Vol . 2 | November 2021 V OIC E S INSIDE THIS ISSUE Black Church & Social Justice Black Aviation +MORE Vol. 8 | AUGUST 2023 THE Environmental Justice ISSUE
Ain’t no stopping us now! Ain’t no stopping us in the past Ain’t no stopping us now! You might be able to slow us down But you can’t stop us You might be able to force us to a detour But you can’t stop us You might be able to deny us our rights But you can’t stop us You might steal from us But you can’t stop us You can discriminate against us But you can’t stop us You can call us names But you can’t stop us Age can’t stop us because our children will carry on Unfair laws can’t stop us because we will see that they are overturned Lies can’t stop us because we will tell the truth Fear can’t stop us because we will fight fear with courage and resolve No matter what you try No matter what you do No matter how you do it You can’t stop us. YOU CAN’T STOP US BY JOSEPH LAWSON
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 3 Table of Contents 6 Is Clean Water Achievable in Sussex County? 18 From Environmental Racism to Environmental Justice 10 20 A Journey Back in Time with Lewes Native Kitty Perry 2023 SDARJ Charlotte King Scholarship Recipients 12 Movers and Shakers 22 In My Opinion 14 24 Champions of Environmental Justice To Your Health We are excited to be partnering with United Way of Delaware and Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative, and we thank them for their generous contribution to Black Voices. 24 A CONVERSATION WITH BRYAN STEVENSON THE CURRENT | VOL. 08 In the July 13 edition of local paperzine, The Current, writer Eileen Smith Dallabrida tells the story of lawyer, activist, best-selling author – and Milton native, Bryan Stevenson. If you didn't already consider this National Humanities Medal recipient a legend, you will after reading this interview. SEE EAT DO PLAY | FREE VOL. 09 | THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2023 THIS WEEK ON THE CAPE LAWYER AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST, BRYAN STEVENSON Good Read Read Here
4 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 From the Editor Back in the 90s, I received a grant to complete a healthcare needs assessment in the low income, predominantly Black South Baltimore communities of Cherry Hill, Curtis Bay and Brooklyn, all of which were situated perilously close to the BRESCO waste incinerator. The idea behind this project was to provide results that the city could use in service planning for the future. What I did not know at the time was that this industrial pollution machine constantly emitted a host of truly dangerous pollutants, from nitrogen and sulfur oxides, to lead and mercury. But I did document what that pollution had caused – an incidence of cancer, asthma and respiratory disease that was among the highest in the U.S. And after talking to community leaders and healthcare providers there, the horrifying story behind those statistics emerged. A story that I have followed closely to this day. These communities had long been victims of environmental racism, given years of discriminatory zoning practices; a lack of environmental regulation; and severe underfunding, which had placed them in the center of a toxic industrial park. Even more startling, while the oil refineries and steel plants are now shut down, the BRESCO incinerator still spews some 653,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year, with no real end in sight. Of course, Baltimore is not the only place with a long and troubling history of environmental racism that has resulted in the official sanctioning of life-threatening exposure for people of color to a variety of poisons and pollutants. In fact, studies show that low-income, Black Americans are 75% more likely to live and work near “fenceline zones” (communities that closely border toxic industrial facilities). Likewise, we are grappling with this phenomenon here and now in Sussex County communities of color, where chicken processing plants have leached toxic wastewater into local wells, causing a variety of serious health problems. But as an issue that is deeply rooted in longstanding racial discrimination, it is only now beginning to receive any widespread media attention, thanks in large part to President Biden’s groundbreaking Justice40 Initiative. So in fulfilling our mission to further educate our readers, we have devoted a significant portion of this issue of Black Voices to Delaware’s steadily expanding environmental justice movement, particularly as it assumes an ever more essential role here in Sussex County. In her lead article, “Is Clean Water Achievable in Sussex County?” Jessica Clarke explores the ongoing Mountaire Farms water contamination controversy through the eyes of Millsboro residents, who have felt the greatest impact. Nancy Sakaduski also showcases environmental justice champions, Michele Roberts and State Representative Larry Lambert, who are leading the Justice40 charge in Delaware. Likewise, our To Your Health column offers an indepth perspective around how big tobacco uses yet another environmental hazard – menthol cigarettes – to target Black Americans, along with a list of local resources to help kick the habit. In other news, we have profiled this year’s impressive roster of Charlotte King Scholarship awardees, along with Kitty Perry, who takes us back in time to the Lewes neighborhood she will always call home. What’s more, Charlotte King and Jane Hovington have recounted Sussex County native Tony Neal’s compelling story of triumph over adversity, culminating with his most recent accomplishment as the first Black man ever elected to the Georgetown Town Council, To round out this issue, we added an excellent opinion piece on prison reform. Jay Schiavo also reviews a compelling book by legal expert Sheryll Cashin (White Space, Black Hood), while Janis Freeman provides an excellent assessment of the SDARJ seminar, “Dialogue Toward Ending Racism,” which will hold its next session in October. I hope you will not only enjoy reading this issue of Black Voices, but will also share it with your family and friends, as it explores some pretty important issues that ultimately affect us all, regardless of our age, gender and racial/ethnic identity. In the meantime, let me leave you with an inspiring quote from environmental and social justice activist, Leah Thomas: “We can’t save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people, especially those most often unheard.” KATHY HARVATT Editor-in-Chief, Lewes, DE
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 5 Are you liking Black Voices? Do you want to hear more? Please help us continue with and grow this publication dedicated to publishing news and viewpoints of Black citizens. Here is how you can help: Donate: Black Voices is currently offered to its readers without a paid subscription. However, we would deeply appreciate donations. If you wish to donate to Black Voices, please go sdarj.org website, find the donation button and click to donate. Advertise: Black Voices will begin to accept advertising in our August/ September edition. Black Voices has a circulation of 17,100 that is inserted into the Cape Gazette and other publications in Western Sussex County, a growing list of other hard copy readers to whom we mail directly, and a large digital audience across the state and out of state. Our rates are competitive, only $300 for a full page. For more information about advertising contact us at: advertiseblackvoices.sdarj.org People to Know, Things to See Editorial Board EDITORS: Charlotte King, Founder and Chair of SDARJ Kathleen Harvatt, Editor-in-Chief Susan Goekler, proofreader/editor Rev. Dania Griffin, contributor Jessica Clark, contributor Diaz Bonnville, editor-at-large Black Voices is a quarterly (February, May, August, November) publication of the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice. Black Voices articles may be copied for personal use, but proper notice of copyright and credit to Black Voices must appear on all copies made. The views expressed do not necessarily represent positions of SDARJ. The Editorial Staff is committed to producing a publication that is a truthful learning opportunity for the entire community. All are invited to lend their voices via letters to the editor, commentaries and articles of interest. Submissions are reviewed by the editorial board and may be edited for brevity and clarification. We regret we cannot return any unsolicited articles, photos or other materials. Contact us at: [email protected] Your donation to the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice is important to us. Please scan to donate or send your donation by mail: Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice (SDARJ) P.O. Box 306 Lewes, Delaware 19958 Our thanks to Matt Haley Trust The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice extends their deepest appreciation to the Matt Haley Trust for its generous grant that has helped us grow and expand the readership of Black Voices. Thank you also to Patricia Riviera, owner of Hook PR and Marketing, who serves as our liaison to the Trust. UPCOMING EVENTS BOOK & FILM: Ernie Freeman: The Man in His Time A new ray of understanding with a wide view of Ernie Freeman’s trademark as composer, arranger, conductor, producer, director, bandleader, orchestra leader and voice coach. Lewes Library, both in person and via Zoom Aug 22, 2023 | 6:00 pm BOOK & FILM: Who We Are – A Chronicle of Racism in America Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America. Lewes Library, September 26, 2023 | 6:00 pm
