WEBVTT 00:00:02.629 --> 00:00:05.860 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> The value that took place in our lives, not the same. 00:00:05.870 --> 00:00:08.169 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% If we were not a black community for the white 00:00:08.179 --> 00:00:10.039 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% community, this would not have happened. 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:23.940 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> Climate change and environmental racism are some 00:00:23.949 --> 00:00:26.920 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% of the biggest issues facing communities of color here in 00:00:26.929 --> 00:00:29.980 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% Louisiana. I've already seen Woodland last looks like along 00:00:29.989 --> 00:00:33.140 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the coast and now I'm going to historic black community on the 00:00:33.149 --> 00:00:36.070 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% West Bank of the Mississippi River. I'm meeting with Joe 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.770 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% enjoyed an are in their hometown of Wallace, which is 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:42.500 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% part of an area called Cancer Alley. It's an 85 mile stretch 00:00:42.509 --> 00:00:45.500 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, known for its high 00:00:45.509 --> 00:00:48.789 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% concentration of industrial plants, as well as some of the 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.890 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% highest cancer rates in the nation. According to the EPA. 00:00:52.670 --> 00:00:55.479 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% And now the banner sisters are fighting to stop a proposed 00:00:55.490 --> 00:00:59.060 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% grain terminal from being built in their community. The sisters 00:00:59.070 --> 00:01:02.609 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% are descendants of the enslaved people from Whitney Plantation, 00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:04.840 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% which is just down the road from the propose grain 00:01:04.849 --> 00:01:07.409 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% terminal. And it's where a meeting them to learn more 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:09.269 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% about their history here in Wallace. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.909 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> This is the only plantation here along the river road 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:18.560 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% that's focused on the life, the labor and the contributions of 00:01:18.569 --> 00:01:20.950 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the Africans and their descendants that were in slate 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:22.439 line:85% position:50% size:80% here and throughout Louisiana. 00:01:25.900 --> 00:01:26.930 line:85% position:50% size:80% >> This is the big house. 00:01:27.730 --> 00:01:29.200 line:85% position:50% size:80% This is where they are 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:31.189 line:85% position:50% size:80% only family man. 00:01:31.510 --> 00:01:35.510 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> You have to remember that a plantation is is not about this 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:39.840 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% house exclusively. It's a man is to crops. And of course, 00:01:39.849 --> 00:01:43.760 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% that neighbor was performed by. It's a people. 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:47.420 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% You see that and you can't help but be impressed to see the 00:01:47.430 --> 00:01:50.810 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% facade of it all. And then, you know, the story of a dark 00:01:50.819 --> 00:01:54.340 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% history behind it to understand that it's easy sometimes for 00:01:54.349 --> 00:01:58.150 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% people to to to come to plantations and be taken away 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:01.780 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% by the beautiful architecture if the story of the unsafe 00:02:01.790 --> 00:02:03.959 line:85% position:50% size:80% people is not accurately tone. 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:07.640 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% Talk to me about the significance of this house 00:02:07.650 --> 00:02:10.129 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% because you all actually sheltered here right during one 00:02:10.139 --> 00:02:13.210 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% of the hurricanes. So I was the director of communications 00:02:13.219 --> 00:02:16.110 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% here, so had access to the site and we 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:19.159 line:85% position:50% size:80% we're at home and knew that 00:02:19.650 --> 00:02:23.509 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% Hurricane Ida was going to be an intense storm. And so our 00:02:23.990 --> 00:02:27.689 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% plan B was to come here in shelter here. And Whitney, 00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:31.780 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% this house has been here since it's 17 90's. We did not expect 00:02:31.789 --> 00:02:35.750 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% to be here. We thought that we could have rode the storm out 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:39.750 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% in a hole, but of the storm became bad enough that we would 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:44.389 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% have this structure to come to because it was built by skilled 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.750 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% hands of our our ancestors. We believe we can give us the 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:51.689 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% coverage that we need. It was 17 hours. No power 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:55.500 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% kicks in only light coming from our candles and was harrowing. 00:02:55.509 --> 00:02:58.349 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% But in terms of being in this house, I was surprised at how 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:01.069 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% peaceful it was and it was comforting. And that totally 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:04.430 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% believe that it was our ancestors that we're here with 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:04.710 line:85% position:50% size:80% us. 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:09.300 line:85% position:50% size:80% >> How does the community 00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:13.810 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% process all of these traumas and challenges today? 00:03:14.310 --> 00:03:17.430 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> A lot of times they don't process it because it's still 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:24.169 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% too hard. And I wanted to pass along strength and empowerment. 00:03:24.180 --> 00:03:27.110 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% But at the same time, I think a lot of the story was just too 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:30.830 line:85% position:50% size:80% painful to to to talk about. 00:03:31.189 --> 00:03:35.509 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> There's also a sense of shame to that we, I think are 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:39.539 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% collectively dealing with, but not knowing the history of not 00:03:39.550 --> 00:03:42.729 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% understanding how much our ancestors contributed to 00:03:42.740 --> 00:03:43.360 line:85% position:50% size:80% everything. 