The launch of the Mid-South Environmental Justice Center (MSEJC) marks the advancement of environmental advocacy and equity after the termination of federal funding.
Community groups celebrated the historic moment in mid-March as they welcomed the first environmental justice center in the Mid-South. The center is modeled after the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“The mission of the Mid-South Environmental Justice Center is to secure the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for all, particularly those in the Mid-South historically marginalized by systemic racism and industrial neglect,” MSEJC said in a statement. “Through shared governance and environmental education, we equip communities to transform ‘sacrifice zones’ into hubs of green economic development, healthy housing, and regenerative growth.”
The center is a collaborative effort between organizations Young, Gifted and Green, Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP), Memphis and Shelby County Lead Safe Collaborative, Black Seeds, Sowing Justice, Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, Protect Our Aquifer, Clean Memphis, Sierra Club Chickasaw Group, and Memphis Metropolitan Land Bank Authority.
LaTricea Adams, founder, CEO, and president of Young, Gifted and Green said the center will be rolled out in phases. She said the center has roots in Memphis but will expand out to neighboring areas to help resist and advocate for certain developments.
The center does not aim to be “anti-technology” or “anti-economic development,” rather it takes a “pro-public health” stance. The center advocates for a number of causes such as environmental education, eco-literacy, healthy housing, energy equity, wealth building, and more.
“We believe there is a way for you to still achieve these things without causing harm,” Adams said.
The project came into fruition despite the announcement of a freeze on federal funding for public loans in 2025. Prior to the announcement, Young, Gifted and Green received a nearly $20 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a result of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Adams said after they were able to access funds, the grant was canceled. Her association with the grant funding caused her to be attacked and doxxed by alt-right media as they erroneously claimed Young, Gifted and Green as the sole recipient of grant funding.
“We didn’t even take much of the grant at all,” Adams said. “We did what we were supposed to do and got all of these other grassroots, local organizations to get the money to help them to go to scale.”
Adams said it was difficult to navigate, and despite receiving hateful emails and threats, she kept her focus on the work at hand. She worked to make sure other Memphis-based organizations weren’t affected, and were able to persist and maintain their programming.
“We may not be able to deliver all the things right now that we anticipated doing with that initial EPA grant, but at least we can get parts off the ground,” Adams said. “It’s very clear we need these sorts of environmental support systems for Northern Mississippi [and] parts of Arkansas — I was really excited to have support to get the project off the ground.”