Stephanie Chang, July 16th, 2024
Title
Stephanie Chang, July 16th, 2024
Description
In this interview, Senator Stephanie Chang talks about how she sees Detroit handling climate change and what she is doing personally.
Publisher
Detroit Historical Society
Rights
Detroit Historical Society
Language
en-US
Narrator/Interviewee's Name
Stephanie Chang
Brief Biography
Stephanie Chang is Detroiter who was worked in many forms of Michigan government, working as a state representative and as senator for the state of Michigan. She is the first Asian American woman elected to the Michigan legislature and has a history with community outreach from even before her time in government.
Interviewer's Name
Kevin Hawthorne
Date
07/16/2024
Interview Length
41:02
Transcription
Kevin Hawthorne: All right. This is the Detroit Historical Society. On our climate change, our oral history on climate change. My name is Kevin Hawthorne, and I'm here with Senator Chang.
Stephanie Chang: Hi. It's great to be here.
KH: It is great to be here. Thank you so much. So let's, get right into it with some of our questions. Have you seen the effects of climate change on your neighborhoods?
SC: Yeah. So, you know, absolutely. And unfortunately have seen some pretty devastating impacts of climate change in our, in my district. So I happen to have the honor of representing, a good portion of Detroit, as well as a few suburban areas as well in Oakland, Macomb. But in particular, my district has included Jefferson Chalmers, for many years now. And Jefferson Chalmers, for those who are tuning in and might be unfamiliar, is a neighborhood that's right along the river and the furthest east and south, portion of Detroit. It's got canals it's got, it's really a beautiful neighborhood. But has been just really kind of devastated by flooding. Pretty much any time there's a major storm in that area. And so I remember pretty vividly in 2021, with, really heavy rainfall over a few days, that summer, just seeing firsthand because at that point I also lived in East English Village, just like the the flooding that, that was happening there on the east side, Jefferson Chalmers, other parts of the east side. And people lost furnaces, hot water heaters, lots of valuable, you know, sentimental items. And, you know, there still are people who are dealing with the after effects of mold in their basement. And all of this is because of, well, there were some infrastructure issues, of course, as well. And the power outages, a lot of different things combined. But all related to the really heavy storm that happened that year. And so I think that if you ask folks in that neighborhood in particular, you know, addressing climate change is a big priority. And in addition to, of course, addressing a lot of the infrastructure issues. But I also think that we see the effects of climate change all the time now, right? With, with just, the winters that don't seem like Michigan winters sometimes and then really extreme heat that we've experienced several years in a row. And the list goes on.
KH: So definitely we've interviewed a lot of people from Jefferson Chalmers, and they've said the flooding has been an issue. And also with power outages becoming much more frequent, and the lack of response from places like DTE has been a big issue as well. Have you noticed that within your, so you said you lived in the, East English Village? Which area of Detroit do you currently live in now?
SC: So I live in Rivertown now. I've, I've lived in a several different neighborhoods in, in Indian, in, Island View, Woodbridge, New Center, Lafayette Park for the longest time, and then East English Village and then now Rivertown. I don't think it was really until we lived in East English Village that we really had experienced that kind of flooding. And, you know, lots of things to say about that, but, but in terms of going back to your point about the power outages, for sure, that's been a huge problem. And that is something that I think spans across the district. And definitely has has had an impact on the suburban areas of my district as well. In Oakland, in Macomb counties. And, it's something that people get really, really frustrated by, and understandably so, both by the fact that it happens and then also the fact that, they, you know, don't necessarily recoup the money that they deserve to be able to, you know, pay for the things that they lost. And sometimes and sometimes people just really can't afford to lose the food that's in their refrigerator or other things. And, to those power outages, might be an inconvenience for some people, but for other people, it's actually like a really, can be a pretty devastating thing that happens. So, and people definitely get very, very angry. I think that one of the things that I'm hopeful is that we can, like, remember that anger and really try to turn it into something positive in terms of some of the action that's needed.
