[Press Conference: “Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster Summit”]
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I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, EXPERTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M HERE TO ADJUST THE CRITICAL ISSUE THAT HAS AFFECTED OUR COMMUNITY AT KME GARDENS AND FIFTH WARD CANCER CLUSTER IN HOUSTON.
FOR DECADES, RESIDENTS AND THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A HIGH INCIDENCE OF CANCER, WHICH IS FAR GREATER THAN ANY OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY.
IT'S CONCERNING SITUATION, DEMANDING OUR ATTENTION.
ALTHOUGH THESE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THE CANCER CLUSTER, ONE THING IS VERY CLEAR.
THE VOICES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN THIS COMMUNITY NEED TO BE HEARD AND WILL BE HEARD IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY IN THE, SINCE THE EARLY 2020S WITH MY TEAM.
WE'VE DONE COUNTLESS HOURS, UM, IN CONVERSING WITH COMMUNITY LIT LEADERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, EXPERTS BEHIND THE SCENES.
OUR EFFORTS INCLUDE OVER THOUSANDS OF CALLS, RESEARCH POLICY, DRAFTING, AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, WHICH HAS LED TO THE PARTICIPATION OF ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF CANCERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
DR. STEPHANIE MILES RICHARDSON, IT IS OUR HONOR TO IT.
IT IS OUR HONOR TO HAVE HER PRESENCE AT THIS EVENT THE NEXT THREE DAYS.
THIS SUMMIT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S ESSENTIAL TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE.
THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE EFFECTS OF CANCER FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND THEIR CONCERNS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE CONSEQUENCES OF CANCER FIRSTHAND, AND THEIR EXPERIENCES PROVIDE INSIGHTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF CANCER AND HOW GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED.
IT IS CRUCIAL IN THIS CONVERSATION, THE FAR REACHING EFFECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH, EMPLOYMENT, THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED.
CANCER TAKES A SIGNIFICANT TOLL ON INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND IT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES.
FINANCIAL STRESS IS A FACTOR DUE TO IMPENDING MEDICAL BILLS THAT THEY HAVE.
EXPERIENCING THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF CANCER IN THIS AREA MAY ALSO LEAD TO DIFFICULTIES IN EMPLOYMENT AND SOME RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION OR STRUGGLING TO FIND WORK.
ALL OF THESE FACTORS TAKE A TOLL ON THEIR OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FIFTH WORLD CANCER CLUSTER IS A PART OF A BROADER ISSUE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE FACED BY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE FROM THE WATER CRISIS IN FLINT, MICHIGAN, TO THE ONGOING STRUGGLES FOR CLEAN AIR AND WATER IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IS A PERSUASIVE AND ONGOING PROBLEM AFFECTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTICING THAT BIPOC COMMUNITIES LEAD IN COMORBIDITIES AND IN COMPARISON TO ANY OTHER RACE.
THEREFORE, I INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO LISTEN TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR EXPERTS, AND OUR ADVOCATES.
BY WORKING TOGETHER AND LISTENING TO EACH OTHER, WE MAY FILE REAL PROGRESS IN A PATHWAY FORWARD.
I'M JOINED HERE TODAY BY AMY DEN FROM LONE STAR LEGAL, THE HONORABLE SHEILA JACKSON LEE, OUR COUNTY, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, CHRISTIAN EE, WHICH I'M GOING TO LET HIM SAY SOME WORDS.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS'S, OFFICE PRECINCT ONE, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ASHA JACKSON'S OFFICE IN DISTRICT B, WE HAVE DR.
DEA KING FROM THE BULLARD CENTER.
WE'VE GOT REVEREND CALDWELL FROM COCO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, AND OF COURSE, OUR SPECIAL GUEST, DR. STEPHANIE MILES RICHARDSON.
I'D LIKE TO BRING ATTORNEY CFI TO HAVE SOME SAY WORDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN AND TO DR. RICHARDSON.
WELCOME, UH, WE'RE INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
LOOK, FOLKS, THROUGHOUT THE FIFTH FORWARD, THE CASHIER GARDENS COMMUNITIES HAVE, HAVE LIVED THIS ON A DAILY BASIS.
