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Preview the Interactive Presentations in this Course

Each of the five units in this online course contain educational interactives that teach a key concept of social justice as it relates to public health inequity. One of the interactives is featured below. To see others, go to the menu and click on "Preview Interactives."

West Harlem's Battle for Clean Air

In the 1950's, the City of New York quietly decided to build a massive sewage treatment plant in West Harlem. The plant protected the Hudson River, but its air pollution made nearby residents sick. Fed up with the community's skyrocketing rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases, residents formed a coalition to confront the disturbing history behind the plant's placement and construction.

Listen to Their Story

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(MP3 File)

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(PDF File)


This interactive can be found in Unit 1: Where Do We Start

A Neighborhood Fights Back

The story of West Harlem's fight against the North River Water Pollution Control Plant uncovers several important themes for social justice advocates who are addressing health inequities. The above interactive presentation tells the account of decision-making that either excluded local residents or offered only superficial opportunities for engagement. Listen to the story, click through the slideshow and notice the critical decision points and opportunities for public health department intervention.
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