On the campaign trail, Brandon Johnson often talked about the asthma he suffered growing up just west of Chicago, connecting it to industrial pollution... communities of color face disproportionate exposure to air pollution, lead, and climate risks such as flooding.
In 2022, federal investigators found Chicago violated residents' civil rights by moving polluting industries into communities of color... residents of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods can expect to live 30 years longer than Chicagoans a few miles away.
Johnson, a progressive former public school teacher and union organizer, ran on a platform of increasing funding for education and tackling the city's legacy of environmental racism, winning key endorsements from climate groups.
Oscar Sanchez, a community organizer, expressed the added responsibility on community organizations to ensure transparency and hold elected officials like Johnson accountable in addressing environmental justice issues.
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