I WENT OUT TO FIFTH FORWARD, I WALKED, I SEE LATONYA PAYNE HERE, WALKED WITH THEM DOWN THE STREET, AND THEY WILL TELL YOU TIME AFTER TIME IN THIS HOME, YOU HAD TWO PEOPLE WHO HAD CANCER, AND THIS HOME, YOU HAD THREE PEOPLE WHO HAD CANCER.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THESE FOLKS EXPERIENCE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE CANCER CLUSTERS IN RIVER OAKS, IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE CANCER CLUSTERS IN FIFTH WARD, THESE ISSUES WOULD'VE BEEN SOLVED A VERY LONG TIME AGO.
MY OFFICE IS FOCUSED LARGELY ON FIXING THE CONTAMINATION ISSUE.
WE KNOW THAT THE TCEQ WAS SET TO APPROVE A CLEANUP PERMIT FOR THE CHO CELL CONTAMINATION THAT WAS OUT THERE.
AND SO WE TEAMED UP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, AND BAYOU CITY INITIATIVE, AND WE TOOK STEPS TO GET THE EPA INVOLVED IN THE CLEANUP PROCESS.
WE, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHAT'S
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COMING NEXT, RIGHT? THE NEXT STEP IN THE CLEANUP, THE NEXT STEP IN MAKING IT SAFE.BUT THE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE BATTLING CANCER, THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED, RIGHT? THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE BATTLING THESE VERY THINGS TODAY.
AND SO I HOPE THAT ONE OF THE LARGE PARTS OF THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE HOW THESE FOLKS WERE IMPACTED AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE THEM WHOLE IN A SYSTEM AS FOLKS MOVE FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, BEING THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, IT'S OUR JOB TO COME IN AND TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO TRY TO FIND A CLEANUP PLAN.
UH, BUT THIS DIFFERENT INCIDENTS OF CANCER IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THESE ARE LIVED EXPERIENCES FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.
AND SO I'M EXCITED, UH, ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THESE FOLKS.
MY OFFICE WILL HAVE REPRESENTATION AT THE SYMPOSIUM EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY.
I WANNA PERSONALLY WELCOME DR. RICHARDSON, UH, IN LEADING THIS CONVERSATION.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN PLUMMER, WHO HAS BEEN LEADING AND FIGHTING ON THIS S**T, ON THIS ISSUE, UH, SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND, AND THE VERY LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, HARRIS COUNTY IS ONE OF THE BIRTHPLACES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT, RIGHT? UH, YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE FIFTH WARD, YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE NEAR NORTHSIDE.
YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MANCHESTER THAT HAVE, UH, HIGHER SETS OF CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS, METAL RECYCLERS, PLANT, UH, AND OTHER REFINERIES, RIGHT? THEY ALSO HAVE HIGHER INCIDENCES OF COPD, OF ASTHMA, OF BREATHING DIFFICULTIES.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE AREAS OF TOWN WHO DON'T BATTLE THAT AT ALL.
UH, ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IS A VERY REAL THING.
IT'S A THING THAT IS EXPERIENCED NOT JUST BY BLACK FOLKS, BY BROWN FOLKS, BUT BY FOLKS OF, OF LOWER EDUCATION, LOWER INCOME.
AND SO, UH, I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO STAND AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT, BUT I'M MOST EXCITED TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM OUT.
UH, I'M STEPHANIE MILES RICHARDSON.
I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
UM, I REPRESENT, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, I'M ASSOCIATE DEAN OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, AND ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF A CENTER ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
PUBLIC HEALTH IS SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND, UM, I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH THE, MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, MANY OF WHOM I'VE JUST MET, AND ONE OF WHOM I I'VE KNOWN MANY YEARS.
BOB BULLARD ACTUALLY WORKED WITH HIM.
I WHAT I KNOW, I KNOW BECAUSE OF HIM,
AND SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH THIS GROUP OF FOLKS TO TRY TO GET SOCIAL JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND GET WHAT THE PEOPLE DESERVE.
SO, THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING ME, DR.
UH, MY NAME IS ROBERT BULLARD.
UH, I DIRECT A BULLET CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM THE UNIVERSITY.
UH, WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR JUSTICE, UH, DELAYED AND DELAYED UNNECESSARILY.
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS CANCER CLUSTER, WE TALK ABOUT THE CONTAMINATION.
UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIVES LOST NEEDLESSLY, AND WHEN COMMUNITIES, RIGHT NOW, RESIDENTS ARE STILL WAITING, UH, FOR JUSTICE.
SO JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED, AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DENIED TOO LONG.
I THINK UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, UH, AND T-C-E-Q-E-P-A, UH, IT'S TIME FOR RIGHTEOUS ACTION.
THE TESTS NEEDS TO BE DONE CORRECTLY.
IT NEEDS TO BE DONE COMPREHENSIVELY.
WHEN THE TESTS ARE IN, THE RESULTS ARE, ARE, ARE FOUND.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY BE MADE WHOLE AND THE DAMAGES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.
AND REPAIR IS A NICE WORD FOR REPARATIONS.
ANYTHING SHORT OF THAT IS A CONTINUATION OF INJUSTICE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS SUFFERED.
I DO NOT SPEAK FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BUT I'VE SEEN EXAMPLES LIKE THIS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
TOO OFTEN AND TOO LONG, TOO MANY TIMES, BLACK COMMUNITIES, BROWN COMMUNITIES, POOR COMMUNITIES, HAVE TO WAIT FOR JUSTICE.
AND COMPANIES OFTENTIMES PLAY THAT WAITING GAME, HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL DIE, LEAVE, OR THAT THEY ARE FORGOTTEN.
SO I THINK THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM GOVERNMENT, FROM HEALTH, AND FROM THE POLITICAL SPHERE TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA LET THIS COMMUNITY SOMEHOW BE FORGOTTEN.
AND I WILL WILL SAY RIGHT NOW THAT THE BULLET CENTER AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
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SUPPORTS FIFTH WARD CASHMERE GARDEN COMMUNITY.IN THIS CASE, I SAY THAT WITHOUT HESITATION.
I STARTED MY CAREER 44 YEARS AGO, FIGHTING POLLUTION, FIGHTING, DUMPING, FIGHTING, POISON, AND FIGHTING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS FOR THESE DECADES.
SO IT'S TIME FOR ACTION AND ACTION.
IT'S TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET JUSTICE.
MY NAME IS KATHY BLUFORD DANIELS, AND I AM A RESIDENT.
I AM THE CURRENT HISD TRUSTEE.
SO OF COURSE, I HAVE AN INTEREST FOR THE CHILDREN IN THIS AREA, PARTICULARLY THESE CHILDREN, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT HAVE HAD, THAT ARE THE LOWER SPECTRUM OF THE LEARNING LADDER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IMPACT THIS HAS HAD ON OUR CHILDREN.
WE'VE GOT CONTAMINATION FROM GROUNDWATER, WE'VE GOT CRISO, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF CONTAMINATION.
AND LIKE ANYTHING UP HAS CHOSEN THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.
BUT EXCEPT THIS TIME WE'RE STANDING UP, WE'RE FIGHTING.
I AM ALSO THE COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR STATE SENATOR BORIS MILES FOR THIS IMMEDIATE AREA.
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR 60 SOME YEARS.
WENT TO SCHOOL OUT HERE, THE DOGAN, THE FLEMING, THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS THAT ARE OUT HERE.
I STILL LIVE OUT HERE, THAT WE COULD LIVE ANYWHERE.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE RETIREES.
WE COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN HOUSTON, ANY ONE OF THE LANDS.
BUT WE CHOSE TO COME BACK HERE AND COMING BACK HERE THAT I TELL PEOPLE THE, THE, THE FUNNY PART, I'VE BEEN LIKE MISS KRAVITZ ON BEWITCHED, PEOPLE PEEPING OUT THE WINDOW AND SEEING THINGS GOING ON OVER HERE, UP AND STARTING TO DOCUMENT IT.
SO WE ARE HERE, WE ARE STANDING STRONG.
WE GOT YOUNG LEGS WITH US NOW WHO ARE NOT AT 60, SO, SO
AND WE CAN DO, WE CAN STILL KEEP MAKING THE CONTACTS THAT'S NECESSARY.
HOW LONG, HOW LONG DO WE CONTINUE TO LOSE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY? HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING? WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LOSE OUR PARENTS AND OUR, OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND OUR CHILDREN BEING, UH, DEPRIVED OF PROPER EDUCATION BECAUSE OF WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE AN ISSUE WITH THE SOIL, WITH THE DRINKING WATER.
