Reducing Environmental and Occupational Cancer Risks Toolkit
Advancing Health Equity with Environmental Justice
4. TIPS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT
A core tenet to engaging communities on environmental injustice is recognizing that community members are experts. 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 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.”
Meaningful engagement of environmental justice communities will support comprehensive cancer control planning and their ability to:
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:
“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.”