6 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Like its neighboring states, Delaware has a system in place for tracking water quality. Its Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) monitors the bays, ponds, streams, and rivers on a regular basis to assess the quality of Delaware’s surface waters. The Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program also collects data on the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics to include several species of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus. The U.S. Geological Survey and other groups and federal agencies, academic institutions, and citizen volunteer monitoring programs contribute to these efforts, as well, while the University of Delaware actively collects data on water quality conditions in the Broadkill River and Inland Bays Watersheds. Yet despite these controls, contaminated drinking water has long been an environmental justice issue for rural communities of color in Sussex County located near poultry processing plants, which release toxic wastewater that finds its way into local wells and waterways. But thanks to a group of residents in Millsboro, it has recently garnered plenty of media attention, after they sued Mountaire Farms – one particularly egregious polluter. Mountaire Farms – A Major Presence in Sussex County Based in Arkansas, Mountaire Farms is an agricultural food production and processing company that employees more than 10,000 workers, with revenue of more than $2 billion annually. Having expanded operations to Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, it finally established its headquarters in Millsboro, Delaware in 2000. The corporation serves United States’ and foreign markets as far away as Asia; and in Delaware, plays a major role in Sussex County’s economy. In fact, the poultry processing plant is the main employer in Millsboro where per capita income is $10,000 below the national average. According to its website, Mountaire is “…now the fourth largest chicken company in the United States, still family owned.” Moreover, in accordance with its creed, the company pledges “…to be good stewards of all of the assets that God has entrusted to us…” and “that the health of humans, animals and the environment are inseparable.” Mountaire has also become known for its generosity, including scholarship programs like its Farm to Table Scholarship, which awards $2,000 a month to one qualified high school senior with a passion for agriculture, the culinary arts, or related fields supporting food production. Two overall winners – named at the end of the academic year – then receive an additional $5,000 scholarship. In April 2023, employee volunteers partnered with the Bethany-Fenwick area Chamber of Commerce and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays for a Coastal Community Cleanup on Earth Day, while more than 150 volunteers packed 5,000 food boxes to feed 20,000 people for the corporation’s annual Easter for Thousands. Likewise, Mountaire feeds thousands of folks at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And in line with its commitment “to giving back to the communities where we do business,” Mountaire supports the Little League; the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club and preschool; the local fire company; and multiple community organizations. Yet while its community contributions are certainly notable, the company is now embroiled in a major legal battle over its longstanding failure to protect the groundwater there from extremely dangerous levels of pollution. An Environmental Disaster In late 2017, many Millsboro residents found large pallets of water bottles on their porches, along with a note from their “Friends at Mountaire” Is Clean Water Achievable in Sussex County? BY JESSICA CLARK
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 7 cautioning them not to drink the water their wells produced from the northern Columbia aquifer. There were no other explanations until the media broke the story. Hundreds of gallons of effluent containing 41 times the permitted levels of nitrates and 5,500 times the permitted level for fecal coliform were released onto hundreds of acres of farm fields. Additionally, Mountaire failed to report crucial data about its activities to the state, even after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered the company to stop polluting more than a decade earlier.1 Two residents of Jersey Road live about a mile from the Mountaire Farms plant. Called Anne and Nancy for this article (as they fear retribution because their claims are not yet settled), they immediately joined the class action suit, which ultimately expanded to thousands of members. Anne lives on the north side of the Indian River estuary and Nancy lives across the street. The estuary leads to the Indian River Bay, an Atlantic Ocean inlet, and the Indian River inlet. According to the Delaware Superior Court lawsuit, Mountaire “sprayed billions of gallons of highly contaminated wastewater and liquefied sludge onto fields,” which then percolated into the groundwater for nearly two decades. A 2021 Washington Post article – written by journalist, Darryl Fears, who focuses on environmental justice issues – also stated that wastewater was contaminated with nitrogen, phosphorus, and other chemicals. As he wrote: Daily, the company drenched spraying fields around the plant with two million gallons of largely untreated wastewater. It maintained 9 million-gallon lagoons that leaked into Swan Creek, which flows into the Indian River. Nitrogen also trickled into the groundwater. The nitrate level reached more than 25 parts per million, far exceeding safety limits and raising the risk of severe health problems, including cancers of the bladder and stomach as well as brain tumors. Other ailments include birth defects, pre-term births, and ‘blue baby syndrome,’ a condition that is fatal to newborns. What’s more, the Plaintiffs’ lawyers maintained that nitrate toxicity caused high rates of cancer, gastrointestinal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, diarrhea, wheezing, shortness of breath, other ailments, and deaths. Likewise, the polluted air was ripe with hydrogen sulfite that smelled like rotten eggs. The 2021 $205 Million Settlement In April 2021, The Cape Gazette and WMDT.com reported Delaware Superior Court judge Craig Karsnitz approved a $65 million settlement for more than 3,000 people neighboring the poultry plant, who rely on the Columbia aquifer for water. Mountaire also entered into a federal consent decree requiring it to upgrade its waste water treatment facility; remediate groundwater contamination; and provide safe drinking water to affected residents through either a central water system, deeper wells, or individual, whole-home filtration systems. As ordered, it would cost the company $120 million, along with another $20 million for maintaining the improved operations. At the time, Mountaire officials told 47ABC they did not believe they caused any damage to any of the plaintiffs but chose to settle in order to Is Clean Water Achievable in Sussex County? BY JESSICA CLARK General Mountaire site map Continued on Page 8 ➜ 1 Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA has set a maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L or 10 ppm (parts per million) of nitrate in drinking water. However, the Delaware Health and Human Services agency states that private wells are not regulated under SDWA.
8 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 achieve a final resolution, as well as allow construction of the new wastewater treatment plant that would allow continued operations. Permits were issued in January 2021. Residents’ Dilemmas A court-appointed official was assigned to determine how the $65M settlement will be split among the class of 7,200 eligible plaintiffs. And to receive a portion, Class Members like Nancy and Anne, are required to “submit a valid and timely claim as well as the severity of each member’s injuries and damages.” “In the beginning, since I have health problems, lawyers came to my house regularly. I wasn’t informed when I must make some decisions about settling. Now, I have many more questions about how to settle and I can’t get return phone calls,” Nancy says. “Can I get a deeper well and/or a whole house filtration system, or both, to guarantee safe water? Or is it too late?” Nancy and her husband built their house in 2004 upon moving from the Philadelphia area. After being diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2011, he died in 2012. Seven years later, Nancy learned she had congestive heart failure and chronic kidney disease. “I was told by my lawyer that even if our health problems could be attributed to bad water quality, it would be difficult to amass the large amount of medical documents, particularly since we lived in Philadelphia and now Millsboro, to prove causation,” she recalls. “Additionally, my husband served with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam and was exposed to Agent Orange. I don’t have faith in the outcome. They are waiting for me to die.” In Anne’s case, her parents bought two houses in 1984 and lived there until their deaths in 2011 and 2015. “My father had A-fib, an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots in the heart; cancer; circulation problems; and problems with his intestines resulting in a colostomy. My mother had an irregular heartbeat, became immobile and then bedridden before she died.” Anne and her husband retired and moved from New Jersey into her parents’ home in 2015, next door to her daughter, her daughter’s fiancée, and two grandchildren. Anne suffers from constant itching after bathing, skin breakouts on her upper torso, and yeast infections. After the move to Delaware, her husband was diagnosed with heart problems and had a pacemaker installed. “When I spoke with my lawyer about having public water, he commented it was ‘not possible, out the window,’” Anne says. So Anne chose the whole house filtration system and a deeper well as her best alternative. “I did accept a check for $2,500 so I don’t know if that was the final settlement.” Recently, Nancy left a message with her attorney to request a deeper well and the whole house filtration system as her settlement to guarantee safe water; and as of this publication, has not received an answer. Possible Solutions? Approximately 15% of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, which are not subject to EPA standards. As a result, elevated nitrate concentrations are most common in domestic wells that are shallow – less than 100 feet deep. A DNREC hydrologist, who wished to remain anonymous, told this writer, “Twenty-five percent of wells in Sussex County have nitrates over the EPA drinking water standards of 10 parts per million (ppm) or 10 mg/L from runoff of agricultural farming based on groundwater studies.” Indeed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shallow, rural domestic wells are those most likely to be contaminated with nitrates, especially in areas where nitrogen-based fertilizers are widely used. Moreover, contamination of animal or human organic wastes can raise the concentration of nitrate in water. That said, aquifers – water bearing rocks that convey water to wells and springs – can offer some protection against nitrate pollution if they
