Jesus People Against Pollution (JPAP) is a faith-based nonprofit committed to environmental, economic, and racial justice. Founded by Pastor Dr. Charlotte L. Keys in 1992, JPAP serves the residents of Columbia, Mississippi—a low-income community of color that has been burdened by the industrial pollution of their air, water, and soil for decades. In Columbia, residents suffered severe health effects after a 1977 explosion at the Reichhold Chemical plant, which released toxic chemicals associated with the production of Agent Orange into the surrounding environment. Despite cleanup efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency, health concerns have persisted in the area and have been compounded by further pollution in the region. JPAP combats these injustices by engaging in environmental advocacy, community organizing, and collaboration with local and national partners to influence environmental policy. Through persistent advocacy and faith-based leadership, JPAP has been fighting for environmental justice in the rural South for over thirty years.
Pastor Dr. Charlotte L. Keys, the founder and Executive Director of Jesus People Against Pollution, speaks at Sojourners’ Mobilization to End Poverty event in April 2009. Photo: Jesus People Against Pollution
A woman of color-led organization that has mobilized over 500 community members, Jesus People Against Pollution is a grassroots group making a powerful impact in Mississippi. The organization’s environmental advocacy has alerted the public to the ongoing health issues caused by the Reichhold Chemical plant’s pollution of Columbia’s groundwater. In 2019, JPAP began a partnership with WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Both organizations were inaugural signatories of the Equitable and Just National Climate Platform, a collaborative effort advocating for climate policies prioritizing communities disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. JPAP is currently working to build the Miracle Temple Apostolic Church in Columbia, which will include 16 housing units for people impacted by pollution and climate change. In all that they do, Jesus People Against Pollution remains committed to its mission of helping disadvantaged, underserved people prosper in green, clean, safe, and sustainable communities for generations to come.
Residents of Columbia, Mississippi have been battling the pollution of their water for decades. Photo: Adam Mooz/flickr.com