Justice in June: Connecting Impacted CommunitiesDogwood Alliance

Throughout the month of June, Dogwood Alliance and our partners hosted the virtual Justice in June: Connecting Impacted Communities Series. See the recordings of each session below!

This series was an opportunity to learn more about the on-the-ground effects of biomass. In the recordings of the series, you’ll hear directly from environmental justice leaders and the community members who are suffering the health and economic impacts of the wood pellet biomass industry.

Organizing the Rise! Taking Action for Your Community

Erniko Brown hosted a conversation to educate the public on biomass. She spoke with Freedom Fighter, Brandy Hamilton, who is an Organizer with Dogwood Alliance.

Brandy Hamilton is a North Carolina native and has been fighting for freedom for many years. Brandy Hamilton is a self-described social justice warrior who believes all people should be free and Mama Earth should be protected. Over the past 17 years she’s worked on several different campaigns—for candidates running for both local and national office. She has worked to fight social justice issues, including murder by police, reproductive justice, and environmental issues, such as hydraulic fracturing and biomass. Brandy believes “service is the rent we pay for living” (-Marian Wright Edelman) and tries her best to make sure her rent is paid.

Regional Strategies

Erniko Brown hosted a conversation with the Regional Network about the work in their communities and how they’re pushing to change policy. Our guests included Mrs. Kathy Egland, Belinda Joyner, and Rev. Michael Malcom.

Kathy is the Chair of the NAACP Board Environmental and Climate Justice Committee. She is also the founder of Education, Economics, Environmental, Climate and Health Organization (EEECHO).

Belinda is the founder of Concerned Citizens of Northampton County, and she lives in the impacted community of Garyburg, NC.

Rev. Malcom is the Founder and Executive Director of The People’s Justice Council and Alabama Interfaith Power and Light and a licensed and ordained United Church of Christ Minister.

Erniko is the Director of Organizing and Partnership Engagement at Dogwood Alliance. Additionally, she’s the Environmental and Climate Justice Chair for the South Carolina NAACP State Conference. She is also the Executive Director and founder of the nonprofit OURS (Organized Uplifting Resources & Strategies).

Reimagination Through Land Conservation

Erniko Brown hosted a conversation with Rev. Leo Woodberry and Chief Peter Parr. We screened a short film called Pee Dee Indian Tribe Community Conservation. The video showcases how the Pee Dee Indian Tribe of South Carolina is creating climate and economic solutions that support their community and culture while conserving their land and wetlands. They’re building solutions that work with nature, not against it.

Rev. Woodberry is the Executive Director of New Alpha Development Corporation and serves as the pastor of Kingdom Living Temple in Florence, South Carolina.

Chief Peter Parr is the Chief of the Pee Dee Indian Tribe of South Carolina (PDITSC). He is also a Board Member of the Native American Advisory Committee (CMA) & South Carolina Indian Affairs Commission (SCIAC).