Inspired by Pope Francis’ message on the importance of caring for the environment, Voces Fieles Comunitarias Contra la Opresión (Faithful Community Voices Against Oppression) was founded in 2023 with a mission to make Cicero, IL a healthier place to live.The group’s main environmental justice focus is combatting toxic air in the community due to emissions from several facilities, including Koppers, a chemicals and materials plant. Koppers has been found in violation of both state and federal environmental laws dating back 50 years. In 2022, the company released over 32,500 pounds of chemicals linked to cancer into the air. In addition to combatting air pollution, Voces adds urban flooding to its list of environmental concerns. In July 2023, after an unprecedented flash flood inundated Cicero, residents were left with flooded basements and damaged appliances. After the area was declared a federal disaster, Voces helped residents in the majority Latino community apply for relief funds.
Delia Barajas, a co-founder of Voces Fieles Comunitarias Contra la Opresión (Faithful Community Voices Against Oppression) in Cicero, IL, displays flood maps created by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning at a community meeting. Residents in nearby Berwyn were also affected by the flood. (Photo courtesy of Delia Barajas)
As of the 2020 census, the population of Cicero, a suburb of Chicago, was more than 85,000. More than 85 percent of the residents are Latino, many of whom are undocumented. The July 2023 flood that damaged property also exposed a need among residents for help applying for disaster relief. Voces sprung into action, pivoting from combatting air pollution to assisting residents with navigating federal applications and accessing city services. A year after the flood, the group is exploring flood remediation after obtaining a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund to help organizations in the Great Lakes region plan coastal resilience. Voces held a community event to launch a phytoremediation project that will use plants native to the region to help clean up contaminated soil, air and water. After a pilot launch on the grounds of a local church, residents will be invited to select from a menu of plants to grow in their own yards.