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 9 are, in fact, confined (i.e. contain a layer of material, usually clay, between it and the surface). In addressing this issue, the DNREC hydrologist also stated, The Columbia aquifer is about 110 feet in the Millsboro area. Residents who install a well at 65 feet deep would not have a protective clay layer. Residents can put in a well to a depth of 90 feet. When drilling wells deeper than 170 feet, other contaminants may be present. Additionally, there are water systems that can remove contaminants such as iron, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, and hydrogen sulfide. They are generally more complicated systems. Ellendale, a community of roughly 549 people, solved the problems of contaminated wells by implementing a public central water system, after decades of pushing for one. The project finally got off the ground in 2018 after final passage of a third referendum, with the help of a partnership between Sussex County and Artesian Water Company, and funding from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services Bond Bill. Longtime resident, former mayor, and then-president of the Ellendale Civic Community Improvement Association (ECCI), Delores Price, worked tirelessly and tenaciously to convince other residents to connect to the central water system. As she explains: “Our town, surrounded by forests, farms, and swampy areas not far from the Delaware Bay, is gradually succumbing to housing developments. These factors contributed to overreach for water supplies, the water table changed, and many of the wells were not deep enough and failed. I had to replace my well two times when it went dry. You could dig six feet and never see water. Runoffs from farms and intricate and far-reaching farming irrigation systems contributed also.” Loretta Benson, now President of ECCI, adds, “The water smelled. We couldn’t use it. It took more than 20 years for the project to become a reality. Most residents connected to the present system at no cost. Water bills are usually $25 a quarter, so it is affordable – and now safe to drink and bathe.” “Many residents primarily in the center of town connected at the beginning but the residents who chose not to, will have to pay in the future to connect,” Price concludes. Latest Updates As legal remedies continue, DNREC spokesperson Michael J. Globetti provided this recent update on progress made thus far: …Mountaire has completed Phase 1 upgrades as required under the construction permit of January 11, 2021, and Phase 1 upgrades are up and running. System upgrades will allow enhanced treatment of the plant’s wastewater effluent to a total nitrogen concentration of 10 mg/L prior to disposal via spray irrigation. All remaining upgrades are scheduled to be in place by the end of January 2024. Mountaire will be inspected biannually (i.e., once every two years). DNREC staff will visit the site on multiple occasions, meet with Mountaire staff, and observe wastewater treatment plant upgrade status. Meanwhile, many Millsboro class action members are being pressured to make a settlement decision. Jessica Clark Jessica Clark is a University of Maryland, School of Journalism, graduate. After a 30-year career as a Public Information Specialist and photojournalist for several federal agencies, the Library of Congress, the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C., she retired to Georgetown, Delaware, where she restored the former Governor John Collins’ 1790s home on Collins Pond. Jessica now freelances and volunteers for several nonprofits, and is a Sussex County Master Gardener.
10 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 A Journey Back in Time with Lewes Native Kitty Perry BY KATHY HARVATT Celebrated as the “first town in the first state,” Lewes has come to mean many things to many people over the years. From year-round residence to summer beach retreat; underground railroad stop to coastal defense installation; rolling cornfields to sweeping sand dunes and vast marshlands. But for Kitty Perry, Lewes will always be “home,” a sentiment she eloquently shares in 3 Degrees of Connection, a documentary about the city’s evolution from a once diverse maritime community to a gentrified haven for affluent retirees and tourists, where rampant development in the face of escalating climate change portends an uncertain future. Co-produced by local resident Ric Moore and award-winning filmmaker Brad Mays, it tells a compelling story through the eyes of those like Perry who know it best. And I had the great pleasure of interviewing this lovely lady recently when she came here to speak to members of a private film club, gathered at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Lewes to screen the documentary. Early Days in Chamomile Born at home on W. 4th Street – back in the day when Black mothers couldn’t deliver their babies in the local hospital – Perry spent her youth in what was then called “Chamomile,” one of the town’s self-sustaining historic Black neighborhoods. “Life was great for us growing up in Lewes back in the 50s. We were all just one big close-knit family…everyone was related somehow,” Perry recalled with a smile. “There was plenty to do here, as well. We kids would gather and hang out on the Black ballfield in the middle of the neighborhood [where the Shipcarpenter Square development now stands] or at house parties once we started high school. Our parents would relax at one of the local Black establishments in the Chamomile, like my grandfather’s bar after a long day out on the fishing boats. Or the Happy Day Club, to enjoy entertainers like Duke Ellington or James Brown, who all traveled here on what we called the ‘chitlin circuit.’” It was during this time, as well, that the Fish Products Co. under the leadership of its CEO Otis Smith (who also served as the town’s mayor from 1950 – 1968) not only broke with state law to integrate its workforce, but also helped Lewes become the nation’s largest seafood port. As Perry puts it, “Otis Smith was a great man and a great mayor, who believed that segregation was immoral. He transformed this town with his business, by putting lots of the townfolk – Black and White – to work sideby-side on the fishing boats, where they earned a good wage.” After graduating from William C. Jason, the first Black secondary school in Sussex County, Perry left Lewes to attend Apex Beauty Culture College in Philadelphia. And upon passing her state board, she returned home to work in her cousin’s beauty shop for a couple of years before opening her own shop on the corner of Park Avenue and W. 4th Street. Moving On She soon married Bradford Perry from Rehoboth,
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 11 and moved to Annapolis, Md. in 1963 – not long after the “Great Storm of ’62,” during which many local families lost everything they had. While there, her new husband worked as a cook at the U.S. Naval Academy, and she as a team member at Sears. “Back then, there certainly weren’t any Black middies at the Academy,” Perry said. “But everyone loved my husband’s food. So he worked there until 1970 when we decided to come back home to Delaware. My parents let us stay with them in Lewes for a bit until he got a job as a chef in Dover, where we then relocated and raised our children.” Although Sears in Annapolis had transferred her to their operation in Dover, Perry was initially told she could not work there because of her skin color. But when her former store intervened, she was given a job in the children’s department. After only a couple of weeks there, she was asked to help open the new Sears facility in Salisbury, Md. “Home” Is Now A Place She Hardly Recognizes When her husband died in 2007, Perry returned once again to visit family and friends in Lewes, only to find that her hometown was changing quickly – and not for the better. “Mmm…mmm,” she uttered, shaking her head. “It was so congested here, with too many houses and cars everywhere. My old neighborhood was unrecognizable. What had once been dirt roads running through Chamomile were now paved and the Pilottown development had been built on the Johnson family’s farm land. The house I grew up in is gone, just like most of those that were there in my childhood. And of course, the ballfield was now Shipcarpenter Square. It makes me a little sad every time I come back.” When the 3 Degrees documentary team initially asked Perry to tell her story on film, she was excited to have the opportunity. And according to Mays, she was “truly amazing…a beautiful lady who is living, breathing human history. It’s folks like Miss Kitty who inspire my work as a filmmaker.” Researchers at Yale reported that Black Americans have higher exposure rates than White Americans for 13 out of 14 air pollutants. A recent EPA study also found that regardless of region or income, 71% of Black Americans live in counties that are noncompliant with federal air pollution standards compared to only 58% of non-Hispanic White Americans, and are three times more likely to die because of air pollutants. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Black Americans have a 36% higher rate of incidence of asthma, which is strongly associated with air pollution. A 2014 study entitled Race, Poverty, and Chemical Disasters found that Black people are 75% more likely to live near fenceline zones (places super close to chemical facilities) than other populations, thus exposing them to air and water borne chemicals that are closely linked to cancer, birth defects, chronic illnesses, and more. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported in 2017 that low-income people of color are more likely to live and work in frontline communities – those that experience the “first and worst” consequences of climate change (e.g. storms and floods). A study team from Harvard University found that Black Americans are more likely than White Americans to have elevated blood lead levels, while 11.2% of Black children are poisoned by lead compared to 2.3% of White children. Did you know? Watch the Film
