i think dr. johnson is absolutely right. we have been a part of this movement. we just haven t gotten the attention for it. moms clean air force, we were down at the national baptist convention in new orleans and had the opportunity to speak about 3,000 women with the womens auxiliary. if there s anything i know, it s when the mothers board get behind something, you have something going on. the stories i heard from those mothers and from the church about how important this is and the things that they re doing right now, lets me know there s a plummovement taking place. it just needs sunshine put on it. they have had an environmental justice program led by jacqueline patterson for 20 years now, and there is a lot of work, great work going on, and we re going to see that elevated on the 20th this friday, there s a global climate strike that s largely led by youth, teenagers of color. so we re seeing a total transformation of the movement, and a new generation coming in to lead as well,
to die of that same asthma attack than white children. wow. at mom s clean air force we understand that climate and air issues, this is a social justice movement and issue. that s why we are bringing toke black white mothers to look at this as a public health issue that we must address for the saeflt of our children. it s critical for this time. no one can escape dealing with climate. this is not optional. so why haven t we seen more of a movement in your opinion, dr. johnson, in the black community around this vital issue? i mean, this is not something that has anything to do with whether you re republican, democrat, progressive, or conservative. why haven t we seen more of a groundswell. this is the one issue or one of the rare issues from which your wealth cannot protect you. and so in addition to that lack that you re describing, you can t buy a clean air. you can buy better education, you can buy better food, better
health care, but you can t buy a better climate. and so i actually do want to counteract this misunderstanding that people of color don t care about the environment. don t care about climate. because we have actually seen in polling that black people and communities of color more generally are much more supportive of strong climate policy than their white counterparts. like over 50% for people of color and 22% for their white counterparts. and that gap is growing. and so i think people of color get it. as heather mentioned, you know, these are people on the front lines. they see the bad air quality. they know that their water is polluted, and so you know that it s important to prioritize addressing it. i think the lack of a big public movement that s led by people of color is in part because there s so many other issues facing communities of color. but nothing more basic than the air we breathe and the water we drink. talking about that poll. according to polling by the pew
wonderful because we have just hit 85 environmental rollbacks by the trump administration. just in the last two years, as tracked by the new york times. so there is no more important time to step up on this. all right. i m going to have to leave it there. thank you, dr. johnson and thank you, heather, for being on. climate in crisis will air across nbc news, msnbc, telemun telemundo, and nbc digital. it runs from today through friday, september 20th. up next, my final thoughts. stay with us. if you live with diabetes, why fingerstick when you can scan? with the freestyle libre 14 day system just scan the sensor with your reader, iphone or android and manage your diabetes. with the freestyle libre 14 day system, a continuous glucose monitor, you can check your glucose levels any time, without fingersticks. ask your doctor to write a prescription for the freestyle libre 14 day system. you can do it without fingersticks. learn more at freestylelibre.us
for our climate in crisis week of programing, i want to remind our viewers that those with the least to lose stand to feel the most pain from climate change. joining many enow a national field director for moms clean air force and a former epa region administrator under president obama and dr. ayana elizabethionson, a marine biologist and founder of ocean collective. dr. johnson, i know you specialize in the health of our oceans and waterways and the communities that depend on that depends on that i know you saw this week the trump administration went after another obama environment am protection. this one protecting certain waterways from big business, but also endangering water supplies