KH: Yeah, absolutely. And in your view, just what are the biggest issues that climate change poses for the city of Detroit and for Detroiters?
SC: Yeah. So, you know, climate change poses a lot of challenges. And has certainly had so many devastating impacts on a lot of folks in Detroit. I think that, you know, it's it's obviously the flooding, those power outages, but also I think we see the impact You know, the extreme weather, the extreme heat, all of those things. And I think that One of the things that that I think sometimes people forget about, and sometimes as lawmakers, we forget to talk about as much as we should, is the fact that when we're talking about the solutions to climate change, some of them are also interweaving, addressing climate change with addressing, pocketbook issues because people pay a lot for their energy bills. And by, by increasing energy efficiency and as a way to combat climate change, we're also, reducing the amount that people have to pay. You know, with, clean energy bills that we passed last year, we actually did, we know that that impact is going to be saving people money. And so I think that, like, I try to remember, that, it's actually multiple issues that all intersect here. Which are all challenges that face Detroiters. Oh, one other thing. Sorry.
KH: No absolutley go ahead
SC: Yeah. Another one of those examples of the intersection of issues is, I think a lot of folks are becoming more aware of the fact that we have combined sewer and stormwater. And that is a big reason why we have so many of the flooding issues that we've had. But I think that when, when flooding it happens in people's basements, unfortunately sometimes it's not just water. And so there's infrastructure issues there as well. And so that's I think a unique well it's not necessarily unique to Detroit, but because Detroit is such an old city and has so much old infrastructure, we are I know that, the city has been doing quite a bit, to upgrade and, you know, replace lines and all of these things, but there is still so much more to do. It's a big city with a lot of infrastructure and a lot of old infrastructure, so that those issues combined of the heavy rainfall due to climate change. Plus, you know, the aging infrastructure that we are working to replace, but there's still have much more to do. I think combines in a way that obviously is very detrimental to the folks that are our neighbors.
KH: Oh, absolutely. So obviously, you are very involved with climate change and you have a history with being above climate change. Can you talk a little bit about like your history of getting involved with activism?
SC: Yeah, sure. So, before I ran for office, I worked as, as an organizer on a number of different social justice and civil rights issues. You know, other things totally unrelated to climate change, but then also climate change. So I'll worked on issues like affirmative action, criminal justice reform, voting rights, immigration reform. And then right before I took office, I briefly worked like, in between the primary election of 2014 and kind of the end of the work for next gen climate, helping with, you know, getting folks out to vote, for the right candidates. That would be a champion for addressing the climate crisis. And so, it's something where, you know, I never studied environmental sciences in college, right? It wasn't something that I felt like I had a lot of expertise on. But I remember the so many conversations that I had my first campaign in 2014, knocking on doors, in southwest Detroit, talking to people who had lost loved ones to cancer due to air pollution, talking to folks who really were, in a way, demanding that I prioritize environmental justice issues, that it quickly made me realize that it absolutely needed to be a top priority. And so that I learned as much as I could as quickly as I could. And honestly, a lot of that learning happened directly, because of residents that I'm so grateful to have the honor of having been able to work with, who taught me about the permitting issues and taught me about, you know, cumulative impact and taught me about all of these things and how, you know, when we're talking about environmental justice, side by side with climate issues, that we have to be talking about within all of these issues, what is the impact on the most vulnerable in our communities? And so I'm really proud to over the, you know, past almost ten years in office, have been able to really focus in a lot on some of these environmental issues that sometimes don't necessarily seem like they're directly related to climate, but in a way, they all are. So in looking at air quality issues in southwest Detroit, on the east side of Detroit, down river, all of these places that I've had the honor of representing at different points in time. You know, it's all very much related to what we're doing to protect people's health. And climate is definitely a public health issue.
KH: Yeah, absolutely. So what you're saying with like, NexGen climate when you're working with them, it was a lot of door to door stuff.
