Ayanna Pressley is an advocate, a policy-maker, an activist, and a survivor. On November 6, 2018, Ayanna was elected to represent Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, making her the first woman of color to be elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ayanna believes that the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power, and that a diversity of voices in the political process is essential to crafting more effective public policy.
Environmental conditions are an element of equity that is too often overlooked. Low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of the hazards created by air and water pollution, lack of access to open space, and extreme weather. At the same time, every community in the 7th District is struggling to deal with the increasingly pronounced impact of climate change, including flooding, drought, and extreme temperatures.
Without proactive steps, the environmental challenges facing our district will only intensify. Within the current century, global sea levels are expected to rise between two and six feet,[1] threatening parts of Chelsea, Everett, Winthrop, Cambridge, East Boston, Back Bay, Downtown Crossing, Roxbury, the South End, and other neighborhoods with persistent flooding, impaired water supplies, and building damage.[2] As the climate continues to shift and temperatures continue to rise, “urban heat islands” like Boston will experience more sustained, dangerous heat waves. Too many residents continue to be exposed to dangerous levels of pollution in their air, water, and homes.
Environmental conditions do not exist in a silo - they are critical determinants of public health outcomes, educational attainment, and economic opportunity. For example, seniors, especially those in low-income communities, are especially susceptible to health issues related to extreme hot and cold; children’s development can be permanently affected by exposure to lead in their homes or drinking water; and more frequent extreme weather costs residents millions of dollar a year in property damages and other costs.
However, even as the challenges continue to mount, the Administration in Washington is rolling back critical environmental protections and gutting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And policymakers too often fail to consider environmental factors when developing policies in related areas like housing, transportation, and economic development. The 7th District needs leadership in Washington that will not only resist efforts to undermine existing environmental protections, but who will work proactively to address environmental challenges, prepare for the impacts of climate change, and expand access to clean air, clean water, and green space.