12 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 On June 12, 2023 Sussex County took another hopeful step toward building a more diverse, inclusive and equitable community, when Tony Neal was sworn in as the first Black man to serve on the Georgetown Town Council. Indeed, his election represents a positive message from the diverse group of voting residents who are committed to establishing a united community. Moreover, Councilman Neal’s life journey is an encouraging reminder of a man’s unlimited potential despite mistakes made. In the early 1970s and late 1980s, Councilman Neal was incarcerated for various crimes. However, his entire record was expunged in 2022 given his 30- year track record of community work that began in 1993. A man of great faith, he believes that it was God’s grace that brought him out of his drug addiction and has always been there to guide him in his past and current work to free others from their addiction. Three Decades of Faith-Inspired Service This faith led Councilman Neal to establish the Everlasting Hope Ministries in 1993, a place for spiritual and mental guidance and healing. At the same time, he initiated the annual Drug March, which has been a major event for the past 30 years. Every August, individuals throughout Sussex County head to Georgetown to participate in the march; feast on the food; and enjoy the various activities – all of which is free of charge. In 1997, he began working as a case manager at “The Way Home,” a transitional counseling and residential home for previously incarcerated individuals transitioning back into Sussex County. Having been instrumental in developing the initial program resources, while providing direct services to individuals, Councilman Neal continues to work there today. He explains that by being involved in both ministries, he can provide a continuum of support to those he serves. Councilman Neal also worked with the Delaware Department of Correction via the Threshold Program, which offers such direct counseling service as anger management and addiction counseling. In that capacity, he prepared incarcerated individuals for community re-entry and worked with them after their release from prison. This involvement enabled him to develop strong productive relationships between the Department of Correction, “The Way Home,” and other ministries throughout the county. A Guiding Force Statewide As someone who considers himself an “overcomer” of substance use disorder, Councilman Neal has been a guiding force throughout Delaware in his Movers and Shakers Tony Neal: A Voice for His People BY CHARLOTTE KING AND JANE HOVINGTON
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 13 fight against drug and alcohol addiction. To begin with, he has helped community members of all ages and backgrounds achieve and maintain their sobriety, by connecting them with the necessary services to support a productive life. Likewise, he has worked closely with state legislators to effect change in Delaware’s war on drugs. Consequently, Councilman Neal has received a multitude of service awards and recognition, including the NAACP’s Jefferson Award; the MLK Association’s Community Services Award; the Ellendale Community Civic Improvement Association; and the Volunteer Angel Award from inmates at the Threshold Program. A Sussex County native, he has been married for 31 years to Vanessa Neal, and together they have raised five children and are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren with two more on the way. To those who have come to know him through his Everlasting Hope Ministries, he is a community leader, a minister, mentor, teacher, brother and, more importantly, a friend. Councilman Neal continues to fulfill his vision to find young people lost in addiction and prison, and to help them “make a difference, no matter what it takes.” To be sure, his work throughout the years is indicative of his commitment to this vision, and a measure of how valuable he will be as a councilman. As he puts it, Councilman Neal sees his newly acquired leadership role as “an opportunity to be a Voice for my people,” while also working on behalf of all residents of the Georgetown Community. Charlotte King A resident of Lewes, Charlotte King is the Founder and Chair of the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice. She is a retired social worker and therapist, and a passionate advocate and champion of racial justice. Jane Hovington A longtime civil rights advocate and community activist, Jane Hovington is the former chair of the Sussex County branch of the NAACP; the first Black woman to chair the Sussex County Democratic Party; and a former Georgetown Town Council member. She is currently Executive Director for the Richard Allen Coalition in Georgetown. Many years ago, while working retail, a customer asked me about my nationality. I answered their question by saying, “I’m American.” Then I asked, “Do you mean ethnicity?” Because of my ambiguous Black appearance, I was quick to answer, “I’m Black!” The customer went on to say that I didn’t look or sound Black. My response was curt and disengaging. I said without thinking, “Did you say that I don’t sound Black because I don’t say dis and dat?” It was at that juncture that communication stopped. Could I have handled the situation better? Sure. But at the time I didn’t have the skill or the desire to respond differently. Could the customer have been more sensitive and knowledgeable? Yes, again. But did they know that their statement was based on stereotyping of Blacks and insulting? I doubt it! Today, that same encounter could have ended tragically. We currently live in a time of disruption and racial turmoil. Over the last decade we have lived through generational events; such as the historic election of the first Black president; the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement; and the projected demographic increase of our brown and immigrant population. These events have, in turn, fostered White resentment and hostility. Since the election of President Obama, there has been a growing backlash of White racial grievance. White nationalists have been egged on by right wing media and politicians. So in this current era of fear mongering, we need to learn how to speak with each other, in order to help defuse our interactions with people who may have views that differ from our own. Just how do we navigate speaking with people of conflicting “Dialogue Toward Ending Racism” A Life Changing Seminar BY JANIS FREEMAN Continued on Page 17 ➜
14 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Champions of Environmental Justice Michele Roberts currently serves as the national Co-Coordinator of the Environmental Justice and Health Alliance for Chemical Policy Reform (EJHA). EJHA is a national network of grassroots environmental and economic justice organizations and advocates in communities that are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals from legacy contamination; ongoing exposure to polluting facilities; and health-harming chemicals in household products. EJHA supports a just transition towards safer chemicals and a pollution-free economy that leaves no community or worker behind. You started out as an environmental scientist. What made you pivot to advocacy? The politics, and the poli-tricks, both together in that of policy. While working for New Castle County in the 80s and 90s…when these chemical facilities were rampant and raging high with their discharge. We were told that when we were to go and “sample and/or evaluate and investigate” these facilities. We were to give them courtesy calls, letting them know that we would be there x date to do x. This allows you enough time to rinse your whole process out with distilled water. It’s like giving a child time to clean up their room, and the child might pack everything up in the closet, close the door, and say, “Yup, it’s clean.” I would be so aggravated about that; however, I was not supported in my local surroundings there at my job space. How did you turn to environmental justice? I’ll never forget finding a book in the Borders bookstore, and it was talking about environmental justice and disparity of pollution and how these folks in the south, there was an overabundance of landfills. So I started looking at that in Delaware. By this point [the late 80s], President Clinton had issued Executive Order 12898 on environmental justice in government. So I started looking at that—I was still working in New Castle County, mind you—and I’m looking at this and I’m seeing that this is not flowing down into the Great State of Delaware. That’s how I subsequently wound up becoming an advocate and really helping local communities be able to navigate their way through policies and the politics…to understand how to protect their health, home, and environment. Fast forward, I became a researcher to help the state figure out how to implement an environmental justice program. How would someone find out if they are living in an area of exposure? People find out through illnesses…people see it in their water—they see brown discharges of water, they smell things, they have unusual illnesses or diseases. What we have found, especially in Sussex County…folks of color and the poor especially, is that the state health department has not been our friend. They blame the communities’ lifestyles… we’re still living in this systemic racist response. The good news is communities have solutions because Michele Roberts: Grassroots Organizer BY NANCY SAKADUSKI
