Curtis Bay Toxic Tour

Register by Monday (2/17) in order to participate.

Students will have an opportunity to see, to hear, to witness the environmental violence of over 77 stationary toxic facilities in Curtis Bay. Due to the cumulative impact of stationary toxic facilities, this community has some of the highest cases of respiratory illnesses in the entire country.

Toxic tours are a way to (dis)educate; they are political tools for consciousness raising. The tour helps to understand the historic and political economic context of inequality and zoning policies that turned The Southern Peninsula into Baltimore city's dumping grounds. We will go back in time to 2012 when youth from the community heard about a plan to build the nation's largest trash to energy incinerator a mile from their high school. This youth group has grown from stopping one polluting industry to now thinking about longer term community-led and controlled development.

The tour will be led by Dr. Nicole Fabricant (Towson University), author of Fighting to Breathe: Race, Toxicity, and the Rise of Youth Activism in Baltimore. The day will also feature other experts, scientists, impacted community members, and local organizers. This event is free and lunch will be provided.

EVENT DETAILS

• Bus will depart from Loyola (Boudler stop) at 8:30am
• Visit to the CSX Coal Terminal and garbage incinerators
• Hear from scientists about trail cameras and air monitoring
• Meet with community organizers
• Learn about the Free Your Voice youth activist movement in Curtis Bay
• Lunch provided (Red Emma's Co-Operative)
• Learn about Land Trust and passive home
• Bus will arrive back at Loyola by 3:30pm

This is a two-part event. Please consider registering for the follow-up meeting on campus. This Roundtable on Environmental Justice (Monday 2/24, 6pm, Humanities Cafe) will build on the Toxic Tour and provide students with opportunities for advocacy and action.

NOTE: If you are a student who will need to miss class on Friday to attend this event, Academic Affairs will provide notes to excuse your absences. Please provide your course information when you register.

This event is organized by the Center for Community, Service, and Justice in conjunction with the Humanities Symposium.