Speaker Rachel Cargle Discusses the Importance of Understanding and Teaching about Environmental Racism
Rachel Cargle, a writer, educator, philanthropist, scholar, and contributing editor at Atmos, is making waves in the conversation around race, environment, and mental health. Her work centres the experiences of Black people and other marginalized communities in environmental justice conversations, emphasizing the importance of mental healthcare and internal liberation as essential components of collective liberation.
Cargle's approach is intersectional, linking systemic racial oppression and environmental degradation with mental health and healing. She collaborates with Black and Indigenous scholars and activists, aligning with broader trends in racial and environmental justice frameworks where mental health is integral to sustaining activism and community well-being.
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, sparked Cargle's understanding of the intersection of race and the environment. Since then, she has been advocating for holistic approaches that include emotional and psychological well-being alongside activist efforts. Cargle encourages individuals to find their inner compass during transitional and challenging times, acknowledging trauma and the need to slow down, listen, and ground oneself emotionally and mentally to sustain long-term liberation work.
Cargle's platform allows experts to share their work with nearly 2 million people. During Black History Month, she offers prompts for self-education, reminding followers that the necessary information is available to them. Her Instagram series serves as a platform for Black scholars and Black queer scholars to present their work.
Cargle's work extends beyond her platform. She has contributed articles to Atmos, including a beautiful cover story on Black cowboys and essays on the intersection of race and the environment. Her work with the Loveland Foundation is particularly focused on supporting Black women and girls.
In 2019, Cargle appeared on Red Table Talk to discuss white privilege. Her conversations on her platform help non-Black people recognize the role of Black people in environmental history and understanding of the Earth. For Black people, her conversations offer moments of self-understanding and self-possibility, showing them as foragers, snowboarders, water activists, and global citizens.
Cargle believes that if Black women heal, it will ripple out into other spaces within the Black community. She invites Black women and girls to find their inner strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Her work is a testament to the power of education, self-reflection, and community support in dismantling systemic racism and promoting environmental justice.
- Rachel Cargle, a contributor at Atmos magazine, emphasizes environmental justice discussions that center Black people and marginalized communities, recognizing mental healthcare and internal liberation as vital for collective liberation.
- Cargle collaborates with Black and Indigenous scholars and activists, linking systemic racial oppression, environmental degradation, mental health, and healing as crucial in sustaining activism and community well-being.
- Inspired by the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, Cargle advocates for holistic approaches in activism, including emotional and psychological well-being.
- Cargle's social media presence offers prompts for self-education during Black History Month and serves as a platform for Black and queer scholars to present their work.
- Alongside her platform, Cargle has contributed articles to Atmos, exploring the intersection of race and environment and highlighting Black cowboys and the role of Black people in environmental history.
- In 2019, Cargle discussed white privilege on Red Table Talk, helping non-Black people understand Black people's role in environmental history and awareness of the Earth.
- Cargle's work showcases Black people as foragers, snowboarders, water activists, and global citizens, fostering moments of self-understanding and self-possibility.
- Cargle's work underscores the power of education, self-reflection, and community support in dismantling systemic racism, promoting environmental justice, and empowering Black women and girls to heal and find inner strength.
