Getting from “Me” to “We”: How Authentic Collaborations Can Drive Equity and Achieve Justice in Community Based Citizen Science Projects

Abstract:

The future of science dictates that it has to converge with community organizing and civic engagement to affect real change. Tonawanda, NY residents understand this concept more than anyone today. Through their community science campaign of environmental sampling and organizing, regulatory investigations revealed egregious pollution coming from a nearby foundry coking facility called Tonawanda Coke Corp. (TCC) , which residents testified had made them ill for years. The goal was never to shut the plant down, only to clean it up. But the company filed for bankruptcy and shuttered the plant after mounting pressure and costs associated with fighting the community and the regulatory agencies in court became prohibitive. The residents won their battle for clean air and justice; however, the company left the cleanup to them. Fortunately, through previously forged partnerships with local leaders, they were able to find a new owner for the property who would clean it up and bring clean, safe jobs to the community. Afterward, residents commented on the improvement of their lives after the polluter left.

Image: Benzene Reductions in Tonawanda, N.Y After the Closure of Tonawanda Coke Corp (TCC)