Analyze

Astrophysics is a discipline that has a lot to do with environmental justice, even if it doesn’t look like so. Astrophysics research nowadays involves both large cutting-edge infrastructures and a great number of people and institutions, usually at international level. Most of these projects require to be placed in very specific environments, which are not very common on our planet, to function in the best conditions. The territories chosen to host large facilities for astrophysics, as remote as they can be, are not empty. In most cases, they are inhabited (or regularly frequented) by people who are not always involved in the decision process and may see the construction as an invasion of lands they have owned or occupied for centuries. In this context, we believe that what pulls people away from environmental justice advocacy, especially those who do not live in or near these territories, is the lack of information and awareness about this topic, which may cause strongly polarized opinions and harshful discussions on the topic. To try to fill this gap, as science communicators we decided to develop a game-based activity which fosters the debate about this connection. Among our inspirations is the struggle of the protectors of Mauna a Wākea, on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. The mountaintop is a sacred place for Native Hawaiians, who have been fighting to protect their ancestral land from the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). There are many other examples of large astronomical infrastructures and their impact on territories, including in our own country (Italy), some more virtuous than others, that show how the Astrophysics research world is strongly connected to environmental justice. For this activity, we chose the Creative Commons PlayDecide format, which aims to facilitate simple, respectful and fact-based group discussions. The game consists of a different set of cards containing facts about the topic, issues for different interest groups and personal stories of fictional individuals who are involved or affected by the topic. By telling the stories of different characters involved in this kind of situation, we aim to enlarge the debate, fostering the change of perspective of players. We wish that many people around the world download and use the game, either during public outreach activities with schools and the general public or as a self-awareness exercise within the astronomical community. The game does not refer to a specific facility, but we researched study cases related to astronomical observatories in sites such as Mauna a Wākea (Hawaiʻi), Kitt Peak and Mount Graham (Arizona), the Sardinia Radio Telescope in Italy as well as ongoing projects such as the SKA Observatory in South Africa and Australia. In particular, for the story cards, we strived to provide a balance in terms of gender and affected communities, trying as much as we could to avoid stereotypes, in the awareness that we, as the authors of the activity, are a group of white, female astronomers from a G7 country.

Toniolo, Rachele and Claudia Mignone. 2023. "Some students play the PlayDecide activity at a Science Festival in Italy." In 4S Paraconference X EiJ: Building a Global Record, curated by Misria Shaik Ali, Kim Fortun, Phillip Baum and Prerna Srigyan. Annual Meeting of the Society of Social Studies of Science. Honolulu, Hawai'i, Nov 8-11.

1. With this organization's work, how does it center the voices and experiences of marginalized communities in its work, and what steps does it take to ensure accountability and transparency? 

2. How does the organization evaluate its impact and measure its success within the community?

 APEN is centralized around addressing the issues faced within the Asian American Pacific Islander working class, immigrant, and refugee communities within California. The organization seeks to empower these communities to participate in critical conversations that dictate their neighborhoods’ future, health, wellness, and prosperity. In the broader sense, APEN’s work contributes to the whole movement that seeks to amplify a message that all people should have the human right to an environmentally just world.

1. APEN is seen as a grassroots environmental justice group that has proven effective in advocating for the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Other environmental organizations and community organizers often praise the organization for its work.

2. APEN releases its own Press Releases on its website and within its network, speaking on the critical issues relating to the efforts they support.

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network functions within the environmental justice movement, following the response and emergent growth of disproportionate impacts of environmental hazards and pollution among low-income communities of color across the United States. APEN has stood its ground in local, statewide, and national environmental justice campaigns. It has been recognized as a leading organization in the movement for EiJ for its innovative approaches to community organizing and policy advocacy.

1.  APEN is a member organization of the California Environmental Justice Alliance coalition. They also partner with Filipino Advocates for Justice, the Chinese Progressive Association, Hmong Innovating Politics, and the AAPIs For Civic Empowerment Education Fund.

1. APEN works at the intersection of environmental and economic justice, immigrant rights, and advocating for policies prioritizing the needs of low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Many of the issues in AAPI communities are rooted in a legacy of colonization and imperialism within the United States. APEN prioritizes these concerns by directly supporting the voices and leadership at the frontlines of their community's work. 

1. The APEN serves Asian American Pacific Islander communities; institutionalized racism and inequality contribute to the disproportionate impacts of environmental harms on low-income communities of color. In creating alternative solutions, the lack of political will from local, state, and federal agencies is complex, especially when highly contested to the profitability of corporations. 

2. The work of APEN heavily relies on community support and funding to carry out its work. There are challenges in acquiring the means to make a meaningful impact within the communities they serve. 

3. The complexity of environmental pollution and climate change creates complex and multifaceted problems that demand innovative and unique solutions. 

1. The APEN is committed to building grassroots power in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to achieve environmental and social justice. Their approach to community organizing revolves around building long-term, sustainable solutions that center on the leadership of the most impacted communities. APEN works to build robust and democratic community organizations that strengthen the broader environmental justice movement.

APEN’s researchers work to produce a range of data related to the Environmental and Social Justice issues that affect Asian American Communities. This organization also has a solid commitment to emphasizing the voices of community members and ensuring that their stories and experiences are represented.