Black Women for Wellness’ Environmental Justice Fellowship

“Through this fellowship I was reminded of the importance of community education, empowerment and action. I learned that the links between EJ & RJ are rooted in a tradition of questioning black humanity.”

– Sophie Sylla 

Through the course of the fellowship, each fellow was paired with a mentor with an environmental justice background and deep roots in the community – these mentors supported the fellows’ professional development and encouraged their passions regarding environmental, reproductive, and racial justice. 

Camille was paired with Talia Dotson, who has been working in the equity and environmental education space in LA for many years, and among many other things, was heavily involved in the Kenneth Hahn Bowl revitalization. Their shared interests in both food justice and in land use adjacent to and involving oil drilling sparked many long and textured conversations. Sophie was mentored by Marie-Alise Recasner de Marco, who has deep roots in South LA, a background in theatre, and managed the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw farmer’s market for many years. Their shared artistic backgrounds, and deep love of community care and community organizing brought them together, and into spaces with other community members. 

During the fellowship, in addition to learning and growing their EJ knowledge and skills, Sophie and Camille also used their positions as fellows to create opportunities for the community BWW serves to learn, grow, and start their own conversations about environmental injustice. 

Over the course of 9 months, our fellows shared their growing knowledge widely, giving 15+ presentations to BWW members, South LA community groups, academic partners, and local government officials and agencies. They also hosted or participated in 60+ community events! This allowed them to build relationships and foster important dialogues about EJ and RJ within the Black community in South Los Angeles. 

EJ Fellowship Projects

Sophie and Camille both completed fellowship projects during their time at BWW, with each fellow facilitating interviews with community members to uplift their voices and shine spotlights on different EJ issues. Their projects are described below, and you can also find links to explore each of their projects yourself! 

Camille Samuels: Exploring Kenneth Hahn and its Relationship to the Inglewood Oil Field

Over 9 months, Camille researched, planned, and created a storymap exploring the history of Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area and its relationship to the Inglewood Oil Field, to better understand how South LA and its Black community has been shaped by these land uses. The storymap is available online here – check it out!

For her project, Camille received 147 responses to a survey asking community members about their relationship to Kenneth Hahn, and their knowledge of the IOF (Inglewood Oil Field). She also conducted 35 in-depth interviews with Black residents. The insights of community members are uplifted within the storymap, and inform its layout and content. 

In addition, Camille led 2 community events in Kenneth Hahn Park itself. In Earth Month, she led a yoga session in a section of the park where oil drilling is particularly visible, and then led a group discussion. In May, in collaboration with Black Girl Environmentalist, she hosted a lunch and community hike through Kenneth Hahn, where participants explored the park’s ecology, learned about its environmental history, and enjoyed sweeping views of LA. 

Camille’s community-rooted work around Kenneth Hahn and the IOF gained a lot of traction, and she was interviewed for a feature article by the Black-owned Los Angeles Sentinel – the article is available online here. 

The dialogue that Camille fostered through this project continues beyond the end of her fellowship, as these community conversations around the IOF will continue to inform our Environmental Justice team’s ongoing work around the site. Learn more about BWW’s work to protect residents from neighborhood oil drilling here, and sign up to stay updated!

Sophie Sylla: Using Art and Storytelling to Draw the Connections Between EJ and RJ  

During her 9 month fellowship, Sophie created a zine that collects research, stories, dreams, and recommendations for the future for Black women in Los Angeles. Her zine explores the intersections between EJ and RJ by examining the way that the built environment sustains historical systems of violence against Black bodies and reproductive rights; and also looks at forms of resistance and repair. The zine is available online here – check it out!

For this project, Sophie conducted 15 in-depth interviews with Black women in South LA, and hosted 3 zine-making workshops for community members to envision a more just future through artistic practices. She also provided support at BWW events like our annual Black Mamas Birthing Tour, where she took photographs and worked with women impacted by environmental racism on storytelling.

At the end of her fellowship, Sophie led a collective dreaming event at which participants began dialogues with each other about the connection between EJ and RJ, while also enjoying some breathwork, zine viewing, and bouquet-making.

Beyond Sophie’s fellowship, our Environmental Justice team will continue to hold and create space for these community conversations and learning experiences centered around a holistic approach to EJ and RJ. Learn more about our ongoing EJ campaigns on our website! 

What’s Next?

“I just wanted to express my gratitude for my time here at Black Women for Wellness! I am so proud of all I’ve seen you all accomplish over the past few months and am excited for the opportunities to collaborate and cross paths again!” 

– Camille Samuels

Both of our fellows plan to carry the knowledge and work gained through the BWW EJ fellowship forward with them, and to continue their passions with environmental justice. Camille will be working to finish her PhD over the coming years, and aspires to incorporate the research and community insights gleaned through her project in her dissertation work. Sophie will continue to be rooted in community organizing work, and is committed to combining art, research, and community empowerment to uplift environmental justice issues. Both fellows intend to maintain and develop many of the community connections formed through their time with BWW, and promise to not be strangers! 

As for BWW, we will be welcoming a second cohort of fellows in September, as the need to ensure that Black women have the space to grow, learn, and create space for others is just as urgent as ever. Stay tuned, and come say hello to our new fellows at upcoming BWW events!