Community members gathered in Aldine, Texas, to oppose a proposed concrete batch plant, prompted by environmental organizers. Concerns about pollution and health issues, such as asthma, motivated over a hundred attendees to participate. Initial reluctance to speak arose from fears of ICE tracking undocumented individuals, but encouragement from community leaders, like Leticia Gutierrez, helped overcome this barrier. Eventually, residents voiced their opposition, leading the company to withdraw its permit application during the meeting, demonstrating the effectiveness of community activism.
I'm an immigrant, too. I know you're scared, I know it's difficult. But if you don't sign up to speak, the people here will genuinely think you're in favor of this permit.
As they began providing public testimony about the impacts of pollution from the plant, the company realized that it had lost the battle for public opinion.
When another concrete batch plant was proposed a few years ago in Aldine, Texas, local environmental organizers drew more than a hundred people to a state environmental agency's public meeting to oppose the polluting plant.
It showed us the power that we have.
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