SC: Some door to door, a lot of sort of, communications, a lot of like community and a lot of engagement in the community around the election that year, in 2014. But really trying to make sure that folks were thinking about the election, in terms of what is the impact going to be, for our climate? And I think obviously ten years later, still very much hopefully an issue that is, resonating. And honestly, I do think that, a lot of talking to people on the ground, talking to voters, climate is definitely something that people care about. It's definitely something that a lot of young people care about. I think that young people are one of the biggest reasons why, you know, we prioritized, getting clean energy legislation passed in the legislature in 2023, because people are rightfully so, demanding a better future for themselves.
KH: Absolutely. And just. What actions are you personally taking? And, you know, not just personally because, politically as well, like, you know, I there's often an intersection of what people can do both personally and politically. And, what would you be doing right now or what are you doing?
SC: Yeah. Well, I think that obviously the work that we did as the legislature around our clean energy laws, you know, increase our renewable energy standard, to, really address energy efficiency and also ensure that we're, creating good paying union jobs to, as we're creating clean energy, for the state. All of those things are things that we have done. And then also things that we hopefully can build on. You know, one of the things that, I'm not necessarily leading on, but definitely, and in conversation with my colleagues about is, this piece around, after the storm and when people lose power, how do we, make sure that we are, getting people the support that they need? Because I think that $25 or the $35, whatever it is right now, I think it went up a little bit last year, that energy companies pay for folks who have lost power is not really a lot of money. And so I think that a lot of times people see that as a slap in the face, given the hardship that they go through. I know that there are folks who have been working on, legislation to address that, and I'm definitely supportive and engaged in that conversation. I also think that there are lots of things sort of related, to climate change that, that I'm excited to be part of. So, leading this effort is Abraham Isaac, who is one of my partners in the, in the state House, addressing this idea of cumulative impact, of different air quality, pollution sources. To really look at what is the cumulative impact of, this place and this facility and this other facility, but also the multiple pollutants that are emitted by those facilities. And what is the cumulative impact on people's health, and requiring that type of analysis to be done, by our state before issuing permits and in lots of other decision making? That is something that I think is really, really important. That will have that if passed, could have a huge impact for our residents, particularly in Detroit and, and in other environmental justice communities, but also would also have an impact on climate change, because if we can then actually, reduce the number of polluting sources, then obviously will be contributing less greenhouse gases. So I think that, all of these things are, only possible if we continue to build political will, to address these challenges head on, because, I think that it's it's more and more people recognize that this has to be a priority. But unfortunately, there are also folks on the other side who are very much opposed to these kinds of issues. And obviously for some of these, corporations who are emitting this air pollution, changes, are hard. And I recognize that, but we have to look out for people's health first and foremost.
KH: Right? So definitely those are a lot of political actions. What about you personally? What are you doing in your personal life to be able to combat climate change?
SC: Yeah, well, I'm trying to walk more. One of the things that is really great is that, because I live in River town, being able to take my just walk down to the riverfront with my girls to, to valet park or the riverfront and being able to, just get more outdoors time. It also means that I'm not driving somewhere else to take them to a park or a playground. Although we do do that too, sometimes. But, you know, unfortunately, being part of part of being a state legislator means I have to drive to Lansing a lot. So, unfortunately, you know, and my actually, my five year old pointed out that, I have a car that's bad, That's not the greatest for the environment. I don't have an electric vehicle, but I'm hoping to one day purchase one, once I'm, you know, able to do that. But, also, one of the things that I'm trying to do as a mom is, really instill in my two daughters the value of the environment and, taking care of the earth. And I think I have two little environmentalist, kids in my family now because they care about recycling. They care about not littering. They understand, they care about the polar bears. So, so that they get that, all of the things that we do as humans have an impact on the Earth and other living beings, and so they might not. Not necessarily know the words climate change, although actually maybe my older daughter does. I'm not sure. But they definitely, I think, have an appreciation for the environment. And so I think that's one thing that I actually take pretty seriously is that, you know, I want my kids to be, good stewards of the Earth. And, so really trying to keep reminding them and find ways to, engage in conversations with them about protecting the environment, in ways that are like age appropriate, and understandable. It's another thing that I'm doing as well. Yeah.
