Leah Thomas: Environmentalists for BLM

“[Intersectional Environmentalism] is an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. It identifies the ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimize or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people + the planet.” – Leah Thomas

Leah Thomas is a self-identified intersectional environmental activist, eco-communicator, and blogger. After the murder of George Floyd, Thomas was not hearing much support for Black lives from the environmental community. Thomas took to Instagram to post about intersectional environmentalism, she explains in the linked BuzzFeed video below.

“[I] really wanted to encourage environmentalists that I’ve stood alongside in climate protests to stand alongside me and all the Black people in America right now.” – Leah Thomas

Thomas was surprised at the positive responses to her post. Since then, she founded and launched intersectionalenvironmentalist.com, created by Diandra Esparza and Sabs Katz, as a platform for compiling resources, information, and actions to support intersectional environmentalism and dismantle systems of oppression in the environmental movement.

“It seems like it’s clicking with more people that if environmentalism isn’t inclusive and intersectional, then it doesn’t really stand for justice at all in the first place.

Watch BuzzFeed’s How Black Lives Matter And Environmental Justice Are Connected, visit Thomas’s blog, Green Girl Leah, and explore the new Intersectional Environmentalist website, which is in the midst of its launch, to learn more about intersectional environmentalism and stay updated on how to get involved.

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