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 15 organizations like mine, the Environmental Justice and Health Alliance, we work with providing the capacity support to these communities. Now we are looking at whose communities are indeed vulnerable; at how long they have been made vulnerable; how do we move together to make this right; and how do we now make sure that the benefits and investments that the President and Congress are articulating that are forthcoming really get to the actual impacted people. And that’s what I am working on and working very hard at doing, especially for my home state of Delaware. The Campaign for Healthier Solutions (CHS), which you co-founded, has compelled two of the biggest dollar store chains in the country to adopt their first ever safer chemicals policies. How are dollar stores connected with environmental injustice? Because of the toxic stuff they have on their shelves, and they are disproportionately located mostly in communities of color and the poor. We had folks do purchases across the nation in dollar stores, and we sent the products in to do some testing on them and there were high levels of phthalates. Is Delaware at risk for any large-scale environmental disasters? We have already been exposed to an environmental disaster and people didn’t even realize it. The release [in 2018] by Croda, of ethylene oxide that closed the Delaware Bridge…the communities adjacent to that industry found out by wandering around aimlessly, wondering why so much traffic was coming through their communities. Many of those people found out on the 11 o’clock news that night. Meanwhile, it has been precipitating into the air for God knows how long. You serve on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC). Has visibility at that level helped raise awareness of this issue? Yes, absolutely, in many ways. This is the first of its kind. Never in the history of all of this work has there been a federal advisory council that the President himself convened, and it actually reports directly to the Office of the President. This is to show the level and importance of this. And the President is utilizing this space to be able to inform him on—he wants this all-of-government approach—how to do it in the best way possible…I never in my life thought I’d be in the White House. My brother just teased me and asked me did I have a key to the White House because I’m always going there for meetings, just to show that we laugh about it, but to show that we have at least lifted that conversation up into the actual 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue itself is pretty phenomenal. I know that I’m on a journey for the people and I stand on many people’s shoulders on this work. What is the Environmental Justice Scorecard? There’s a screening tool that’s being developed now to identify communities that have been deemed vulnerable by the overburden on pollution. What we’re looking at remedying to these communities is through the President’s initiative is this Justice40 Initiative, where 40% of the programmatic benefits going to communities on different levels of spaces that address remedy of harm that have been over time laid on their communities. What can the average person do to fight for environmental justice? The average person could talk with their neighbor and talk with one another. Learn and see what’s happening in and around their community. I know there in Sussex County, for example, that whole poultry conversation is a mixed bag. Come to a meeting and learn about some things, and then begin to share with folks. That’s the biggest thing right now. If you are experiencing challenges with your health or noticing things in your community, share with your neighbors and others. These issues should draw us closer to one another to be supportive of one another so that we understand that ultimately, and especially for us in the environmental justice world, we are saying you are not suffering alone. I would encourage people to follow the Justice40 oversight work that was initiated by Representative Larry Lambert and State Senator Marie Pinkney. That could be an awesome way of staying plugged in while we’re moving forward, especially as we’re talking about remedy and redress to the communities across the nation and across the state especially.
16 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 As a community leader and proud, lifelong resident of the state’s 7th District (Claymont), Delaware Representative Larry Lambert, has been recognized many times for his decades of public service and environmental justice advocacy, including on the floor of the U.S. Congress (by then-Senator Joe Biden) and the Oprah Winfrey show. Most recently, Representative Lambert has taken on a new and exciting role in overseeing the Justice40 Initiative here in Delaware. How will Justice40 be implemented on a state level? We provide oversight. We’re not only tracking when federal funds come into Delaware regarding climate change, environmental justice, sea level rise, pollution remediation and abatement…we’re also mapping it to make sure that at least 40% of those investment benefits go to the communities that need it the most. And that is what Justice40 was all about when President Biden introduced it with his climate change executive order. Is this issue personal for you? Absolutely. It’s very personal for me. I represent the childhood home district of President Biden, which is Claymont, Delaware. Growing up here in Claymont, we were always known as a steel town. The Claymont steel plant was operational for a hundred years and that’s led to some of our fenceline communities dealing with legacy pollution issues from that steel production. Do you feel additional pressure to make sure Justice40 succeeds in President Biden’s home state? I do feel like there’s pressure; however, I love the pressure. At the end of the day, our impacted communities, our overburdened and historically disregarded communities, we don’t have the luxury of complacency. So pressure is what our families feel every day when we’re dealing with asthma clusters, when we’re dealing with the cumulative impacts of pollution, of the social determinants of health, crimes of despair. I’m just really honored that I was able to get this legislation over the hump and to really take ownership, along with my counterparts, to make sure that we’re really tracking and mapping where these investment benefits go. Delaware is heavily dependent on industries that are prime polluters. What can be done to reduce the risk to surrounding communities? We understand that there is a necessity for industry to exist, but environmental justice is about equity. We need to make sure that all of our communities share not only in the burdens that come along with industry, but also the benefits that come along with access to pollution-free air, pollution-free water, pollution-free land. So, in that regard right now, all of our communities aren’t sharing equally in the burdens and the benefits of environmental justice. Fines, such as those levied on Croda after their ethylene oxide leak, have not reached the communities that were affected. Will Justice40 help correct that? That is very much an important aspect of Justice40. To be clear, the primary role of Justice40 is to look at the federal funds coming down to the 50 states, coming down to Delaware specifically. I’ve already had discussions with DNREC about updating some of the fines and fees; the fines the lowest in the region; Delaware—we should be the first state. We’re disproportionately impacted by Rep. Larry Lambert: Overseeing the Justice40 Initiative in Delaware BY NANCY SAKADUSKI
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 17 heavy industry so why not hold that heavy industry accountable? Here in Sussex County, the poultry industry is a major concern. Do you see Justice40 benefiting people living in those areas? When we kicked off the Justice40 Oversight Committee it was really important to me that we start with community listening sessions, and our first one was at the Millsboro Senior Center. We had residents there from all across Sussex. They were talking about the issues from livestock waste runoff [and] poultry farm waste runoff; not only dealing with not being able to eat the fish that come out of the water, but not even being able to use the water for leisure use—to swim in— and then you have the issues even down to the contamination of private wells. What can the average citizen do to help further the goals of Justice40? The average citizen can definitely get involved, just by reading articles like this, keeping up with Black Voices, by getting engaged with your local legislator—your local state representatives, state senators—even reaching out to Delaware’s federal delegation—US Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, Senator Carper, Senator Coons. There’s a lot of good work going on and we just want you to know that everybody can do a little bit more. The Delaware Justice40 Oversight Committee meetings are available on YouTube. Here is a link to the introductory meeting: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=INfPXvPpwxg Representative Lambert has also invited readers to reach out to him directly on this issue: Larry. [email protected] Nancy Sakaduski Nancy is an award-winning writer and editor based in Lewes, Delaware, who founded Cat & Mouse Press, to support local writers and create beach reads for adults and children. Having personally authored and published 24 books, she holds the distinction of having one of her children’s books, Passport to History: Ancient Greece, named best social studies book by the Society of School Librarians International. Nancy is also on the board of directors of Delaware Press Association, and a member of the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild and the Eastern Shore Writers Association. views, misinformation, and/or angry words? In March, I saw an advertisement in the Cape Gazette, about a seven-week Saturday seminar on “Dialogue Toward Ending Racism,” sponsored by SDARJ, and monitored by Joseph Lawson and Sharon Bernstein. I quickly signed up and joined the group of 12 participants, comprising 10 Whites and two Blacks; two males and 10 females; of varying religious affiliations, and from assorted locales and backgrounds. Not only did I learn to better diffuse conversations, but I made new friends. As the sessions progressed, I became more sensitive to other views. Role-playing and listening to other’s life stories had a significant impact on me. In listening and telling our stories, we had many occasions of laughter; and at times, touching occasions for empathy. When you walk in someone else’s shoes, your perspective changes. It certainly did for me! Even though our sessions have now ended, we continue to get together on our own. That’s how powerful these sessions were to us as a group. A cascading ripple in a pond can start with just one pebble tossed. We can each become a pebble toward making a difference in communicating. The next session will be held in October of 2023. I urge people to take advantage of this FREE program. It is life changing. Janis Freeman Raised in Los Angeles, Janis Freeman went east to study at Howard University. And since graduating, has lived in New Orleans, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, and now 18 years in Lewes, DE. She attended Pratt Institute of Architecture in New York; owned a design business in Connecticut; and launched and operated the only US federal design center in the country for the General Services Administration, from where she retired in 2006. Married to Arthur Perry, who was a basketball coach for a number of universities, including Delaware State University, Freeman has three children and seven grandchildren. “Dialogue Toward Ending Racism” Continued from Page 13
