Majora Carter presented her lecture, "Greening the Ghetto," at UT Monday evening as part of the Robert B. Church Memorial Lecture Series for the College of Architecture and Design.

Carter spoke on the challenges ghetto communities can face because of environmental problems, including violence, child obesity, more stress and higher costs of government.

Ghettos are currently in a period of great difficulty because of the economic crisis, Carter said. She drew on her own experiences growing up in the South Bronx, where crime, poverty and unemployment rates are extremely high. No playgrounds existed in her community when she was a child, she said.

"Race and class will tell you where you will find waste facilities and where you will find parks and trees," she said.

Carter works for environmental justice and believes that communities that suffer from poverty, pollution and unemployment should still have positive environmental opportunities.

With the help of others Majora cleared out an illegal garbage dump that wound up polluting the Bronx River and created a waterfront park instead. It was the first waterfront park in 60 years in the community.

No community should have to bear the brunt of environmental burdens while not enjoying some environmental benefits.
-Majora Carter, President of Majora Carter Group, LLC

It is necessary to narrow the gap between the rich and poor and protect the dignity of all people, because everyone deserves some dignity, she said.

"Poverty coupled with diminished opportunities for employment equals more opportunities for the illegal economy and increases the chance for going to jail," she said.

"Violence is going to happen if people do not feel that they have a personal or financial stake in the environment," she said.

The environment also has an impact on the health of the community, Carter said. Children are obese because they are not getting enough exercise. The lack of playgrounds and parks in many communities may be an indirect cause of this high obesity rate, she said.

"Pollution, combined with lack of greenery, equals higher stress, higher crime, less quality of life and higher costs of government," Carter said.

Carter is president of the Majora Carter Group, LLC, a green-collar economic consulting company. The company advises cities and municipalities on how to create a green-collar vision by using the same dollar to support economic, social and environmental goals.

The group's first area of interest will be Elizabeth City, N.C. This is a priority area for the Majora Carter Group because it is a very poor community and 50 years from now it is expected to be the U.S. city most impacted by rising sea levels.

"I truly believe that environmental justice for all is civil rights in the 21^st century," Carter said.

The next presentation in the lecture series will be Andrea Löfke on Monday, Sept. 29, in the McCarty Auditorium of the Art and Architecture Building.