Ms. Sandra Edwards was born and raised in Houston's Fifth Ward, leaving the community at the age of 16 and returning in 2010 to help take care of her parents, after her father was diagnosed with cancer. Although, her community has been plagued by the lead, creosote and air pollution, she won’t allow that to override her joyous memories and why she is in this fight! Ms. Sandra recalls the great amount of love community members had for each other. “People looked out for each other, if your neighbor needed help with their kids or a bill, the community would come together and help”. Ms. Sandra believes this spirit still lives on, but the environmental crisis has caused mass death, grief and forced folx to leave a place that brought much joy and community. In 2016 after losing her father to cancer and learning about the cancer and creosote contamination connection, she dedicated her life to this fight! Ms. Sandra is a community leader, advocate and Co-Founder of Impact Justice.
The following audio clips are from an interview with Sandra Edwards conducted by Nia Buckley.
“You see businesses closing down, you see houses going down, you see yards deteriorating, you see families breaking up and moving out. So, this is how we got to the point we are. It was because of the illness they brought to the community, and after that we didn’t have nothing else.”
"Although among all of this, a lot of people looked out for each other. Your neighbors looked out for you. When you worked, they kept the kids. If you didn't have nothing to eat, you ate. You didn't have nothing for your kids, your kids ate. Everybody took care of everybody over there. It was safe. Couldn't pay your bills. Somebody gonna help you pay your bills. They looked out for each other. Oh yeah. It wasn't all this, 'I stay in my house and mind my business. Stay in your house man.'”