18 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Communities of color have long been plagued by environmental racism, a term first coined by Civil Rights leader, Benjamin Chavis, in 1982, in referring to the disproportionate community impact of environmental hazards on the health, safety, and economic wellbeing of their residents, given their: • invariable proximity to toxic waste dumps and incinerators • frequent lack of access to clean air, water and soil • recurrent exposure to buildings contaminated with lead or asbestos. Unfortunately, this especially virulent form of structural racism has been perpetuated by such factors as poverty and political inequity, as well as public policy decisions and zoning laws that have resulted in gentrification and property devaluation. But as the 70s ended and the 80s began, Civil Rights leaders like Chavis began to speak far more openly about the need for environmental justice. And in October 1991, the United Church of Christ’s Commission for Racial Justice, under his leadership, convened a four-day national conference in Washington, D.C. to explore the origins and impact of environmental racism. The Beginning of a Movement Known as the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, it drew some 1,100 minority community activists from all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico, and the Marshall Islands. Working together, they not only reaffirmed their cultural and spiritual connections to the natural world, they also redefined the very meaning and context of “environment.” So rather than limiting their perspective to unspoiled natural landscapes and isolated wilderness regions, these leaders referred to the environment as a place where one “lived, worked, studied, played, and prayed.” As such, they explored a wide range of issues from transportation and housing to toxic pollution and occupational safety, with the goal of drafting a blueprint for change. Known as the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice, this blueprint was adopted as the Summit drew to an end, and continues to form the foundation of an environmental justice movement that is laser focused on implementing it. Yet while these activists have celebrated more than a few notable victories in the 30 plus years since this seminal event, there is still a ways to go. From Environmental Racism to Environmental Justice
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 19 Fast Forward to 2023 But having made an historic pledge to fight environmental racism, President Biden is hoping to significantly advance this worthy cause with his Justice40 Initiative, created under the auspices of Executive Order 14008, which he signed within days of taking office in 2021. Aimed at “tackling the climate crisis at home and abroad” – it is designed to direct 40% of new and existing federal investments around environmental and natural resource remediation and protection into disadvantaged, frontline communities that have long been marginalized and/ or overburdened by legacy pollution. That said, the Justice40 Initiative is not a one-time investment or a single pot of money, but rather a series of changes to ensure an equitable distribution of benefits over time. Given that stakeholder engagement was a critical success factor, communities of color had a big hand in shaping the Justice40 Initiative, by weighing in on the issues that were most important – clean energy, air, transit, and water. Based on this input, the Biden administration inaugurated its White House Council on Environmental Quality (WHCEQ) to help transform hundreds of Federal programs, tasked with implementing targeted investments. And in doing so, promote the principles of environmental justice articulated at the 1991 summit. What’s more, to provide a public platform for showcasing its priorities and documenting its progress, The White House is hosting a website at www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice, which incorporates a geospatial mapping tool to identify disadvantaged communities in need. Called the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, it pinpoints areas for federal investment across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories, and will be updated annually. The Implementation Process Without a doubt, Justice40 is a huge commitment to redressing at least some of the evils that persist from decades of structural racism and inequitable systems in this country. Yet as controversial as this initiative will likely be going into a presidential election cycle, it certainly serves to highlight President Biden’s promise to promote justice for all in every way possible. As with any sweeping effort to change how the federal government operates, the Justice40 Initiative was slow to get off the ground. But determined to right the legacies of environmental discrimination, the WHCEQ is beginning to make progress, working in partnership with climate justice groups across the country that have formed a Justice40 Accelerator. This joint voluntary effort is working hand in hand with frontline communities to build capacity for accessing government funds with which to implement stakeholder-designed and led solutions. What’s more, to ensure its success in the President’s home state, two Black Delaware legislators – Representative Larry Lambert and Senator Marie Pinkney - joined forces in 2021 (during their freshman terms), to create the nation’s first state-level Justice40 Oversight Committee. The committee will present its final findings and recommendations to the General Assembly at the end of 2024. In a similar vein, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has bolstered its capacity to support the federal government’s efforts, by appointing Dr. Katera Moore as the agency’s first-ever environmental justice coordinator. Having earned a doctorate in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Moore will use her extensive background in environmental justice to facilitate relevant policies and programs that benefit the state’s underserved minority and low-income communities. DNREC has also created a webpage dedicated to environmental justice (de.gov/dnrecej), which includes its own mapping tool for identifying areas of the state that have been historically vulnerable to dangerous levels of air, water, and soil pollutants. And to ensure public engagement, this site has a section for constituent comments and suggestions.
20 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 2023 SDARJ Charlotte King Scholarship Recipients BY CHRIS PERRY-JACOBS & SDARJ EDUCATION COMMITTEE The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice (SDARJ), Charlotte King Scholarship is awarded annually to bright, industrious students who have demonstrated a commitment to racial justice. Likewise, it helps relieve postsecondary education costs as these students work toward achieving their bright futures. The first Charlotte King Scholarships, in the amount of $500, were awarded to six students in 2019. Every year since, graduates of Sussex County high schools have had the opportunity to apply for the scholarship, named in honor of the SDARJ founder. This year, 11 students from eight different schools, who self-identify as Black or African-American, were awarded $1,000 each. Scholarship applicants demonstrate their academic and extracurricular progress with a transcript and letter of recommendation, while also explaining how the scholarship can support their goals. Many discuss studying to become professionals such as nurses, teachers and lawyers, often with dreams of returning to Sussex County, as a way to give back. Students must also explain not only why racial justice is important to them, but how they have demonstrated a commitment to racial justice in their communities. Unfortunately, far too many have faced the sting of racism and can share how they stand against it. With that in mind, we want to congratulate all of the 2023 Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice, Charlotte King Scholarship awardees – profiled below – and wish them all the best of luck in their endeavors going forward. Daykhi Kweli Conquest-Carey lives in Long Neck and attended Sussex Central Senior High School. Daykhi works with the Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Board. He is concerned about community policing and “increasing the chances of safe de-escalation or tactical empathy being employed in interactions with Black and Latino people.” Having been accepted into Salisbury University, Daykhi plans to earn a degree in sociology, which he will use to improve the health of his community. Lunise W. Etienne is a graduate of Laurel High School. Lunise has supported her Haitian community by translating for others, and believes that “racial equity is still essential.” Her counselor feels that her work ethic, maturity, kindness, and honesty make her an outstanding student. Lunise is a devoted community volunteer who is interested in immigration law, and will be attending Old Dominion University in Virginia.