THERE WAS A TIME WE COULDN'T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE.
THERE WAS A TIME THAT WE COULDN'T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND NOW WITH GENTRIFICATION, THEY WANT PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE UP.
AND WE WANT TO BE GIVEN OUR DUE.
WE WANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLINICS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO GO AND, AND BE TESTED UP, NEEDS TO BE PAYING FOR THAT.
THEY'VE BEEN THE SOURCE OF THIS ISSUE FOR SO LONG.
WE WANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE, WHO, WHO CANNOT AFFORD, UM, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, UH, CHEMO? NO CHEMO.
BUT WHEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE MONEY FOR THE MEDICARE? NO, NO, NO.
SEE, SEE HOW SIMPLE IT IS? I TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
'CAUSE I HAVE TWO INSURANCES, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE DON'T HAVE ANY.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE CANNOT AFFORD THE COPAYS UP.
AND FORTUNATELY GENETICALLY I'VE HAD, UH, THYROID CANCER.
SO WE'VE HAD ALL KINDS OF ISSUES OUT HERE THAT HAVE BEEN LONG GOING THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CONTRIBUTED FROM UP OR NOT.
SO HOW LONG CAN WE GO THROUGH THIS? HOW LONG WILL YOU ALLOW US TO KEEP DYING OFF? BECAUSE GENERATIONALLY, WE'VE LOST PEOPLE IN OUR GENERATIONS, BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AND I, LIKE OTHERS, WILL, AM DEDICATED TO STAND HERE AND REMAIN IN THE FIGHT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THE VOICES FROM THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I'M GONNA LET ONE PERSON THAT LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY SPEAK.
MY NAME IS LATONYA PAYNE, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I AM A PERSON THAT WAS IMPACTED, UM, BY THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS COMMUNITY.
MY SON, 13 YEARS OLD, PASSED AWAY, DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LIVE HIS FULL LIFE DUE TO THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS COMMUNITY.
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TO LIVE AS NORMAL INDIVIDUALS.WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO GO ON THIS WAY.
AND I JUST STAND HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY IN UNITY WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID PRIOR TO ME STANDING HERE.
AND, UM, WE JUST WANT JUSTICE.
WE WANT TO LIVE LIKE REGULAR INDIVIDUALS.
WE WANT TO LIVE AS OTHERS THAT LIVE IN RIVER OAKS, THAT DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RECURRENCE OF CANCER.
OR ARE WE GONNA WAKE UP THE TOMORROW, UH, WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF HEART FAILURE AS AN, UH, SIDE EFFECT OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND WE WANT JUSTICE.
GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING.
I AM THE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF COCOA, THE COALITION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
FIRST OF ALL, I, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU HERE BECAUSE IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU, YOUR VOICES, YOUR COMPLAINTS, YOUR ISSUES, YOUR QUESTIONS, AND YOUR CONCERNS THAT WE, AND I SAY WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THIS, UH, WHAT SUPER TEAM,
AND, AND WE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE EFFORTS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M A NATIVE OF FIFTH WARD AS WELL, Y'ALL.
AND I, I, I LIVE NOT FAR AWAY FROM HERE.
AND I COULD SMELL THE CRE SOAP AT 11, 12 YEARS OLD.
SO YEAH, I, I CAN REMEMBER THAT FOR YEARS AND FOR DECADES.
BUT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A TEAM HERE, INCLUDING CHRIS OMAN.
AND, UH, CHRIS OMAN IS HERE BECAUSE HE'S THE RESULT OF EXPOSURE OF CRISO.
SO WE WANT, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE A BUNCH OF CRISO MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, ALL WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE EFFORTS FROM THE BULLET CENTER, FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FROM LONE STAR LEGAL AID, FROM, UH, THE, UH, POLITICAL REALM AND FROM THE COMMUNITY, MOST OF ALL IS ESSENTIAL AND IMPORTANT THAT THIS STRUGGLE, THIS FIGHT, THIS ISSUE, CONTINUE.
WILL THERE BE BARRIERS? YES, THERE WILL.
WILL THERE BE OBSTACLES? YES, THERE WILL, BUT WE ARE DETERMINED, COMMITTED AND DEDICATED TO WINNING THE STRUGGLE.
