Meeting with the White House

On October 26, 2023, the VI Justice Initiative was invited to a dialogue on climate and environmental Justice with Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Counsel on Environmental Quality at the UVI Innovation Center. Casey Payton, executive director and Russell Pate, special advisor presented on the legal remedies side of environmental justice, especially when it comes to helping people suffering from pollution caused cancers in St. Croix. Attorney Pate reported that “environmental Justice is human justice - because when the environment is polluted and contaminated, the poorest and most vulnerable populations are always right in the middle of the contamination.” Among Attorney Pate’s top requests, was for the president to nominate a 3rd Circuit Judge from the Virgin Islands, which would create more understanding and empathy for the people, culture, and way things work in the Virgin Islands.

Pictured from left to right: Dr. Kim Waddell, Director of VI-EPSCoR, Chair Mallory, Casey Payton