Reducing Environmental and Occupational Cancer Risks Toolkit

4. TIPS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT

A core tenet for engaging communities on environmental injustice is recognizing that community members are experts in their own lived experience. Some may also have relevant knowledge through professional training or because of intensive study of information relevant to the environmental challenges they face. Key to seeking remedies to environmental injustices is to support authentic and meaningful engagement of environmental justice communities and other nontraditional partners in the development of programs and policies. Remember the U.S. EPA definition of environmental justice:

“The just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment.”

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Meaningful engagement of environmental justice communities will support comprehensive cancer control planning and their ability to:

  • identify priority concerns and knowledge among community members and underlying cancer risks;
  • enhance understanding of those risks given lived experiences;
  • gain insights into potential risk reduction strategies; and
  • ensure effective program development and implementation through sustainable collaborative partnerships.

Given the daily struggles that environmental justice community members face, it is important to help remove barriers to meaningful engagement. Examples of approaches to support engagement of environmental justice community members in cancer coalition activities:

  • Offering meetings in the community. Community members cannot always be expected to travel to attend meetings outside of their area. Arranging for meetings in the community provides multiple benefits. 
  • Offering special meeting times. Meetings scheduled during standard work hours may exclude many environmental justice community members whose jobs make it impossible for them to join virtual calls or in-person meetings during the workday. Consider querying what times work best for community members and schedule meeting times accordingly. 
  • Providing non-English language accessibility through translation and interpretation. English may not be the first language of many environmental justice community members in your state.  Meaningful engagement will require providing translation and interpretation in languages spoken by community members.
  • Offering stipends to support people’s time and effort during meetings and/or provide services at the meeting, such as childcare. Providing funds to cover direct costs incurred by community members, such as child-care or transportation, can make the difference in a community member’s ability to participate in meetings or events. Scarce financial resources may also be a reality for environmental justice organizations representing specific community interests during cancer coalition meetings; offering stipends can make it possible for these organizations to engage and sustain their involvement and can signal that you value their contributions

“The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”

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