I AM A SECRETARY FOR GREATER IMPACT FIFTH WARD.
I LIVE ON THE NEXT STREET, LAVENDER 29 0 6.
I'VE LIVED OUT HERE FOR, I'M NOT GOING TO ZIP IT.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M WEARING THIS OXYGEN BECAUSE I HAD DOUBLE PNEUMONIA.
AND, UH, I'VE ALSO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER.
AND LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO STAY, I'M AGAINST IT.
WHAT I WANNA SEE, UNION PACIFIC DO, GET RID OF ALL OF THIS.
BUILD A STRIP CENTER, HOSPITALS THAT YOU HAVE DOWNTOWN, GROCERY STORES THAT YOU HAVE OVER ON 20TH STREET.
GIVE US SOMETHING OUT HERE TO LIVE FOR.
WE COULD BUILD NICE HOMES FURTHER AWAY, BUT IT DON'T HAVE TO BE FURTHER ENOUGH AWAY THAT WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES.
AND, UH, I'VE HAD TESTING DONE TO MY HOME, AND SOME TESTS CAME BACK POSITIVE, AND MY LUNG DOCTOR SAYS, MISS BILL, YOU NEED TO MOVE.
BUT IT'S JUST NOT EASY TO PICK UP AND LEAVE.
AND THIS IS WHAT I'M DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WENT TO THE DOCTOR THIS MORNING, HAD X-RAYS TO SEE IF, UH, I STILL HAVE PNEUMONIA IN MY LUNGS.
AND, UH, I JUST WANT UNION PACIFIC TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE.
THEY KNOW, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
FROM 1911 TO 1984, THERE'S A, WE STANDING ON TOP OF A LAKE.
THERE'S 10 TO 80 FEET OF WATER IN US RIGHT NOW THAT'S CONTAMINATED.
I HAVE A LETTER THAT THEY SENT TO MY HOUSE SAYING THIS, STATING THIS, THAT THERE'S CONTAMINATED WATER.
SO I DON'T SEE IT BEING CLEANED UP,
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BUT WHATEVER THEY CAN DO, I WANT IT DONE, BUT I WANT IT DONE RIGHT.WHERE ARE YOU? COME ON UP HERE WITH ME,
LET ME, UM, THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
FOR BEING A VERY VITAL PART OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL IN HER VERY SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE ON HEALTHCARE.
UH, AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A, UH, RISING ISSUE.
WE ARE, WE'RE NOT AT THE RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND I THINK IF THERE IS A POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IT IS THAT IT DOES NOT STOP AT THE BORDERS OF ERGAS, CASHMERE, LAVENDER STREET, LIBERTY ROAD.
WE HAVE YET TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT IS FAR NORTHEAST, WHETHER IT IS AN EAST END.
WE'VE YET TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS MORE, UH, IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION.
UH, GALENA PARK, UH, HOW MUCH IS IT IN PLEASANTVILLE? HOW MUCH IS IT, UH, IN, UH, I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE FAR NORTHEAST, AS I'VE INDICATED.
UH, AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE NORTH, NORTHEAST NORTH, UH, PART OF OUR CITY WHO LIKEWISE ARE IMPACTED MAYBE THROUGH AIR QUALITY.
I WANNA THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND MAYOR TURNER, WHO WITH THE WHO, WITH WHAT THEY HAD.
BEGIN TO ANSWER THE CALL OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK ATTORNEY AMFI COUNTY ATTORNEY MENIFEE, UM, UH, PROFESSOR BULL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CENTER AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AND WE ARE VERY GLAD TO HAVE WITH US A NEW ADDITION IN AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION.
AND I HOPE THAT HER EXAMPLE, UH, LENDS ITSELF TO OUR MEDICAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR COLLABORATION.
AND THAT IS, UH, DR. STEPHANIE MILES RICHARDSON WITH THE MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
THAT WAS, UM, UH, THAT WAS, UH, REACHED OUT TO BY PROFESSOR, UH, BULLARD, BUT ALSO, UH, LEADING BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO SPEAK LOUDER.
WE SEE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC HERE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PLUMMER.
SO I WANTED TO, UH, COME, UH, TO THANK AND THEN CHALLENGE WHAT THE WORK WE HAVE TO DO.
WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING WHERE WE HAVE HEARD FROM, UH, RESIDENTS, AND YOU'VE JUST HEARD FROM A LIVING WITNESS, A LIVING WITNESS.
UM, SHE HAS ALL OF THE ATTENDING, UH, CONDITIONS THAT MANY HAVE DIED FROM.
AND SO YOU'RE NOT HEARING FROM THE DEAD.
YOU'RE NOT HEARING FROM THE RELATIVES THAT ARE NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, I WALKED THIS COMMUNITY WHEN WE STARTED OUT AT LEAST GOOD FIVE YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
UM, PASTOR CALDWELL HAS HAD MEETINGS FROM 2015.
OTHERS HAVE LIVED WITH THIS FOR OBVIOUSLY A VERY LONG TIME.
ONE INDIVIDUAL HAS, HAS COME AND RECENTLY AND THEN BECAME SICK IN RECENT TIMES.
SO I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE JOINING WITH, UH, THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE EPA BY LAW WORKS ON FINDING CURRENT VICTIMS, AND WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THOSE CURRENT VICTIMS AND THEY'RE SPREADING, AND THEY'RE IN BOTH THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY AND OTHERS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE.
AND MY RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE TO WORK WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO LOOK AT THE HISTORICAL RECORD THAT UNION PACIFIC HAS SET, WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO PETITION BECAUSE THEY ARE DEAD AND THEIR WHOLE GENERATIONS OF FAMILY THAT ARE NOT HERE, BUT THEIR HOUSES ARE HERE, AND MAYBE SOME OF THEIR YOUNG, YOUNG PROGENY ARE IN THE HOUSE.
AND THEIR PLIGHT IS THAT THEY MAY TOO BECOME VERY, VERY SICK.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO, AND I WANNA BE VERY MUCH IN THE MIXTURE OF THAT.
ADMINISTRATOR REAGAN WAS HERE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
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UH, THE PRESIDENT JUST NAMED AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE OFFICE TASK FORCE.AND WE WANT TO ACCESS THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DOLLARS, PARTICULARLY THE $5 BILLION THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE NATION.
AND IN THE PROPOSALS THAT, UH, WE HOPE THAT THESE SCIENTISTS WILL HAVE, INCLUDING OUR DOCTOR FROM MOREHOUSE, PROFESSOR BULLARD, WHO WEARS MANY HATS.
HE'S NOT A PHYSICIAN AND HIS CENTER, THAT WE WILL ACCESS THOSE DOLLARS TO COMPLIMENT THE WORK THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD FEEL SAFER IF WE FUNDED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO DO TESTING, PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RESOURCES TO DO TESTING, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR CITY.
YES, THEY KNOW THE FACES OF THEIR CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND IT WOULD BE BETTER.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR UNION PACIFIC TO DO IS TO NOT BE HESITANT AND ALWAYS IN THE POSITION OF, I'M AFRAID I'M GOING TO GET ACCUSED TO UNION PACIFIC UNTIL IT'S CORPORATE LEADERSHIP.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO BE AGGRESSIVELY FOR RESOLVING THE ISSUES HERE.
AND IF THAT MEANS SETTING ASIDE AN ESCROW FUND RIGHT NOW, IT IS BETTER FOR YOU TO DO THAT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN ACCESS THOSE DOLLARS BY TRUSTWORTHY PERSONS THAT ARE HERE.
THAT'S SEPARATE AND APART FOR ANY POTENTIAL ACTION.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS ENCOURAGE A CORPORATION TO NOT TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, BUT TO SET ASIDE THE RESOURCES AND LET THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS TRUSTED BENEFICIARIES, BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE RESOURCES.
NOW, I'M GONNA BE VERY HONEST.
I WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE, BUT I REALLY WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'VE GROWN UP IN.
I WANT YOUNG FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO RETURN.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THESE HOMES LEVEL, BECAUSE ONCE YOU LEVEL HOMES, SOMEONE IS GONNA BE CREATIVE ENOUGH TO COME AND MAKE A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
I LOVE HOUSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS.
COUNCILMAN PLUMMER, THANK YOU FOR LOVING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT B, LOVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, JACKSON AND OTHERS WHO REPRESENT THIS AREA.
