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EP168: Poisoned by Policy with Laura Cortez (East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice)
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What do you do when corporations and politicians treat your neighborhood as expendable?
In this episode, Laura Cortez, organizer and co-director of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ), discusses growing up in Southeast LA, where pollution was treated as “normal,” and realizing it was environmental racism by design. We dig into EYCEJ’s history and victories: from shutting down the Exide battery plant to stopping the 710 freeway expansion
This is a conversation about grassroots power, holding systems accountable, and how collective action turns survival into lasting change.
Show Notes:
00:15 Meet Lara Cortez: Environmental Justice Advocate
00:50 Growing Up in Southeast LA
01:43 Discovering Environmental Injustices
02:14 Lara's Journey into Environmental Justice
07:50 The Impact of Pollution and Racism
09:22 Organizing for Change
11:42 The Power of Community and Culture
14:05 Navigating Bureaucratic Obstacles
21:51 Celebrating Wins in Environmental Justice
24:00 Community Actions and Organizing Efforts
25:31 EPA's Involvement and Legal Challenges
26:14 Victory Against Freeway Expansion
26:59 Exide Battery Plant Closure
28:39 Ongoing Cleanup and Local Hiring
30:38 Lead Contamination and Health Impacts
33:30 Community Engagement and Solidarity
42:37 Encouragement for New Activists
44:34 National and Regional Collaborations
46:50 Conclusion and Call to Action
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