S4E1 - Shady Business (with community organizers Dr. Joy Banner, Josette Cruz, Shamyra Lavigne, and Goldman Prize winner Diane Wilson)

In the world of business, decisions can range from risky to downright shady. The line between the two blurs, especially in industries like oil, gas, petrochemicals, and plastic production. Land acquisition and permits for pollution resulting from the gruesome history of racial segregation and government-sponsored redlining often raise ethical questions.

In this episode of 'All Eyes On The Gulf,' the first episode of season four of The People over Plastic podcast, we dive deep into these murky waters. Our environmental reporter Alexis Young, connects with courageous environmental activists across the Gulf region, from Texas to Louisiana, unveiling the shady dealings in the oil and gas industry.

Prepare to hear the unfiltered truths from those on the frontlines. We're honored to feature voices like 2023 Goldman Prize Winner, Diane Wilson, who's taken on multi-billion dollar Formosa Plastic. Joining Alexis are also resilient community members, like Dr. Joy Banner, Co-Founder of the Descendants Project, Josette Cruz from Brownsville, Texas, and Shamyra Lavigne of Rise St. James, daughter of the 2022 Goldman Prize Winner, Sharon Lavigne.

Tune in for a powerful conversation between co-hosts Alexis Young and Shilpi Chhotray, shedding light on the shady decisions that impact our communities. It's time to unveil the truth behind the corporate smokescreens and the legacy of environmental racism.

RESOURCES:

Click here to see the “Banking on Climate Chaos” graphic. And for our podcast episode featuring Bernadette Dementieff of the Gwich’in Nation, tune in here. Don’t forget to check out our website for Alexis’ additional reporting on Dr. Joy Banner, Josette Cruz, Shamyra Lavigne and Diane Wilson and follow us on Instagram and TikTok.