4 Black Women Environmentalists You Should Know About

In honor of Black History Month, we are celebrating Black women environmentalists who are paving the way for sustainable solutions that will lead to justice and equity. These four environmentalists are creating change in their communities and beyond— virtually and irl— for the wellbeing of the Earth.

 1. Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson 

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (@ayanaeliza) is a marine biologist, author, and policy expert, building community through her platforms around climate solutions. She is the founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank focused on cultivating climate and ocean policy in coastal cities, and founder/CEO of Ocean Collectiv, a strategy consulting firm for conservation solutions. Dr. Ayana’s efforts put community, communication, and collective work at the foundation of strategies to improve our ecological health.

2. Majora Carter

Majora Carter (@majoracarter) is an environmental justice activist with a focus on the connections between economic, ecological, and social degradation. She is the founder of the grassroots organization Sustainable South Bronx. Widely known for her ‘Greening the Ghetto’ TED Talk, her advocacy centers urban planning and how it can be used to revitalize the infrastructure in the most impoverished and environmentally oppressed communities areas in New York and around the country.

3. Dominique Drakeford

Dominique Drakeford (@dominiquedrakeford) is an environmental educator and community advocate, with a focus on ethical fashion, food and wellness practices. She is co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn, a platform working to provide access and insight to sustainability to communities of the African diaspora, through resources, events, workshops and curriculums. Overall, Dominique is on a mission to help heal people and the planet simultaneously through teaching sustainable living.

4. Leah Thomas

Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) is an intersectional environmental activist, sustainability-focused influencer, and eco-communicator. She is the founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, an environmental media and resource hub. Through her platform, Leah explores the intersections of social and environmental justice, and educates others with history and context on environmental problems and collective efforts we can make towards solutions.

All four of these women are on a mission to illuminate the importance of looking at environmental injustice with an intersectional lens, and dismantling embedded social injustices within environmentalism is a huge pillar in the work that they do. We are inspired by and thankful for their contributions to Sustainable Black History!