Southerly is a journal dedicated to ecology, justice, and culture in the American South. They’ve just published a story about how faith leaders organized to win two major environmental victories in Louisiana. Not to give anything away, but one big win is the delay of the proposed Formosa Plastics mega-plant in St. James Parish; the other big win is the defeat of Amendment 5 in our recent statewide election. These campaigns have been championed and spearheaded by Rise St. James and Together Louisiana, among others. We enthusiastically support these grassroots organizations.
Among those interviewed is Father Jay Angerer of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in River Ridge. It just so happens that Father Jay is also on the board of the Greater New Orleans Interfaith Climate Coalition — and we are mighty glad to have him! The article details how Father Jay worked with his congregation on the issues of justice presented by Amendment 5.
“My church is eleven feet from the Mississippi River,” he said. North of River Ridge, Black and brown communities live closest to petrochemical facilities on what was once plantation land. “We are a couple miles south of Cancer Alley, and the water flows towards us. I’d have my head in the sand if I didn’t think that eventually our part of the river is going to also become part of Cancer Alley.”
Borrowing from the book of Joshua, Angerer said, “Someone needs to blow the horn, you know?”
Southerly
We recommend reading the whole article. Sara Sneath has done an admirable job conveying these important stories.