Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice
Name	Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice
Type	Nonprofit community organization
Founded	2012
Location	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Focus	Environmental justice, community health, urban planning
Key people	Marian Kramer, Hazel Johnson, Mustafa Ali, Majora Carter

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice is a community-based organization rooted in Detroit, Michigan, focusing on environmental justice, public health, and urban resilience. The organization serves neighborhoods across Detroit, collaborating with local activists, civic institutions, and national networks to address pollution, land use, and health disparities. It operates at the intersection of grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and community-led research.

History and Origins

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice traces intellectual and activist lineage to the Detroit Black Community Development Commission, the East Michigan Environmental Action Council, and figures such as Hazel Johnson and Majora Carter. The group emerged amid activism linked to the Cobo Hall protests, the Avenue of Fashion campaigns, and responses to industrial incidents near the Rouge River and Detroit River. Early influences include the work of Marian Kramer, the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, the Sierra Club Detroit Group, and the Great Lakes Commission. Historical moments shaping the group include the 1967 Detroit Rebellion, the Empowerment Zone initiative, and later campaigns around coal-fired power plants like the River Rouge Plant and Miller-Division controversies.

Mission and Goals

The stated mission aligns with principles advanced by the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice, the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice report, and the United Nations Environmental Programme. Goals emphasize reducing exposure to airborne contaminants from sites like Zug Island, remediating brownfields overseen by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and promoting transit-oriented development in collaboration with the Detroit Department of Transportation and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Strategic objectives reference frameworks used by the Ford Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for community-driven environmental health improvements.

Programs and Projects

Programs have included lead abatement initiatives coordinated with Henry Ford Health System, urban agriculture projects linked to Keep Growing Detroit, and air monitoring campaigns using protocols from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. Projects include neighborhood soil testing with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, community tree-planting in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department, and brownfield redevelopment advocacy with the Environmental Law & Policy Center. Other activities mirror models from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Climate Reality Project, and the National Resources Defense Council, while collaborating with local institutions such as the Detroit Medical Center and Wayne County Health Department.

Community Engagement and Advocacy

Engagement strategies echo tactics used by the Sunrise Movement, Greenpeace, and the NRDC, deploying community health surveys with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, community meetings hosted at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Arab American National Museum, and participatory mapping with partners like DataKind and the Detroit Future City initiative. Advocacy has targeted officials in the Detroit City Council, the Michigan Legislature, and members of Congress, while joining coalitions with the Sierra Club, the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, and the Indigenous Environmental Network.

Partnerships and Funding

The organization collaborates with funders and partners such as the Ford Motor Company Fund, the Kresge Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and local philanthropic entities like the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Technical partnerships include the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Wayne State University Law School, the Environmental Law Institute, and the Great Lakes Observing System. National alliances include ties to the Environmental Defense Fund, GreenFaith, the National Wildlife Federation, and the National Resources Defense Council. Funding streams have come through grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Impact and Outcomes

Documented outcomes reference declines in measured lead levels in pilot neighborhoods, increased green space modeled after projects by the Trust for Public Land, and successful advocacy that influenced permitting decisions at facilities like the Marathon Petroleum refinery and DTE Energy plants. Outcomes mirror impact metrics used by the Brookings Institution, the Urban Institute, and the RAND Corporation, showing improved air quality indices, expanded urban canopy cover measured with NASA Landsat data, and enhanced public health indicators tracked by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The group’s work has been cited in reports by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United Church of Christ, and the Great Lakes Commission.

Challenges and Future Directions

Challenges include industrial zoning entrenched through Detroit Economic Growth Corporation policies, legacy contamination requiring Superfund-level responses coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and funding volatility common to organizations tracked by the National Council of Nonprofits and Independent Sector. Future directions point toward scaling climate resilience projects aligned with the Rockefeller Foundation, embedding environmental justice criteria into Detroit’s master planning with Detroit Future City, and expanding cooperative models inspired by the Mondragon Corporation and community benefit agreements used in projects with the Kresge Foundation. Strategic growth contemplates deeper research partnerships with the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Case Western Reserve University, while maintaining grassroots ties to neighborhood entities like the Southwest Detroit Business Association and the Eastside Community Network.

Category:Environmental justice organizations Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Detroit Category:Community organizing in Michigan