Usually, I am on Twitter myself... Not speaking for @FlaDemEnvCaucus. But NOW, it is important to say this: Most members of this (all volunteer) org understand environmental justice is about trying to right the historical and systematic mistreatment of people of color.

In 1960s, Lee County, Florida, the city of Fort Myers dumped toxic sludge in a vacant lot in the then segregated black part of town. Contaminated there drinking water. This was structural violence. That part of town remained technically segregated through the 1980s.

This slow poisoning of people of color happened over decades. It was structural violence. It was written into how things were done here. Much like the water in Flint Michigan.

Historical racism dictates where certain people tend to live. People of color are pushed into the margins and into more dangerous areas. The areas where they already live are often targeted for industrial projects. We've seen this over and over again.

Active violence is quicker. When it's done by people who are supposed to be protecting us, we are horrified as we should be. City officials who chose to poison their most vulnerable is slower unless shocking but just as horrible.

Environmental degradation hits people of color harder. Pandemics hit people of color harder. And faster. We cannot separate race, gender, economics from environmental policy... (Which is always political, no matter how people line to protest). Nor can we separate health.