GEOG 339 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: North Richmond, California, Institutional Racism, Lead Poisoning
Document Summary
Atlantic highlands, nj: humanities press international. file main argument: communities are not all created equal. Environmental regulations have not uniformly benefited all segments of society. People of color are disproportionately harmed by industrial toxins on their jobs and in their neighborhoods. Dirty air and drinking water - byproduct of landfills, polluting industries, etc. The nation was founded on principles of free land" (stolen from native americans and mexican), free labor" (cruelly extracted from african slaves), and free men" (white men with property). Institutional racism shaped the economic, political, and ecological landscape and buttressed the exploitation of both land and people. Subjugation of people to an ecologically-destructive economic order by entities over which the people have no control . Racism influences the likelihood of exposure to environmental and health risks and the accessibility to health care. Whites of all class levels have an edge in gaining access to a healthy physical environment.
