Decades back, when Raul Reyes Jr. would go to football practice in high school in West Dallas, the air outside was filled with a burning stench. The harsh smell came from the GAF asphalt shingle factory not far from the school. Now 47 years old, Reyes said a whole lot hasn’t changed since then.
“That’s every morning,” Reyes told the
Observer. “That’s not just during football season. That’s every freakin’ morning.” Reyes is also the president of West Dallas 1, a coalition of neighborhoods in the area, which was created to amplify the voice of the community. One of its main focuses is environmental justice.