Environmental Racism in the Heartland

As a result of a legacy of systemic racism, communities of color and low-income communities in Kansas City face a greater risk of exposure to environmental hazards. These hazards are associated with myriad negative health outcomes including cancer, respiratory illness, and shorter life expectancy. The Kansas City community is experiencing cumulative exposures to hazardous pollutants from heavy freight and diesel-powered transportation and industrial emissions, and current policies are failing to keep people safe from harm. The local environmental justice movement, however, has been working to address these inequities through the establishment of an air monitoring network that provides real-time, local data that people can use to advocate for science-based protections. Local, state, and federal decisionmakers must take note of industry's environmental impacts throughout the city, engage the community in decision-making, and address systemic environmental justice concerns in Kansas City and across the country.