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 21 Thomas Emanuel Gibbs II lives in Milton and graduated from Cape Henlopen High School. He was a triathlete and Vice-President of his Senior Class, as well as an outstanding student who has completed both Advanced Placement and college courses. He reflects that “growing up in a majority white school/community,” he found it “hard finding my worth and identity and now I strive to help other kids do the same thing.” He will be attending the historically Black Delaware State University. Ian Alexander Hayes of Greenwood attended Woodbridge High School. He has also developed a community food support program in his neighborhood that “… prioritizes providing healthy and affordable food options to families and individuals who have been disproportionately affected by systemic racism and poverty. This experience has shown me the power of grassroots efforts to make a positive impact in the lives of others, and has further fueled my passion [f]or promoting racial justice and equity.” Ian has represented his school in the Student Government Association; is a four-sport athlete; and was All-State in Soccer. He will be attending Heidelberg University in the fall. Bethani Lauren Hare resides in Seaford and received her diploma from Seaford Senior High School, where she took part in the Teacher Academy, Technology Pathway, and Educators Rising programs. Bethani self-describes as a “mixed woman” who has faced questions about skin color. She also worries that “we only see a fraction of the news stories on [racial justice] because light isn’t brought to all of them.” Bethani aspires to become a schoolteacher “in order to help students become the best version of themselves.” She will be attending Delaware Technical Community College. Iyanna Zenae Mims is a resident of Bridgeville and graduated from Woodbridge High School. Racial Justice is a top priority for her; and with that in mind, she proactively uses social media to spread messaging and facilitate funding for victims of racially motivated crimes and police brutality. An excellent student and athlete, Iyanna is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, and has represented her school in Student Government and Educators Rising. Moving forward, she wants to “strive for my dreams at liberty” and will attend Virginia State University. Janiah Rockelle Maltbie Iives in Milton and attended Cape Henlopen High School. She is passionate about the need to “educate people about the realities of slavery and its outcomes” because she believes “people today do not truly understand the ramifications of past wrongs. If we are not exposed to the actual history, then we are in danger of repeating it.” Her role as JROTC Public Information Officer allows her to be a role model for young cadets, while also supporting “anyone who calls out injustice they see or experience.” Hoping to become a lawyer, as well as a “female minority role model,” Janiah has been accepted at Delaware State University. Continued on Page 26 ➜
22 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Letter From a Delaware Jail This letter was written anonymously because the author fears retaliation by the Delaware Department of Corrections and its personnel for expressing their opinions. That fear lends credibility to the views expressed herein. Citing the Apostle Paul, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reasoned his message for justice would resonate with authenticity if it came from a jail cell. Dr. King was infuriated by the opposition of Alabama clergymen complaining that protests he led in Birmingham were “unwise and untimely,” and counseling Dr. King to be patient in pursuit of justice. Dr. King was indignant in his response, his famous 1963 “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” He chastised the complaining religious leaders as being “more devoted to order than to justice.” Dr. King had no tolerance for persons who enjoyed full rights and privileges asking those deprived of the same to practice patience. Quoting St. Augustine, Dr. King reasoned “an unjust law is no law at all.” Injustice, according to Dr. King, demanded an extreme response. He stated “was not Jesus an extremist for love? Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ?” I am confident that if Dr. King were alive today, criminal justice reform would rest at or near the top of his agenda of essential social justice priorities. It is critical to consider that as Americans and Delawareans we are essentially a kind and forgiving people. However, our criminal justice system is neither compassionate nor does it engender positive behavioral change in those convicted of crimes. We live in the 21st century, but our corrections practices are mired in the 19th. The time is long overdue for criminal justice systems and practices to undergo radical change. According to a 2021 study by World Prison Brief, more than two million Americans are behind bars and an additional five million are on probation or parole. This makes our incarceration rate nearly 700% higher than the average of peer western democratic nations. Particularly shocking, as reported by Eric Reinhart in the New England Journal of Medicine (2/13/2023), “more than 70 million U.S. residents have criminal records, and nearly half of all Americans have an immediate family member who has been incarcerated.” These statistics would have confounded our nation’s founders. No less than five of the 10 amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights pertain to rights of those accused or convicted of crimes. Our founders envisioned a criminal justice system that was fair and balanced. They well remembered misuse of the criminal justice system by the Puritans and our British overseers. The questions for us as Americans and Delawareans in the 21st century are: Does our harsh, unforgiving criminal justice system work? Is it effective? Are we safer because we lock felons away for excessive periods of time? Bill Keller, former editor of The New York Times and The Marshall Project, answers those questions: “Each year 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons. Many emerge from custody brutalized, alienated, estranged from their families, stigmatized, and lacking in basic education and employable skills. Unsurprisingly, about 75% of those released from state prisons nationwide are arrested again within five years.” By any measure, American incarceration practices, and certainly those employed here in Delaware, fail miserably. Our prisons, instead of being a gateway to successful reintegration into local communities, serve as a revolving door largely populated by repeat offenders. Who pays for these failures and why are they happening? In short, the American taxpayer underwrites these failures. Answering the Why is In My Opinion
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 23 a bit more complicated, but if we look to Norway we gain clarity. Until 1980, Norway’s incarceration and criminal justice practices were similar to America’s in 2023. Convicted persons served long sentences in dark, lifeless prisons. Norway also suffered with the burden of unacceptable recidivism rates about the same as those in the United States. However, over the past 40 years Norway has transitioned from a system of punishment and degradation to one that provides inmates an opportunity to develop self-esteem, resilience, technical skills, educational tools, and self-help strategies. As Bill Keller states, “In contrast to the way most Americans understand the point of prison as to punish, incapacitate criminals and to deter offenders, progressive Europeans [see incarceration] as an opportunity that should not be wasted.” Corrections officers are not enforcers but life coaches with counseling skills. Serious attention is paid to diagnosing and treating anti-social behavior. Likewise, prisons are similar to a community college, filled with meaningful activity for self-improvement and education. Family ties are strongly encouraged. The boredom, demeaning attitudes and pointless restrictions associated with American incarceration practices do not occur in Norway. Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, and Oregon have pilot programs testing incarceration reform. The largest model program is underway at San Quentin prison in California. The San Quentin program is based on the premise that since 90% of American inmates will eventually be set free, prisons serve society best by preparing prisoners for successful community reentry. With that concept in mind, San Quentin maintains an accredited, degree-issuing community college – Mt. Tamalpais – onsite. The prison also offers a number of programs that enhance mind, body, and spirit. This might strike many Americans as a soft on crime approach to incarceration. But Norway has proven over a period of 40 years that their approach works, while American prisons have unquestionably failed in reducing our unacceptable recidivism rate. Most politicians equate rough treatment for inmates with a demonstration that they are tough on crime. It rests on the shoulders of religious leaders, psychologists, physicians, social workers, and public health officials to demand an end to cruel and pointless incarceration methodologies that are both unproven and do not work. This brings us back to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He adhered to the same spiritual beliefs throughout his adult life. His polite and respectful demeanor in no way deterred his eagerness to engage institutions and individuals who stood in the way of social justice reforms. On April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York, Dr. King said: “I must be true to my conviction that I share with all men the calling to be a son of the living God… We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation and for those it calls ‘enemy,’ for no document from living hands can make these humans any less our brothers.”