00:03:44.370 --> 00:03:47.270 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> What does racial healing look like to you all? 00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:49.289 line:85% position:50% size:80% >> A big step towards that 00:03:49.689 --> 00:03:53.379 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% would be recognizing black communities. We especially 00:03:53.389 --> 00:03:55.240 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% black descended communities like us. 00:03:55.800 --> 00:04:00.740 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% I'm seeing that our lives are important and our homes are 00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:03.490 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% important and that our communities are important to us 00:04:03.789 --> 00:04:08.469 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% and not just a means of getting more money and we have a right 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:11.949 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% to stay in a place in our communities. But I have to be 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:15.409 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% just moved out because someone has, but they think is a better 00:04:15.419 --> 00:04:17.550 line:85% position:50% size:80% idea for our future. 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:21.740 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> How does the legacy of the plantation impact the community 00:04:21.750 --> 00:04:26.800 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% today? It's a heavy news that has not been acknowledged 00:04:27.589 --> 00:04:29.949 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the fact that we have so much heavy industry. 00:04:30.370 --> 00:04:34.470 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> That's come in. That has exploited the system of the 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:38.209 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% same in the land and now the people surrounding it are 00:04:38.220 --> 00:04:40.839 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% having to deal with the help from a f*** Haitians of it 00:04:40.970 --> 00:04:42.360 line:85% position:50% size:80% makes it heavy. At times 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:48.040 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% we are in the heart of cancer rally ends. Our risk of cancer 00:04:48.050 --> 00:04:53.100 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% is higher than 95%. The rest of the country. The most immediate 00:04:53.110 --> 00:04:58.220 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% concern for us is we're fighting a grain terminal that 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:00.389 line:85% position:50% size:80% what's to come in 00:05:01.649 --> 00:05:03.250 line:85% position:50% size:80% develop on top of us. 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:09.459 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> The value that took place in our lives is not the same. 00:05:09.470 --> 00:05:13.500 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% If we if we were not black community for white community, 00:05:13.509 --> 00:05:14.730 line:85% position:50% size:80% this would not have happened. 00:05:14.750 --> 00:05:18.560 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> We have so much rich history, so much rich black 00:05:18.569 --> 00:05:22.980 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% history and so much history that is so important to the 00:05:22.990 --> 00:05:26.279 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% history of this country. But people have intentionally 00:05:26.290 --> 00:05:31.850 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% devalued it so we can always be movable like they can get rid 00:05:31.860 --> 00:05:35.879 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% of us and then make the highest dollar off of the land, make 00:05:35.889 --> 00:05:38.250 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the highest dollar because we have access to the river. 00:05:38.740 --> 00:05:41.779 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> To get a better idea of what they're fighting for and how 00:05:41.790 --> 00:05:44.029 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% this would affect their community. The banner sisters 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.639 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% are taking need to their property and the proposed green 00:05:46.649 --> 00:05:47.110 line:85% position:50% size:80% site. 00:05:47.129 --> 00:05:50.660 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> We're on the side of the proposed Greenfield, rain 00:05:50.930 --> 00:05:55.829 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% terminal development, but we're also on the edge of our of our 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.879 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% residential neighborhood. And so literally it's 00:06:00.470 --> 00:06:03.959 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% right there you see those pilings. That's where part of 00:06:03.970 --> 00:06:07.779 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the facility will be. So I I say it's not next to us. 00:06:07.790 --> 00:06:08.920 line:85% position:50% size:80% It's on top of us. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.660 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> In a statement provided to NBC News, Greenfield says we 00:06:12.670 --> 00:06:15.180 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% believe no one should ever have to trade their health for 00:06:15.189 --> 00:06:18.240 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% economic opportunity, which is why this project has been 00:06:18.250 --> 00:06:21.310 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% planned as a direct response to the legacy of environmental 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:24.290 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% racism that has plagued communities across the country 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:27.490 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% like Wallace. They went on to say the technology Greenfield 00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:30.560 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% is utilizing outperform all current and anticipated 00:06:30.569 --> 00:06:31.920 line:85% position:50% size:80% environmental standards. 00:06:32.540 --> 00:06:34.720 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> Someone on the outside looking in doesn't know the 00:06:34.730 --> 00:06:37.649 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% history of this place. I might have the thought of why don't 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:40.170 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% you just need if this place is bad for your health, you've 00:06:40.180 --> 00:06:44.620 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% seen impacts on your own family members. Why stay would you 00:06:44.629 --> 00:06:45.540 line:85% position:50% size:80% respond to that? 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:50.670 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% >> I stayed because this is my home and in spite and despite 00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:55.000 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% of all of the ways in which they've tried to one us out of 00:06:55.009 --> 00:06:58.430 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% here, we love it. You know, and I think that's a testament to 00:06:58.670 --> 00:07:02.649 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% the people that have been here, the legacies that they have, 00:07:02.660 --> 00:07:05.680 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% you know, passed down to us. And again, we're people of 00:07:05.689 --> 00:07:09.740 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% faith and hope in and we know that we will win. You know, 00:07:09.750 --> 00:07:11.910 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% I think we are winning in. And, you know, we are we 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:15.029 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% concerned from a lot for held. Yes, but 00:07:15.529 --> 00:07:19.339 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% it's worth the fight for us and change can happen change if 00:07:19.350 --> 00:07:22.230 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% you're talking about an area with that went from slavery to 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.870 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% freedom. And if you can make that change, then you can also 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:28.529 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% make a change. We're not relying on industries that 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:32.310 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% pollute harvest. And in this battle last day is because I 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.959 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% feel that we have people that are here with us fighting. 00:07:36.209 --> 00:07:38.629 align:center line:79% position:50% size:80% I would not be doing anything else but fighting for my 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:39.220 line:85% position:50% size:80% community. 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:46.680 line:85% position:50% size:80% >> And later I went to church.