Rachel Cargle Discusses Educational Aspects of Racial Discrimination in Environmental Issues
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Rachel Cargle, a writer, educator, philanthropist, scholar, and contributing editor at Atmos, is making waves in the fight against systemic racism. Her work is rooted in understanding the interconnectedness of racial oppression and environmental issues, aiming to dismantle systemic racism by addressing both social and environmental well-being.
Cargle believes that to effectively dismantle systemic racism, it's essential to understand the landscape of systemic racism. She emphasizes the importance of self-education, especially for non-Black people, to avoid relying on Black people for information.
Cargle's work on environmental justice is evident in her project, the Great Unlearn, where she invites scholars of colour to discuss their expertise on a topic. She also curates a monthly series on the intersection of race and the environment at Atmos. One of her cover stories for Atmos Volume 04: Cascade focused on Black cowboys.
Cargle acknowledges the impact of environmental racism on Black people and Indigenous communities. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan was a significant moment in her realization of systemic racism's impact on the environment. She often invites Black scholars and Black queer scholars to present their work in her spaces, giving voice to often-untold histories and stories of Black environmentalism.
For Cargle's Black followers, it is a moment of self-understanding and self-possibility to see themselves in various environmental roles. Her work with the Loveland Foundation is particularly rooted in supporting Black women and girls.
The conversation around mental health and environmental issues offers a double opportunity for education and reiteration of the necessity of mental healthcare for the Black community. Cargle understands the weathering that happens to the physical, mental, and emotional health of Black people and believes it's worth deep investment.
Attendees can donate to join the Great Unlearn project. Cargle's non-Black audience recognises the importance of Black people in environmental history, responding positively to the conversations she initiates.
In 2019, Cargle was a guest on Red Table Talk, discussing white privilege. Her work bridges the gap between deep and beautiful scholarship and a public space interested in learning, making her anti-racist work more comprehensive and impactful.
Cargle's approach to systemic racism and environmental justice broadens the understanding of racial justice to include ecological dimensions. This intersectional framework supports her broader activism aimed at challenging and dismantling interlocking systems of oppression, including race and gender.
In conclusion, Cargle's work on environmental justice functions within a holistic fight against systemic racism, reinforcing her mission to reimagine justice by confronting all pillars of oppression simultaneously, thereby making her anti-racist work more comprehensive and impactful.
- Rachel Cargle's work in environmental justice extends to her project, the Great Unlearn, where scholars of color discuss their expertise.
- Cargle's monthly series at Atmos explores the intersection of race and the environment.
- Cargle's recognition of systemic racism's impact on the environment prompted her to focus on Black cowboys in one of her Atmos cover stories.
- Cargle invites Black scholars and Black queer scholars to present their work in her spaces, amplifying often-untold histories and stories of Black environmentalism.
- Cargle's work with the Loveland Foundation is geared towards supporting Black women and girls.
- Cargle's approach to systemic racism and environmental justice is comprehensive, as it addresses the ecological dimensions of racial justice in an effort to challenge interlocking systems of oppression.
