Helping to Bridge the Gaps between Ports and Parents from Environmental Justice Communities
by Tyler R. Johnson, Ports and Community Engagement Assistant and Terrance L. Bankston, Senior Ports and Freight Campaigner
Contributors: Erica Beverett, Community Engagement Organizer, Parents Engaging Parents New Jersey (PEPNJ) & Altorice Frazier, Port Campaigner – Northeast, Pacific Environment
Photos are courtesy of: Friends of the Earth and Parents Engaging Parents NJ
On February 6, 2023, Terrance L. Bankston, a native of Newark, New Jersey took on the new role of the Senior Ports and Freight Campaigner at Friends of the Earth. In this role, Terrance directs organizing, coordination, and advocacy efforts in the Gulf Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Northwest regions to reduce air pollution from port and freight activity. In 2022, Terrance helped to lead a successful Environmental Justice campaign against Amazon and the NY/NJ Port Authority. He also serves as the New Jersey Environmental Justice representative on the New York – New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program Management Committee.
In short, advocacy-based work in New Jersey has been a part of Terrance’s life work before joining the FoE family. In 2023, FoE recruited Parents Engaging Parents New Jersey and joined forces with Pacific Environment regarding zero emissions efforts in New York and New Jersey. When discussing his biggest challenges in working on Environmental Justice issues in portside communities, he said, “Unfortunately, the notion that black lives aren’t valued to the same degree as white lives is supported by discriminatory laws, policies, and inequitable practices enforced by cultural “whiteness” and systemic racism within decision-making spaces. This kind of policy development then negatively impacts funding opportunities for port-side communities.”
Terrance says another challenge is getting local stakeholders who impact ports (including elected officials) to view and treat port-side communities much differently than history has taught us. Terrance believes that there are obsolete laws and racist policies that have been supportive of the legacy of environmental injustice plaguing overburdened communities for decades. “Decision-makers must remain reachable so they will be teachable, as it relates to effective communication on the severity of health impacts, particularly women of color who reside in port side communities,” Terrance said, “Recent and historical data continues to support the fact that Black and Hispanic women, who reside near ports, deal with health issues such as asthma, cancer, and low motility rates. Additionally, people of color live in a county with at least one failing grade for air pollution. People of color are 61% more likely than white people to live in a county with unhealthy air quality. More dreadful is the fact that for LatinX residents the exposure to soot pollution is 75% higher; and for Black Americans, the risk of dying from soot pollution is the highest, with a rate of over triple that of White Americans.”
PEPNJ is a nonprofit organization that aims to collaborate with parents and stakeholders and access information about civic and financial literacy, raising parents, supporting children’s success, and strengthening NJ communities. FoE has partnered with PEPNJ and linked them to funding to help support and advance their Environmental Justice work. Erica Beverett is the lead Organizer for PEPNJ, and its founder and President is Altorice Frazier. Recently, Altorice started a new position with one of our national-based partners, Pacific Environment.
Erica is the lead on Environmental Justice advocacy and engagement efforts. She recently took the lead on hosting PEPNJ’s annual winter wear giveaway, which featured a training engagement component powered by FoE, that informed parents about zero emission goals for their local Port and the health impacts caused by the pollution coming from our Ports throughout New Jersey.“Parents Engaging Parents New Jersey is committed to addressing systemic disparities that disproportionately affect underserved communities, including Environmental Justice issues such as air pollution, climate resilience, and equitable access to resources. Our focus on Environmental Justice stems from a deep understanding that environmental challenges are interconnected with social and economic inequities. Collaborating on the winter coat giveaway events aligns with our mission to provide immediate relief to families while raising awareness about Environmental Justice issues,” stated Erica.
We asked PEPNJ about its methods for measuring its success in promoting zero emissions and combating pollution in underserved communities. Notably, PEPNJ measures success through quantitative and qualitative indicators, including community engagement metrics that track participation rates in environmental education programs.
Erica added “We have engaged over 1,000 families across 11-events, with high engagement from families in Newark, Jersey City, and Atlantic City. Families were engaged in Port and truck emissions discussions and were probed to contemplate the health dangers these emissions cause.” PEPNJ has based its environmental advocacy work around supporting positive health outcomes by collaborating with health partners to monitor improvements in air quality and respiratory health in affected communities and through partnership growth. As a result of establishing strategic alliances with organizations and policymakers to advance zero-emission initiatives and promote sustainable solutions, PEPNJ has positioned itself as a statewide flagship organization on the frontline of defense related to the advancement of Environmental Justice at ports.
We asked Altorice how his new role with Pacific Environment helps advance Environmental Justice in New Jersey. He said, As the Port Campaigner for the Northeast, I can leverage my experience and network to drive meaningful change in New Jersey. Through this role, I can facilitate greater collaboration between local organizations and national advocacy efforts to push for policy changes that reduce emissions from the shipping and logistics sectors. Additionally, I can help communities gain resources and technical assistance that will empower them to advocate for cleaner, healthier environments and hold polluters accountable.”
What is next for PEPNJ in New Jersey?
Erica shared that, “[PEPNJ working FoE] has been instrumental in strengthening our advocacy efforts and expanding our reach within the Environmental Justice movement. Their support broadened our reach to engage with national advocacy networks. Their commitment to grassroots organizing aligns perfectly with our community-driven approach, ensuring that the voices of impacted communities are centered in environmental decision-making.”
In 2025 and 2026, we look to expand our Ports and Environmental Justice work through:
1) Community air monitoring expansion: Partnering with local schools and organizations to expand our air quality monitoring network in highly affected neighborhoods;
2) Environmental education workshops: Engaging parents and youth to understand Environmental Justice issues and advocate for sustainable solutions in their neighborhoods; and by our participation in the NYNJ regional strategy convening: collaborating with stakeholders to transition the port authority to zero emissions, tackling pollution from maritime shipping.
For more on Parents Engaging Parent New Jersey (PEPNJ) – Click Here