'Father of Environmental Justice' to kick off Earth Week at Elon

Robert Bullard, who is known as the "father of environmental justice," will speak at Elon on Tuesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in McKinnon Hall. 

Robert Bullard, an author, scholar and activist known as the “father of environmental justice,” will present “​Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue: Why Equity Matters” as Earth Week at Elon gets underway. 

Robert Bullard will present "Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue: Why Equity Matters" at Elon on April 18. 
Bullard is recognized for his work examining the relationships between race, class, environmental health, urban planning and sustainable development. He has testified as an expert witness and served as a technical advisor on hundreds of civil rights lawsuits and public hearings over the past three decades.

Bullard is the award-winning author of 18 books, including “Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality” for which he was awarded the National Wildlife Federation Conservation Achievement Award in Science. He has been featured in CNN’s People You Should Know, and Newsweek named him one of 13 Environmental Leaders of the Century. 

​The presentation at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, in McKinnon Hall will be followed by a book signing and Coffee Klatch in the Moseley Kitchen. Bullard’s books “Growing Smarter” and “The Wrong Complexation for Protection” will be available for purchase.  

​Bullard’s presentation kicks off a series of events throughout the week leading up to Earth Day, April 22.  The Earth Week Event Calendar features all campus sustainability related events that week such as the opening of the farmers market at Elon Community Church and “Y.E.R.T. (Your Environmental Road Trip)” screening in Turner Theatre. 

​The week of activities culminates with the student-organized “Party for the Planet” on April 21 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Iconic Plaza. This Eco-Rep-coordinated event features live entertainment from Elon groups and brings together over 20 student organizations who all have ties to at least one component of sustainability. 

Bullard, ‘Climate Change as a Human Rights Issue: Why Equity Matters’ Facebook event
Eco-Rep, Party for the Planet Facebook event

Bullard’s presentation is sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, African & African-American Studies, Center for Environmental Studies, Elon Core Curriculum, Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement and Poverty and Social Justice