"Environmental injustice remains a problem today, decades after people of color began pushing back against disproportionate levels of exposure to hazardous waste, air pollutants, and chemicals in their neighborhoods. This article details how the chance discovery by a professor and a student of elevated levels of lead in the soil in Atlanta’s Westside—a low-income, mostly minority community—led to the area being declared an EPA Superfund site. The designation led, in turn, to significant remediation efforts to clean up the community.
The professor and her students are now studying the health impact that exposure to elevated lead levels has had on area residents, particularly the children. In addition to improving the health of people living in the Westside, the professor hopes her studies can be used to inform federal and state policies to prevent harmful environmental exposures in underserved communities around the country."
From the Judges
An excellent, well-researched, and meaningful piece that highlights the positive impact of the university on the local community. The article is well-organized and an easy read, with engaging prose, descriptions, and quotes. The judges appreciated the importance of the topic and the writer's ability to convey the impact of the university's efforts in improving the lives of the people in the community.
