Toxic Avengers: America's poisoned and abandoned communities must stand together or die
About this episode
The episode discusses the need for collaboration among affected communities and organizations to combat environmental crises in the U.S.
From the explosion of AI data centers to the increasing number of toxic spills, explosions, and industrial disasters happening across the country, corporations and the government are turning the USA into one giant "sacrifice zone." In "red" states and "blue" states, in rural areas and urban areas, poor and working people are suffering the toxic effects of a crisis that has resulted from decades of deregulation, corporate-capture of government, and the protection of private profits over the lives and health of the public. No one is coming to save us, and nothing is going to change unless residents of different sacrifice zones and poisoned communities, workers and unions on the frontlines of the industries poisoning us, environmental justice groups, community and faith organizations, scientists, journalists, and all others who have a stake in this fight start coming together, working together, and fighting back together. In this special panel discussion, recorded at the 2026 Railroad Workers United convention in Chicago, Illinois, we speak with a panel of guests who are part of a new coalition that is doing just that. Panelists include: Jeff Kurtz, a retired locomotive engineer…
People in this episode
Guests: Jeff Kurtz, Jami Wallace, Dr. Nicole Fabricant
Topics covered
- toxic communities
- environmental justice
- corporate negligence
- community activism
- industrial disasters
- worker solidarity
Keywords
- toxic spills
- sacrifice zones
- deregulation
- community coalition
- environmental health
- worker rights
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Chemically Impacted Communities Coalition
Places: East Palestine, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois
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