CEJC is still mourning the loss of two of its members and major pioneers of the environmental justice movement.
On March 6th Denny Larson, of the Community Science Institute, passed away in New Orleans where he was organizing his “buckets brigades,” a low-cost community air monitoring method he pioneered. Denny helped in fights against pollution all over the world but was especially know for his work in the East Bay Area in campaigns against Chevron in Richmond and a metal smelter in Oakland. He also took on Lumber Liquidators and their harmful use of formaldehyde it their flooring. Denny leaves behind a 10-year old daughter, donations can be made to her college fun here.
Rose Foundation article about Denny: https://rosefdn.org/in-memoriam-denny-larson/
Only two months later CEJC and the Bay Area EJ movement lost another tireless fighter for disadvantaged communities when Marie Harrison of San Francisco passed away at her Stockton home. Marie was a founding member of CEJC who worked with Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice in fighting against toxic pollution and contamination near her then home in the SF neighborhood of Bayview Hunters Point.
From the SF Chronicle: “She was a remarkable woman, a fighter and an advocate who knew how to get things done,” said colleague and friend Bradley Angel, head of the Greenaction environmental organization where Harrison worked for two decades. “She was always gracious and always true to her beliefs.” “She never compromised her principles,” he added. “She was steadfast and true.” “Marie wasn’t for sale,” said friend Raymond Tompkins, a chemist who consulted with her about soil contamination at Hunters Point. “She was all about integrity. She had a way about her. When she challenged someone on an issue, she was like a mother who caught a child with his hand in the cookie jar.” In 2006, Harrison chained herself to the front of the controversial power plant at Hunters Point. She later chained herself to the fence surrounding the Hunters Point Shipyard Superfund site. The sites were contaminated and posed health risks to parts of San Francisco largely inhabited by minorities, she and Greenaction maintained.
SF Chronicle article about Marie: https://www.sfchronicle.com/green/article/Hunters-Point-environmental-activist-Marie-13826956.php?psid=3pAq2
SF Examiner article about Marie: https://www.sfexaminer.com/the-city/city-mourns-loss-of-passionate-bayview-community-advocate-marie-harrison/
Mission Local article about Marie: https://missionlocal.org/2019/05/marie-harrison-tireless-fighter-for-environmental-justice-dies-at-71/
Greenaction’s page on Bayview Hunters Point: http://greenaction.org/bayview-hunters-point/
California Environmental Justice Coalition 