Rampell, E. (2022, July 16). Indigenous and Japanese American activists unite to fight the power. The Progressive Magazine. Retrieved July 17, 2022, from https://progressive.org/latest/indigenous-japanese-activists-fight-power-rampell-220716/
Starting in the 19th century, Indigenous people were forcibly relocated from ancestral lands and into Manzanar, California; later, during World War II, the site became the first internment camp for Japanese Americans who were seen as a national security threat and incarcerated through a racist internment policy. Beginning in the early 20th century, water was drained from Manzanar’s Owens Lake and sent to communities hundreds of miles away, causing dust, water shortages, and health issues for the people in Manzanar. As this article talks about, both then and now, Indigenous and Japanese Americans have been at the forefront of conservation efforts and environmental activism in the area. Now, a team of researchers and filmmakers are creating a documentary on Manzanar’s history and the ongoing activism there.
The story of Manzanar brings multiple levels of injustice: settler colonialism from the forced relocation of Indigenous people, racism against Japanese Americans in WWII, and environmental injustice from the irresponsible draining of the lake. These three issues are also importantly connected, as it was the Indigenous and Japanese American populations that suffered the consequences of unsustainable environmental policy. This clearly relates to environmental justice and the history of people of color and certain minorities facing the brunt of unsustainable practices. In studying environmental science, I think it’s important to be conscious of this history—and the ongoing injustices as places like Manzanar continue to face issues with things like dust—as we consider solutions and environmental reforms. Indigenous and Japanese American activists should be commended for their ongoing work in Manzanar, but they should not be responsible for remedying the impacts of government racism and mishandling of the environment.
This documentary sounds like a great way to bring awareness to the history of environmental injustice in Manzanar. I completely agree with you that the people affected by this shouldn’t be the ones forced to fix it, and instead the government responsible should. What do you think the government can do to start to repair the damage their policies have caused?
Thanks for reading! I think the government should be investing in infrastructure and restoration in places like Manzanar to try to repair their damage. For Manzanar, where a big part of the problem comes from draining the water source, repairing the harms could begin with making sure Manzanar has a stable water supply coming in, especially during times of drought that are so common in California. From a more long-term perspective, the government should also invest in ecosystem restoration to protect these lands.