SENATOR MILES AND, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
UH, THEY, THEY'VE ALL HAD EXPERIENCES HERE, BUT I I, I LOVE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAVE TO BECAUSE BOTH OF MY PREDECESSORS GREW UP IN THIS AREA, THE HONORABLE BARBARA JORDAN WHO MENTORED ME AND MICKEY LELAND WHO CAME AFTER HER.
AND THAT IS THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RELOCATE.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SICK, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY REALIZE THAT NO ONE IS ACCEPTING THEIR SICKNESS AND WANTING THEM TO STAY IN CONDITIONS THAT MAKE THEM SICK.
SO HERE'S WHERE I AM AT THIS POINT.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE SUMMIT.
I'LL BE BACK IN WASHINGTON, BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE SUMMIT.
I THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THIS VERY GOOD LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SAYS WE ARE NOT FINISHED.
AND WITH THE WORK OF THE CITY IN THE MAYOR, I WANT TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER.
WE SHOULD PROCLAIM TEXAS TO BE A HOUSTON, TO BE A NO TOXIC CITY.
WE SHOULD ACCEPT THAT, NOT BY THE SOIL OR THE QUALITY OF THE AIR.
THE THIRD THING IS THAT I NEED YOU ALL TO ASK, WHAT IS GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND TCEQ DOING RIGHT NOW TO WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
I KNOW WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IS.
I KNOW WHAT MIKE REAGAN IS DOING.
I'VE SEEN HIM AND I KNOW WHAT HE DID WHEN THE EAST PALESTINE WASTE WAS COMING HERE.
AND HE PUT A EPA EXPERT ON THE GROUND IN THE BUSINESS THAT WAS RECEIVING SOME OF THAT.
AND YOU HAVE NOT HEARD A WORD BECAUSE HE GOT INVOLVED AND HE DISTRIBUTED, NOT HE, BUT WERE ABLE TO SEND PRODUCT DIFFERENT PLACES SO IT WOULDN'T ALL COME ON ONE PLACE.
SO I KNOW THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM.
I THINK I'M AT THE THIRD THING OR FOURTH THING.
I WANT THE EPA TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A LONG HISTORY AND THERE ARE PEOPLE DECEASED THAT WE CANNOT TALK TO.
AND SO WE CANNOT JUST RELY ON THOSE WHO LIVE.
SHE IS LIVING AND FIGHTING, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST WERE OVERWHELMED WITH ILLNESS AND DIDN'T HAVE, DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE INCOME OR THE HEALTHCARE TO FIGHT.
I WANT EPA TO KNOW AND TO, IN THEIR FORMULA, TO CALCULATE THOSE WHO ARE DECEASED, WHOSE FAMILIES CAN COME FORWARD.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET ALL THE FAMILIES AND HAVE AT LEAST SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.
[00:30:02]
THE SUMMIT, I HOPE, WILL DRAW THAT OUT.AND THEN I WANT UNION PACIFIC, IF YOU ARE SERIOUS, TO TALK ABOUT AN ESCROW FUND, TO TALK ABOUT A TRUST FUND THAT CAN BE UTILIZED, UH, FOR THE GOOD THINGS OF THIS, FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN FINALLY, THOUGH, I KNOW THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME OTHER DIRECTIONS THAT WE'D LIKE TO TAKE.
I'M ENCOURAGING THE SAMPLING OF THE SOIL, AND I'M ENCOURAGING THE HOMEOWNERS, RESIDENTS, RENTERS, TO ALLOW THAT TO BE SAMPLED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONFIGURATION WILL BE YET, BUT I THINK DR.
PLUMMER WILL SAY, AND I THINK, UH, DR. MILES
I WANNA MAKE SURE, AGAIN, I I KNOW THEY WILL JOIN ME AND SAY, PLEASE LET YOUR SOIL BE BE SAMPLED.
UH, WE, WE ARE GOING TO GET A SYSTEM THAT YOU'LL BE COMFORTABLE WITH.
PLEASE LET YOUR SOIL BE SAMPLED.
AND WE HAVE NEW NEIGHBORS HERE.
WE HAVE SPANISH SPEAKERS HERE.
WE ARE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
IT'S GONNA BE BILINGUAL, AND THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BE ACCEPTING OF THE TESTING GOING ON.
