Hip-Hop Sustainability: Thomas Easley and Michael Twitty on Diversity in Environmental Communication

If society really wants to tackle environmental challenges it must confront a difficult reality: many of the people most affected by pollution and environmental degradation — including in communities of color across the U.S. — often aren’t included in the conversation. Building bridges that allow everyone a seat at the table will require us to rethink how we communicate about the environment, says Thomas Easley, assistant dean of community and inclusion at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. In this episode, Easley speaks with Michael Twitty, a student retention specialist at the New Haven Adult & Continuing Education Center. Together, they are trying to build such a bridge by bringing together students from each of their schools to examine the idea of environmental justice and develop strategies to achieve it in their community. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of communicating in ways that speak to all peoples’ values and experiences — and how their budding partnership can benefit everyone involved.