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When: Wednesday, June 16 at 5 p.m.
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Where: Online via Zoom
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Who: This event is open to the public. Tell your friends!
The negative effects of pollution and environmental degradation hurt all of us, but they hit hardest at those who are most vulnerable: low-income and minority communities. These communities are the most likely to live near sources of pollution—factories, refineries, dumps, hog farms, and so forth—and the least likely to enjoy access to fresh air, clean water, and green space. They deserve to have their voices heard and their interests protected. As the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) puts it, “Environmental justice continues to be an important part of the struggle to improve and maintain a clean and healthful environment.”
The members of LWV-Wake’s Environment Committee believe that there is a great deal that League members and the general public could learn about environmental justice issues here in North Carolina. Our speakers describe the extent of the problems that vulnerable communities face and offer ways in which concerned individuals can promote greater environmental justice both locally and in the state as a whole.
SPEAKERS:
Veronica Carter - Councilmember, Leland Town Council
Veronica Carter received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fordham University, holds a Master of Public Administration from Troy University, and is a graduate of the United States Army’s Command and General Staff College. She is a former Civil Servant (International and US) and retired Army officer with over 40 years’ experience in managing complex logistics operations, often under austere conditions. Veronica has successfully led diverse supply chain and logistics (transportation, supply, maintenance, ammunition, and field services) operations in military, government, and international organizations on four continents. As a US Federal employee, she served as the Director of Administration and Logistics for Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point. As an International Civil Servant at United Nations Headquarters, Ms. Carter worked in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as a Logistics Officer.
Veronica has long been devoted to issues of environmental protection and environmental justice. The Governor of North Carolina appointed her to the Coastal Resources Commission, from 2008 through 2012. She has served on the Board of Directors for both Cape Fear and Brunswick County’s Habitat for Humanity affiliates, and she served on the Town of Leland’s Parks and Recreation Board. Veronica has devoted much of her time to ensuring Environmental Justice by empowering, advocating for, and educating EJ communities in southeastern NC. She currently serves on the North Carolina Coastal Federation Board of Directors, the Duke Superfund Advisory Board and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Board, which was created to help DEQ involve and engage disadvantaged and minority populations in its decision-making processes.
In November 2019, Veronica was elected to the Town Council of Leland, North Carolina, where she is currently serving as a Councilmember.
Amin Davis, PWS, PWD - State & Local Projects Manager, Water Resources Development Grant Program at NC DEQ, Division of Water Resources
Amin is an environmental scientist, with a BS degree in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University and a Master of Zoology degree from NC State University. He has over twenty years of professional experience conducting environmental and water resource management work in public, private, and nonprofit sectors across nine states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. His work has included watershed improvement and restoration activities, the integration of Geographic Information Systems and GPS into environmental assessments, and regulatory permitting coordination.
Amin has been employed by the NC Department of Environmental Quality since 2008, and is currently a community grant manager for the Division of Water Resources. He also co-leads the Walnut Creek Watershed Action Team with a DWR colleague.
Amin has long applied his professional experience to non-profit volunteer work in Southeast Raleigh. He currently serves as a Board member of Partners for Environmental Justice, and has been affiliated with three local nonprofits that provide environmental education activities for youth in underserved populations. He has also been involved in negotiations with local developers to integrate green infrastructure into their development projects.
