Celebrating Black Environmental Leadership
This Black History Month, we honor the contributions of Black Canadian leaders who are leading the charge in raising awareness and acting toward environmental justice. While environmental problems affect everyone, marginalized and low-income Black communities are often more severely impacted by adverse environmental effects.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission identifies these issues, ranging from health effects from higher exposure to pollution to limited access to clean water, typically stemming from deep-rooted social, economic, and racial inequalities.
As advocates of diversity, equity, and inclusion within sustainability, Western recognizes a few of the many Black environmental leaders in Canada who are dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable future.
Black Environmental Leaders in Canada
Larissa Crawford is an environmental activist with Métis and Jamaican ancestry and the founder of Future Ancestors Services, an Indigenous and Black-owned, youth-led organization dedicated to integrating sustainability with equity, culture, and climate action. Larissa’s work emphasizes the need to center Indigenous wisdom in sustainability efforts, recognizing that Indigenous communities hold invaluable knowledge about environmental stewardship.
Julius Lindsay is a former community energy and climate change specialist for the City of Mississauga and now a Director of Sustainable communities for the David Suzuki Foundation. Julius’ work focuses on raising awareness of climate change effects on marginalized communities and building bridges between strategic climate action and the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
Dr. Ingrid Waldron is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program at McMaster University. Dr. Waldron is a leader in environmental justice research, focusing on how Black and Indigenous communities in Canada are impacted by environmental degradation and highlights the intersections between race, environmental harms, and health disparities in marginalized communities.
A Moment to Reflect
These remarkable individuals have made remarkable progress towards Black environmental leadership in Canada. Larissa, Julius, and Dr. Waldron are creating lasting change by combining technical expertise, a community-driven approach, and a commitment to equity. Their work proves that it is not just about reducing emissions—it’s about ensuring that all communities are represented in our vision of a sustainable future.
This February, take a moment to learn more about these leaders and consider how you can think about environmental sustainability and justice with a more inclusive and equitable lens.
Their efforts remind us that the path to a sustainable future requires the collaboration of all communities and that a just transition does not leave anyone behind.