THAT IS FOR YOUR GOOD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE CHILDREN.
SOME ARE SENIORS, SOME ARE NEW FAMILIES COMING UP.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU CAME HERE, YOU'RE OWNING, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A RENTER.
WE WANT THIS TO BE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION? BECAUSE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE YOU AGAINST THE, UH, NOT PAYING DOWN.
WHAT ABOUT ABOUT I, LET ME SAY THIS.
I, I AM NOT GOING TO DICTATE TO OWNERS AND RESIDENTS.
MY PREFERENCE IS FOR US TO WORK WITH YOU, TO GIVE YOU COMFORT TO STAY OR TO BE TEMPORARILY RELOCATED AND NOT TO GO AWAY.
I WILL NOT GET INTO PEOPLE'S DECISION ON BUYOUT.
THEY'RE BUYING OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE FRUSTRATED, THEY'RE SICK, THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING, ANY, ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE THEM THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE IT MORE QUICKLY.
BUT IF THEY DO MOVE OUT, WE'RE TRYING TO SAY, THESE ARE ANCESTRAL HOMES.
I HEAR PEOPLE TALK, MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, WHETHER IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO COME BACK.
I WANT THIS TO BE A VERY RICH AND REWARDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, A A I CLOSE WITH THE JUST THE, UH, COMMENT THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR TOXICITY GOES, UH, IN THIS REGION.
THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO GET ANSWERED.
THIS IS TO SAY WE NEED TO EMBRACE A FAR LARGER REGION.
AND AS WE DO THAT, LET'S GET THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND LET UNION PACIFIC KNOW IT IS NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
IT IS BETTER FOR THEM TO BE PRODUCTIVELY AGGRESSIVE.
AND A TRUST FUND WOULD BE A PREFERABLE THAN DROPPING DOLLARS HERE AND THERE.
MUCH BETTER FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH IT AND THE FAM, THE, UH, RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH IT.
UH, AND IT GIVES EPA THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO DO THE WORK.
AND OUR EXPERTS TIME TO DO THE WORK AS WELL, TO GET, IF YOU WILL, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
THAT IS WHAT WE, UH, IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
THIS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORS, THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THESE ARE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SICK.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT IS WHAT THIS IS WHAT COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
AND, UM, UH, I HAVE TO, UH, GIVE A LOT OF, UH, ACCOLADES TO MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HERE, UH, TO THE, UH, EPA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, ADMINISTRATOR REAGAN.
AND OF COURSE, UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN.
WE DID NOT EVER MOVE THIS FAST OR MOVE AT THIS BREATH, UH, UNTIL WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET, UH, THE EPA HERE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND ADMINISTRATOR REAGAN HAS PROMISED ME THAT HE'S COMING BACK AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE THE POINT HOW IMPORTANT THIS WHOLE AREA IS TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE NATION.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY.
ALWAYS COME WITH A LOT OF BOOKS,
SO I'LL TAKE MY PAPERS AND, AND NOT NOT HAVE THE 99 THINGS THAT I PLAN THIS, I'LL JUST GIVE THEM OUT AND PRESS STATEMENT.
IN CLOSING, I WANTED TO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME THIS EVENING TO THE TOWN HALL.
IT'S AT THE FIFTH WARD MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS, OF BRINGING TOGETHER THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS, EXPERTS, IS TO REALLY COME UP WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN OF HOW WE ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION OF WHEN, OR WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT OR WE'LL CONSIDER IT.
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET DONE.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS, THE NEXT THREE DAYS IS GONNA BE A WAY THAT WE HAVE SHUT EVERYONE DOWN IN ONE SPACE AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS
[00:35:01]
THAT ARE, THAT ARE PRODUCTIVE AND THAT ARE EFFECTIVE, AND THAT WE CAN, UM, RELAY AND, AND MOVE THIS FORWARD.UM, THIS IS FIFTH WARD, Y'ALL.
AND, UM, AND IT MEANS MY DADDY GREW UP IN THIS AREA, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT MEANS SO MUCH TO YOUNG, YOUNG HOUSTONIANS LIKE MYSELF.
WE'VE GOTTA SAVE CASHMERE GARDENS, AND WE CANNOT LET ANY MORE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE DIE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.