When you walk through your neighborhood, have you ever stumbled upon a vacant lot filled with dirt, shrubs, and litter? Maybe there was an abandoned building there? Perhaps it was surrounded by a chain-link fence with warning signs? It's likely you've spotted a brownfield.

While they may appear empty or forgotten, brownfields are anything but harmless. 

Brownfields are not just a land use issue—they are a matter of environmental and racial justice.  These contaminated sites pose significant health, economic, and social risks to surrounding communities. Residents face disproportionately high rates of cancer, fertility issues, and cognitive diseases, making brownfields an urgent public health threat. They are also a toxic reminder of the harmful legacy of racist and discriminatory planning and development practices.

In Los Angeles, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income communities have been overexposed and underprotected from legacy soil contamination for decades. These communities have long been surrounded by polluting industries and infrastructure, resulting in alarming levels of pollution and soil contamination. 

But contaminated land can be remediated, restored, and reused. 

Healing and restoring our land is crucial for a healthier future for generations to come. To prevent history from repeating itself, we must break the cycle of environmental harm and actively engage in solutions that repair and restore our communal land and health.