Racism, it's as big as dog sh*t
By Skylar Jennings
November 1, 2021
Anyone who has lived in America knows that racism exists--no matter how much they try to disguise it. Many times, people will say that racism is systemic, and other times people will say that everything is racist and that people are too sensitive. But they are right, everything is racist. Even doggy poo.
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of participating in community service with the ladies of Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Our community service consisted of picking trash off the streets surrounding our campus: Howard University. As Howard sits in the city of the District of Columbia, there is a lot of litter. However, some who do not frequently visit or stay on-campus may not notice the gentrification that has taken place near Howard is to blame.
If you have ever taken the metro to Howard University, you would notice that the stop for Howard University is called, “Howard University/Shaw.” The stop name is very representative of the area. One side is Howard University property and a predominantly Black area, while the Shaw side is a predominantly white area. In Shaw or the white area, there are countless new and overpriced apartments, trendy eateries, and shops.Many of the residents of these Shaw apartments are millennial white people. A lot of these millennials in Shaw have money to afford their apartments, to afford to eat at Shaw eateries and bars, and to afford dogs.
As I was doing community service, the women serving with me and I noticed an excessive amount of trash in the Howard area and a large amount of dog poop. There was so much dog poop that we were accidentally stepped on it and we were trying to avoid it. While we were there to serve the community, we all shared the same annoyance. Most people in the Howard area do not have dogs, or we [students] never see them walk their dogs. Personally, the only time I see a dog is when a white person from Shaw is walking them. When the other women and I continued our community service to a street in the Shaw area, we did not see as much trash and of course there was almost no dog poop. It was irritating because the white people in Shaw had enough respect for their area to clean up after their dogs and themselves, yet when they got to the Howard area, there was no respect.
Environmental Racism
The lack of regard for a community or environment that is predominantly populated by people of color is described as environmental racism. According to the Green Action for Health & Environmental Justice environmental racism is defined as, “the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color.” While dog poop and litter are not considered hazardous to people, it is still neglectful to the environment and downright disrespectful.
This aspect of environmental racism is not just seen on Howard’s campus, it is seen in almost every Black and brown neighborhood in the United States. Hailing from Chester County, Pennsylvania, I see environmental racism in my own county. Chester County is the richest county in Pennsylvania; however, the city of Coatesvillve [which is in Chester County] is the 23rd poorest city in Pennsylvania. And yes, Coatesville is a predominantly Black city.
In Coatesville, the streets are constantly filled with potholes, there is litter on the sidewalks, and many buildings are dilapidated or close to being dilapidated. While Coatesville is in this state, thirty minutes away is Kennett Square which is the sixth richest place in Pennsylvania. Kennett Square is an area filled with old money and farmland.
Although Coatesville and Kennett Square are in the same county, the look of each town could not be any different. Those in power feel that one town is more deserving of preservation than the other, and like mentioned before, this practice of environmental racism is seen all across the United States.
While acts of racism like environmental racism can easily make anyone angry, it is what we do with our anger that matters. Ways that we can combat environmental racism are by partaking in community service, voting in location elections, making sure to not litter, and recycling. So next time you take your dog for a walk or next time you throw trash on the street, think about environmental racism and how it could negatively impact communities of color.
To access information related to voting, go to: https://www.vote411.org/ To find community service opportunities near you, visit https://www.volunteermatch.org/ which will match you with community service tasks that align with your interests.