MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES WE FACE ARE ALSO THOSE THAT STRUGGLE WITH INADEQUATE ACCESS TO AND POOR QUALITY HEALTHCARE.
Avritah in Sanskrit means that which encircles us, that which is all around in our surroundings.
There is no saving the planet without working to uproot and reconstruct systems rife with inequities which harm human health and well-being. We cannot skip past and ignore the health of our fellow humans and move onto the health of our surroundings. But we can do it simultaneously, and we must.
The American healthcare system and the broken systems that breed environmental injustice will require each and every person to act at the leverage points closest to them to make a change. We hope to provide both the tools and the space to create action opportunities to involve people of all backgrounds in pushing forward change at these intersections.
We also believe that our work must be intersectional and should amplify the voices of those most affected by these issues. We hope to liaison resources and access through our Activations and center the experiences of marginalized communities when working to recreate just and equitable systems for human and environmental health, and support these voices.
Both the lived experiences of BIPOC communities and the scientific data point to the need for justice, equity, and inclusion within systems of health and the environment. We were handmade by women of color and will continue to ensure that our team represents a variety of community backgrounds.
ACTIVISM IS FOR EVERYONE
Our mission is to equip each and every person to take action towards systems of health equity and environmental justice through action-focused projects and our community platform.
Avritah was created in part to convey the understanding that each and every person has a place in the movement to take meaningful action towards health equity and environmental justice.
We believe that anyone who cares about human health in any way should take action to protect our environment, because issues ranging from climate change and rapid biodiversity loss to greenwashing and sustainable living have an impact on human and social health. Additionally, the American healthcare system is woefully unequipped to handle the public health emergency posed by climate change, a point driven home by the coronavirus pandemic. We need all hands on deck to tackle these short- and long-term systemic issues.
HEALTHY PLANET, HEALTHY PEOPLE
Working for healthier people and a healthier planet means that we must all seek to take action and demand justice and dignity for all beings and heal the environmental and medical systems they rely on for health and wellness. At the intersection of human and environmental health, we seek to activate each and every person to find their connection to these issues and to take intersectional action at different leverage points for the effect of systemic change.
Environmental factors such as air quality, water quality and climate are fundamental determinants of human and environmental health.
SOCIAL INEQUITIES LEAD TO HEALTH DISPARITIES
When environmental factors are compromised, this leads to disease and health disparities when the places where people live, work, learn, and play are burdened by social inequities. These social inequities, often referred to as social determinants of health, include differences in individual behaviors, cultural influences, access to health services, economic status, and literacy levels.
Environmental health disparities exist when vulnerable communities are exposed to poor environmental quality and as a result experience more sickness and disease than wealthier, less polluted communities. Compounded by the cracks in the American healthcare system, these issues are devastating the health of generations of people.
However, no one is safe from the health effects of these systemic issues. A malfunctioning healthcare system and environmental injustices are health problems that everyone should take personally. Because indirectly, but most likely directly, they will affect you too.
HEALTH EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Mona Attisha, the doctor responsible for raising alarm about the Flint Water crisis, notes that the burden of environmental health crises is not equally distributed. Environmental contaminants burden poor and minority communities at a disproportionate rate, due to multiple levels of systemic inequity--from crumbling infrastructure to poor nutrition and industry boldly polluting often without political repercussions.
Exposure to the catastrophic consequences of climate change and other environmental crises has the potential to cause lifelong health issues such as asthma, hormone disruption, learning disorders, heart disease, cancer, and more. The consequences of environmental racism often spans for generations and further exacerbates existing health disparities.
This is where issues of health equity become incredibly relevant. Inadequate access to healthcare, a lack of insurance coverage, skyrocketing consumer costs, overburdened doctors, and a medical community and healthcare infrastructure that tends to fall short, especially for the communities in greatest need of adequate care, needs systemic reform.
Ultimately, the quests for health equity and environmental justice are inextricable.