Stories From Our Communities
Jessi & James' Story
For nearly seven years, Jessi and James have lived in their current Springfield home. A plume of gray-white smoke billows out of smokestacks visible from their front yard. The smell is unmistakable. They live in the shadow of large industrial polluter International Paper.
In recent years, the family has faced a number of health issues. Their youngest, a nine-year-old, began experiencing eye irritation and nose bleeds after spending any amount of time outside. The older child, a fourteen-year-old, has had gastrointestinal issues his whole life, and was recently diagnosed with a condition that, if left unchecked, could lead to stomach cancer.
“As a mom, I am really passionate about taking care of my kids,” said Jessi. “That took up so much of my time – I didn’t really think about the health effects that it was causing me until I got told I had breast cancer.”
The family went looking for answers. Although they visited numerous doctors, none were able to identify the source of the problem. Tests revealed the parents aren’t genetically predisposed to cancer, and they lead otherwise healthy lifestyles. Though they wouldn’t name air pollution specifically, doctors agreed: their health issues are likely related to environmental causes.
“It’s kind of scary because I know that with every year that we’re here and (industrial polluters are) not being properly regulated, that I am possibly reducing my lifespan, reducing my children’s lifespan, reducing the possibility of my children even having families and children of their own,” Jessi said.
Jessi and James felt alone in their struggle against nearby industrial polluters and felt ignored by the agencies responsible for regulating them.
“This is potentially causing life-threatening illnesses for my family and the people that live here. I don't want to see people lose their jobs… We would just like to see some regulations put in place that the people who live near these places have their health taken into account, not just profits for rich people who don’t even live near these facilities,” Jessi said. “Low income people like ourselves are so impacted and nobody will listen.”
That’s where Beyond Toxics comes in. Our team has been laying the groundwork for grassroots community organizing in the neighborhoods affected by industrial polluters in Springfield. We’ve been listening to the community’s needs, conducting surveys and outreach to these neighbors and providing resources, such as air quality monitors, to families like Jessi and James.
“I feel so much support from the organization and the people involved. Nowhere in the United States is there an organization like Beyond Toxics that has that much outreach and that much compassion toward the community members,” James said. “Not just in our experience, but from what I’ve witnessed in west Eugene with J.H. Baxter."
“It gives me hope,” he added. “The future can be bright because there are people who care about the environment and about low income people.”
Jessi agreed that finding Beyond Toxics was like breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that they’re not alone in this struggle and that our team has had success with major industrial polluters.
Our team is working to ensure this community has the resources it needs to fight for the right to clean air. Our goal is to protect and empower families to stand up for their health and demand their governing agencies take their health into consideration when making decisions.
When you support Beyond Toxics, you’re supporting families like Jessi and James. You’re supporting clean air for families across the state and a just future for generations to come.
