Evangelist Charlotte Keyes presented the shocking story of environmental violence and injustice in her community and talked about her organization's commitment to fight for justice.

Thursday, April 17th, 4:30pm, in the Poverty Initiative Office

In January 2008, participants in the Poverty Initiative Immersion Course visited the community of Columbia, Mississippi to visit with the group Jesus People Against Pollution (JPAP).  The community members of Columbia, Mississippi have endured environmental injustice since the explosion of the Reichhold Chemicals plant in 1977. JPAP and its founding Executive Director, Charlotte Keyes, have worked diligently for the past 15 years to raise awareness of the plight of the “forgotten people” of the Webb Corner/Chinaberry Communities in the area surrounding the former Reichhold plant site.

Participants in the immersion course have been working with Charlotte and community members in the Bronx to bring her to take part in NY Bronx Earth Day activities and to meet with environmental groups here in NYC.  She will also be speaking at Judson Memorial Church, and at a NY public elementary school about the environmental situation in Columbia Mississippi.

For more information, please contact Judith Scott (js3100@columbia.edu) or Anne King (aek2117@columbia.edu).