Work begins in Minnesota to reverse pollution’s toll on Black health
With legislation and activism, Minnesota’s communities of color are fighting back against policies and practices that endanger their health. “If a lot of white kids were dying from asthma attacks, we’d hear more about it,” a woman raised in Rondo says.
By AVA KIAN and MINNPOST
FEBRUARY 18, 2023
This story was originally published by MinnPost. It’s part three in a four-part series on health conditions affecting Black Minnesotans. You can read Part I, about breast cancer disparities, here. Part II on sickle cell disease here.
Zhara Danelle Dooley grew up in the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, very close to Interstate 94.
And for as long as she can remember, she’s had asthma.
“I grew up next to a highway,” she said. “You never really think about it because it’s just part of life. It’s not a big deal. But then, when you think about how bad the air quality can be, that’s a big thing.”
While Minnesota is in the top 50 percent of U.S. states for lung health, Black Minnesotans face stark health disparities compared to white Minnesotans. One reason: When it comes to lung health in Minnesota, there’s a line connecting it to air pollution exposure
https://sahanjournal.com/news-partners/minnesota-pollution-air-quality-asthma-environmental-racism/