Environmental empathy to black environmentalist leads to a lack of empathy to Jews? Who managed to connect white people who were environmental to the racial injustices of black people? The bridge between white environmentalists and the fight against racial injustice—especially as it affects Black communities—was built by a mix of grassroots activism, historical reckoning, and visionary leadership from both Black and white advocates. One pivotal figure is Van Jones, a Black environmental and civil rights advocate who helped popularize the concept of green jobs as a way to address both economic and environmental inequality. He emphasized that environmental progress shouldn’t leave behind communities of color, and he worked to bring white environmentalists into that conversation. The First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991 was another turning point. It brought together activists from across racial and ethnic lines to define environmental justice and challenge the mainstream (and often white-led) environmental movement to recognize how pollution and environmental degradation disproportionately affect communities of color. More broadly, the environmental justice movement gained traction as people began to recognize that Black communities were often on the frontlines of environmental harm—living near toxic waste sites, industrial plants, and polluted water sources. This reality forced a reckoning within the environmental movement, prompting many white activists to expand their focus beyond conservation and climate to include systemic racism and inequality3.