
Joy Banner
The Descendants Project
Co-Director and Co-Founder
expertise:
state: LA
city: Vacherie
Tribal Affiliation: NO
languages: English
race + ethnicity: Black, African-American, Afro-Caribbean, African or African descendant
I work at the intersection of environmental justice, historic preservation, and sustainable community development. With the Descendants Project, we participate in United Nations instruments, especially the Global Plastics Treaty. Our mission is to eradicate the legacies of slavery, particularly within the Black descendant communities along the Mississippi River. We educate the wider public about the "plantation to plant" through line. As evidenced by "Louisiana's Cancer Alley and Chemical Corridor," Black communities are more burdened by pollution and the resulting impacts. Both plantation and plants were attracted by the Mississippi River and its use as an industrial corridor.
I am a proud member of the local descendant community with rooted ancestry that can be traced to the 18th century. Thefolklore, narratives, and resourcefulness of my community elders and ancestors are the inspiration for the collective and collaborative philosophy of The Descendants Project, in service of the community’s health, wellness, and most importantly, happiness.