Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, Inc.

Dr. Mark Mitchell founded CCEJ to organize residents to address the high rates of asthma in Hartford, CT; the second poorest medium sized city in the United States, which is 80% Black and Latino. The mission of Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice is to protect urban environments in Connecticut through educating our community, through promoting changes in state policy, and through promoting individual, corporate and governmental responsibility towards our environment. We define environment as including the places that we live, work, play and go to school. Specifically, we are educating and promoting policies to: 1. Eliminate discriminatory siting policies for production or storage of environmental toxins. 2. Reduce rates of occurrence of environmental associated diseases such as asthma and lead poisoning in the urban areas and communities of color in Connecticut. 3. Ensure community notification and involvement in the decision-making process regarding issues and events that may significantly impact the urban environment. 4. Reduce the burden of environmental toxins in the urban areas and communities of color in Connecticut. 5. Promote community involvement in decision making for urban land use and to balance the development of physical, social as well as economic well-being of urban communities and communities of color. 6. Promote greater community benefits for urban areas that bear a disproportionate burden of facilities and situations that reduce the quality of life in these communities. Such benefits may include community monitoring, employment opportunities, and funding. 7. Educate people about the relationship between urban ecology and health, nutrition, economics, and well being. 8. Educate the public about the disparities in environmental burdens borne by urban communities and communities of color in Connecticut and the reasons why negative health impact are greater in these communities. 9. Create access to safe healthy, clean, and accessible environmental amenities and recreation for the people of our communities in parks, rivers, and outdoor activities. 10. Create opportunities for young people to participate in environmental educational and recreational activities. 11. Conduct and coordinate research and studies related to the urban environment and environmental health and safety. 12. Educate our communities to recognize and respect our traditional relationship with Mother Earth and to promote sustainable development of Her resources so that our children can continue to enjoy the benefits and protections that She has provided to us.