Shutterstock/DropOfWax
By Lisa Biehle Files
For more than a decade, One Earth Film Festival has featured films about a range of topics from climate change to plastic waste to water justice to conservation. Thankfully, with the increase in available media, arts, and storytelling, another topic has taken center stage: environmental and climate justice at home and abroad. Not only are there more shareable stories on which One Earth can shine a light, but we are grateful to be in conversation with and learning from environmental justice leaders across the Chicago region and beyond.
In April, three fourths of the 2024 One Earth Film Festival films focused on environmental justice, defined as the right to a clean environment (air, water, etc.) regardless of race, color, national origin, or income. Unfortunately, stories of environmental injustice abound across the globe; and some of these were featured at the Fest:
“Earthbound: Nzambi Matee” demonstrated an inventive solution for overabundant plastic waste in Nairobi, Kenya: transform it into paving bricks. Formerly, Nzambi Matee had worked as an engineer for the oil and gas industry.
“A Good Neighbor” followed Latina single mother Lucy Molina’s fight against racism and climate change as she campaigned for city council in one of the nation’s most polluted zip codes: Commerce City, Colorado.
“Patrol” took place in Nicaragua, where illegal cattle ranchers and miners are destroying the Indio-Maiz Biological Reserve, one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America.
“Razing Liberty Square” showed the move away from the coast and towards higher ground in Miami, Florida. Liberty Square, an historically Black community, just happens to be on that higher, more desirable ground (this film is free to watch here on PBS any time).
“Upstream, Downriver” gave an historical perspective on landmark regulations that reduced water pollution in the U.S. while failing to serve the communities hardest hit by the climate crisis.
“Wings of Dust” documented Peruvian indigenous journalist Vidal Merma’s fight for clean drinking water for the K’ana Nation amid mineral mining on a large scale.
One Earth Film Fest Executive Director Ana Garcia-Doyle explained, "As an environmental and climate justice film festival based in Chicago, there is unfortunately ongoing opportunity to expose the toxic sacrifice zones in and around our city. We lift the voices of our courageous Southeast side communities in Hegewisch, Altgeld Gardens, McKinley Park, Little Village, and so many others who have bravely and unapologetically fought generations of environmental racism—and who can show us the importance of demanding and working to build a more just environmental future. Global stories-on-film continue to echo the stories of our Chicago environmental justice communities, as well. While these injustices befall specific communities, it is ALL of ours to fight and undo."
Garcia-Doyle and her team put together a list of ways to take action on environmental justice from connecting with eco-justice organizations to writing to your legislators. If you are looking for even more ways to take action, visit the One Earth website page Take Action for the Planet.