Among the many former presidential executive orders revoked in the last week, one concerns environmental justice in minority communities.

Executive Order 12898, signed by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1994, mandates that all federal agencies actively identify and address disproportionately high and adverse environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations, essentially directing them to incorporate “environmental justice” into their policies and programs to ensure equitable protection for all communities.

So what does this mean for minority communities? Explicitly, it removes additional protections for communities of color that have suffered the brunt of cancer, respiratory and other health disorders as a result of environmental conditions caused by poverty. Agencies like FEMA have been in compliance with this order for decades.

Some of the more well-known examples of environmental injustice include:

Oil and gas projects on tribal reservations: In one such situation, President Biden ordered a 20-year ban on drilling near a tribal site.

Lead in Flint, Michigan: The Flint, Michigan water crisis, and more recently the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, are examples of water contamination issues that have disproportionately impacted low-income and communities of color.

Toxic petrochemical plants in Louisiana: The toxic petrochemical plants in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” have caused “deaths of” miscarriages, high-risk pregnancies, infertility, the poor health of newborns, respiratory ailments, and cancer.”

Despite having fewer resources than wealthier, nonBlack and nonBrown counterparts, communities of color do have people who can work together. Uniting is difficult but it is the only way to develop a response to government inaction on environmental issues when the leadership dismisses, denigrates and defames communities of color.

Do not try to rationalize these Project 2025 actions. As my granddaddy used to tell us, use your six senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste and the most important one: common sense. The act of removing protections against discrimination in employment, education, and health leads to just one factual conclusion: Black lives do not matter to the current administration and they will do whatever in their means to remove us from our rightful places as Americans.

This is our time to step up to protect ourselves from harm by putting our energy, money and efforts where our proverbial mouths are. Join a grassroots organization (or start your own activity) and follow local, state and federal policies closely as they emerge. The political system is designed to keep outsiders from following what elected officials are doing, so don’t try to stay current on your own. There is too much information. Collaborate with other like-minded people, share information and get in involved. Power to the People.

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ColorBlindWork | People. Plants. Purpose. has a primary mission to get people growing their own vegetables, regardless of their background, skin color, sexual/gender identity and ethnicity. Unlike those who claim to be, we are truly colorblind when it comes to helping others. However, we do direct our attention on members of communities of color where the incidence of cancer, heart disease and diabetes are always high.