24 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 In the 1950s, less than 10% of Black smokers smoked menthol cigarettes. Today, it’s 85%. And that’s no coincidence. How Did it Happen? Menthol cigarettes are designed to create a minty effect when smoked that makes them seem less harsh. They were initially advertised to the general population as a cigarette to smoke when sick or suffering from smoker’s cough. But in the 1960s the tobacco companies changed their strategy to specifically target Black Americans. They sponsored events with Black audiences; placed ads in urban Black neighborhood stores; and priced menthols cheaper in Black neighborhoods. In 1969 alone, Lorillard Tobacco Company increased its “Negro market budget” by 87% over 1968 to market its menthol cigarette, Newport, to the Black community. But That’s Changed, Right? Not so much. In 2019 and 2020, menthols made up 37% of all cigarette sales in the U.S. — the highest number since 1967. Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death among Black Americans, claiming 45,000 Black lives each year. As Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency at Beebe Healthcare, Joyce F. Robert, M.D., has a front-row seat to the devastation that tobacco-related illnesses bring. “It’s a sad reality that this type of targeting is actually making a huge dent in the healthcare outcomes, especially when it comes to lung cancer in Black communities,” she says. “We know that certain communities are targeted by big tobacco companies, and we know that there’s actually extra harm in menthol cigarette smoking and that it’s associated with greater nicotine dependence and the less likelihood of people to quit because they think it’s a safer alternative, when actually it has a lot of detriment to our health.” Why Does it Matter That It’s Menthols? People who smoke menthol cigarettes make more attempts to quit but are often less successful. Inhaling is easier – which is why users are more likely to start smoking earlier in life and smoke more often. This accelerates addiction and causes health effects sooner. Black people who want to quit are typically less successful than other ethnic groups. Likewise, they are less likely to use cessation treatment and services, partly because there are few resources developed with Black audiences in mind. It’s also possible that nicotine addiction affects people of African descent differently. Can’t People Make Their Own Choices? Unfortunately, many people become addicted before they are mature enough to understand the consequences. If someone in the home smokes, children in that home are more likely to become smokers themselves. And advertisers target kids with e-cigarettes in appealing flavors like bubble gum, gummy bears, and children’s cereals. Manufacturers also make tiny USB e-cigarette chargers that children can be plug into their computers to avoid detection by parents and teachers. So in 2022, 11.1% of Black high schoolers and 4.1% of middle schoolers, were e-cigarette users. The tobacco industry also targets Black youth with cheap flavored cigars. They are sold in kid-friendly flavors and can be as cheap as three for 99 cents. In 2020, 9.2% of Black high school students smoked cigars, compared to 5.0% of all high school students. What Can Be Done? While these statistics are indeed startling, Dr. Robert suggests a multi-faceted approach for turning them around: Have doctors help their patients overcome nicotine addiction. “Smoking cessation and tobacco prevention is at the heart of what we do,” says Dr. Robert, “because our core [family practice] is to prevent chronic illness and we know that smoking leads to a lot of disease and disability; so it’s a part of their [resident physicians’] learning and their curriculum.” Bust the myths. The advent of e-cigarettes and vaping has made preventing and treating nicotine addiction more difficult. “Our younger population may say I’m not smoking cigarettes,” says Dr. Robert. “They may say I’m vaping, I’m going to hookah bars, I’m using e-cigarettes, thinking that it’s a healthier alternative when actually there’s a lot of To Your Health Smoking is Killing the Black Community
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 25 detriment to those avenues.…People are really not well informed.” Get the facts. “We have more avenues where people can get information,” says Dr. Robert, “but a lot of that can be misinformation, so always go to your physician because they know about you and your medical history and then can make an informed decision about you personally rather than getting broad strokes from other sources.” Get government support. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed product standards to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and prohibit all characterizing flavors (other than tobacco) in cigars. The American Academy of Family Physicians has a strong stance on having the FDA prohibit menthol cigarettes and their promotion in underserved communities. Provide access to tobacco cessation resources and medical care. There are racial and economic disparities in Sussex County that keep people from getting help. “When you have a decrease in access,” explains Robert, “you would also have a decrease in health outcomes. Delaware is not different from any other place where you would see different things in healthcare depending on which zip code you live in.” What Local Resources are Available? Beebe Healthcare’s Community Mobile Health Clinic With its new 36-foot mobile clinic, Beebe is taking services (including help to quit smoking) to patients in their own communities, rather than having patients come to a medical office or emergency department. The mobile clinic’s dedicated multidisciplinary team not only focuses on addiction medicine and behavioral health services, but also provides a wide array of health screenings. “Seeing patients in their communities allows us to reach people not served by the traditional healthcare system,” said Bill Chasanov, DO, Chief Population Health Officer. “It reduces barriers to care; connects patients with additional care; and helps build trusting relationships within the community.” Services from the mobile clinic are free and confidential (they will accept insurance if people have it). For the clinic’s schedule, go here: https://www. beebehealthcare.org/patients-visitors/community-outreach/community-mobile-health-clinic The Dirty Truth Website The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services maintains a website that addresses the myths surrounding vaping and provides science-based information on the dangers of this form of smoking. https://thedirtytruth.com Academy of Family Physicians The Academy has an initiative called Tar Wars to teach school-aged children about the harms of using tobacco products. They offer a variety of materials and activities for teachers and other presenters. www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/care-resources/tobacco-and-nicotine/ tar-wars.html Delawareans Against Nicotine and Tobacco Exposure (DANTE) DANTE is a nonprofit group comprised of young adults, 18-24, in Delaware who have taken it upon themselves not to use tobacco, nicotine, vapes, or e-cigarettes. www.wearedante.com Delaware Tobacco Quitline: 1-866-409-1858 The Delaware Tobacco Quitline is a free service, available 24 hours a day to any Delaware resident over age 18 who would like help to quit smoking. Callers are connected with a counselor who provides coaching by phone and helps the smoker set up a plan to quit. Once enrolled in the free program, their coach follows up with them periodically and participants can call any time for support. Healthy Delaware Website Healthy Delaware provides science-based information on its website and offers toolkits, educational materials, and other resources for individuals, employers, community partners, and providers. https://www.healthydelaware.org/Individuals/ Tobacco/Other-Tobacco#menthol Kick Butts Generation (KBG) KBG is a youth-led, youth-run organization that educates young Delawareans about the dangers in all tobacco and nicotine products. www.kbgde.org
26 Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Ketsia Murat lives in Laurel and graduated from Laurel High School, where she served as Captain of the award-winning Laurel High School Color Guard. She argues for “equity to be applied to all, no matter their race,” with “an equal opportunity to be able to speak” and “the resources that will help them succeed.” With plans to become a writer, Ketsia says, “I hope that my stories inspire [people] to be a better version of themselves and help[s] them keep moving forward.” She will pursue her postsecondary education at the University of Delaware. Sania Geornai Steward hails from Bridgeville and has recently graduated from Sussex Technical High School. Sania says that “racial justice is crucial for building an inclusive society where everyone feels valued and respected.” As a scholarship candidate with a strong transcript, she also explains, “I have always known that I needed to work hard and excel academically if I wanted to achieve my goals.” Ms. Steward will continue her studies at the University of Delaware. Aaliyah Janea Rosetta Tilghman lives in Lincoln and graduated from Milford Senior High School. As she puts it, “Achieving racial justice requires removing institutional obstacles that support racism, discrimination, and inequality of all types.” And as someone who does not let these obstacles stand in her way, Aaliyah became a shift supervisor at her job when she was only 16, while also being named Homecoming Queen at her high school. She will be leaving the First State to attend Lincoln University, the first degree-granting HBCU in the US. Zhanya C. Holland resides in Frankford and graduated from Indian River High School. She is well informed about racial justice and has educated herself on the issues in her community, particularly when it comes to supporting Black-owned businesses. Zhanya’s philosophy is a simple one: “to give back to our communitie[s] as much as they give to us” in order to “come together as one.” She is focused on a future in Special Education. The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice recently tapped Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s International Realty as “Business Partner of the Month,” after the company’s $3,000 sponsorship donation in support of the Charlotte King Scholarship Fund, one of our most valuable and visible programs. Needless to say, we at SDARJ truly appreciate Ocean Atlantic’s ongoing advocacy as a strong champion for racial justice and equal opportunity here in Southern Delaware! 2023 SDARJ Charlotte King Scholarship Recipients Continued from Page 21 ➜
Black Voices | Vol. 8 | August 2023 Black Voices | Vol. 3 | May 2022 OUR GOAL: To educate, inform and advocate for racial justice and social equality for all. • Dialogue to Action • Legislative Advocacy • Monthly Town Hall Meetings • Student Scholarships • Book Club • Go West (in Sussex County) • Youth Ambassador Program • Higher Education for Incarcerated Individuals • Regular Commentary on Individual and Systemic Racism in local papers • Supplemental Educational Modules on Black History • African-American Film Festival • Public Speaking Engagements Regarding Racism • Special Forums on Racial Justice Issues Visit www.sdarj.org for more info. What We Do: 2023 SDARJ Charlotte King Scholarship Recipients Continued from Page 21 ➜
©2023 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE | Dogfish.com dogfish.com/benevolence Beer & Benevolence is our way of giving back to the communities that have nourished our roots in coastal Delaware. We’re proud to support great work taking place in our home state by col laborating with nonprofit organizations to build community, amplify the arts and cultivate environmental stewardship. Proud to sponsor Black Voices, the official publication of the Southern Delaware Al liance for Racial Justice.