Bridging the Gap Between Environmental and Social Justice

Abstract

Defensores de la Cuenca, a Latin@-led environmental justice nonprofit, works to empower Latino youth in the environmental job sector, create new green space through tree planting initiatives, and inform the community about the efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Despite their work, social issues and determinants such as poverty, trash, and built environment have impeded the success of their long-term organizational goals. To combat these issues, Defensores wants to enter the realm of social justice while remaining an environmental justice organization centered on Latino advocacy. This paper aims to aid that entrance by exploring three key themes: the intersection of environmental and social justice, how social justice can engage Latin@s, and how environmental and social justice can converge to serve Latin@s. Using a literature review as well as case studies, the research made four key analytical findings: intersections of social and environmental justice, interorganizational movements, identifying issues that matter, and mobilizing Latin@s. From these findings, six recommendations were created for Defensores de la Cuenca: find a specific area of interest, connect current environmental and social priorities, understand the values of the Latin@ community, identify specific ways the Latin@ community is affected by the chosen issues, find alliances with like-minded organizations, and make initial goals small. By following these recommendations, Defensores de la Cuenca will be better equipped in their venture into social justice work paired with their environmental justice work.