters of the heart and matters of basic human decency (that also have obvious technical and policy dimensions to them). In other words, these are matters that ought to be central for how we live out our faith in a society that has grown far too accustomed to concentrating environmental sacrifices "over there" in places like Cancer Alley so that we can live in healthier and greener environments "over here" in our communities.
Sue this is truly powerful. These are facts and sobering statistics about so many "Cancer Alleys" that we as a culture cannot turn away from. Thank you for including Sharon Lavigne's inspiring story and the references to "Caste" - one of the most powerful books on race that I have ever read. I hope the response you got to this sermon included interest in the upcoming trip to these areas!
Thanks Kym. Yes---good response, especially since it was a longer piece. Some people still read, and that I find encouraging!
Kathleen---I'm with you 100%. Creating meaning, connection and purpose is joyful work. And by the way, that is how we create a future that we want to live in! I loved your last several posts. Will miss you over the summer!