The environmental justice movement was sparked in the 80s by protests against a hazardous waste landfill in a predominantly African American community in Warren County, North Carolina. The Rogers-Eubanks neighborhood in Chapel Hill has been similarly involved since 1972, when a landfill was moved to the area, and continues to advocate for environmental justice within the community.
At the poetry workshop, community members learned about the pivotal Warren County protests and their influence, as well as other histories of injustice. Groups were asked to reflect and discuss what they might do in those situations, Francis said.
Marina Rozova, a workshop participant and poet based in Raleigh, found the workshop with Cortland Gilliam, the Chapel Hill poet laureate, to be simultaneously powerful and gentle.
Before moving to North Carolina from New York City, Rozova experienced climate anxiety, which often leaves people feeling overwhelmed, sad and guilty about climate related issues. Spending more time walking outside, interacting with greenery and attending community events related to climate change calmed her and alleviated some of her unease.
Rozova said seeing the words planted as “literal life” in isolation of their poems helped her interact with the topic in a new way.
“I feel very lucky that I get to live in a place where things like this are taken seriously and encouraged and just shown love,” she said.
In the future, Hubbard said that she wants to design a manual for other cities and organizations to replicate the Florafitti concept.
On May 9, from 6-8 p.m., the Carrboro Bicycle Coalition will host a bike ride starting at the Carrboro Town Hall and tour around the area to showcase the full-grown art.
“I don’t think that if we all write poems everything will be fixed,” Wolff-Francis said. “It’s not that but it’s a way to alleviate some of the anxiety, to draw attention to what’s happening, to encourage people to be hopeful, to also take action and make change.”
@dthlifestyle | lifestyle@dailytarheel.com
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