KH: And obviously you said you currently don't have an electric vehicle, which is understandable. They are like we always yes, a lot of people say like, oh, we should all be driving electric vehicles. And they often don't talk about the cost of that. But what about other things? Have you looked into getting solar panels for your house?
SC: Well, I live in a condo, so I don't think we can do that. Although maybe we could. I don't know, I'll have to ask, but maybe that might have to be a future thing. But, I'm trying to think of what else. I mean, we also do sort of like, really basic things, like turning off the lights, in rooms that we're not using, trying to unplug things that aren't currently being used. Right. And just doing all of those types of things to reduce energy use. And my kids are actually really good at reminding me, too. So I do that. A lot of that like turning off lights throughout the house. But my kids also will point out, that we need to turn off lights as well. So they're they're becoming pretty conscious of of that. Try to think of what else. And then also obviously conserving water and that that's not necessarily climate change related, but actually in in a way it is. So just finding ways to like, reduce our own energy use.
KH: Absolutely. And what issues you talking about? A lot of environmental legislation. But obviously these things are sometimes hard to get past. What are the issues you're facing and climate change legislation?
SC: Well, you know, I think like going back to some of the environmental justice related, bills that we've been working on. As sort of as mentioned, these are the right things to do, but sometimes an issue being the right thing to do isn't enough to get it done right. So, being able to build, enough support to be able to get something across the finish line, it can be challenging at times. So, I'll give you an example. I have a bill that, is three quarters of the way through, I guess 3/5 of the way through. That is basically designed to, okay, so let me back up. So right now, when a company violates the air quality standards where they violate their air quality permit, the money, they usually end up with a fine and, and a, and a consent order, that says, okay, here are things that you have to do to, address whatever was in the violation. Notice that we issued as a, as the state's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and then the fine. So the fine right now goes into our state's general fund, which means that it disappears into this giant bucket of money, and that money doesn't necessarily go back to the community that is affected by that air pollution. And so, for years, had been advocating for, and working with residents in my district, to actually work on legislation that is about redirecting that those fines to go back to the affected communities, in the way of vegetative buffers or air monitors or, you know H vac systems that can help reduce, air pollution. All of these different things. And so that piece of legislation, passed the Senate, passed House Committee and is, sitting on the House floor. And all along the way there have been folks who have opposed these efforts. You know, basically industry industry. So, and in a way, I understand from their point of view with why they would oppose. But in another, as I think about it, more and more, I also think, you know, this is. We're talking like 1 to $2 million every year, which for total, in terms of the fines that we're collecting, from these air quality violations, which could make a huge impact for some of these smaller neighborhoods, that are affected by air pollution. Where these violations have been happening. But, you know, $10,000, $100,000 for some of these. Companies that, certainly have quite a bit of profit. You know, it's a tiny drop in the bucket. So, I struggle to, struggle with the fact that we have not yet, gotten this all the way through the legislature. But hopefully by the time this project is life, we'll have gotten it done. But I also am really. Proud of the fact and glad to know that. We have gotten 3/5 of the way through on this just and, you know, have been working on this legislation basically ever since my first term in the House. So, it's gotten the farthest that it ever has. But obviously that doesn't mean anything unless it becomes law. So, part of the challenge was, I think that. I understand what environmental justice is to the best that I can. And lots of other people do as well. But there are still, I think, folks who this is a new concept for them. And, movement in this direction is, I think something where there's a lot of education that has to happen. And if you don't have an environmental justice community in your district, as a lawmaker, it might be harder to understand what the impact is going to be on real people. So actually, we actually brought people to the Capitol to testify and say, this is why this is so important and this is how it would affect my community. But we need to do continue to do more of that. So that's one of the challenges as well.
KH: You say a lot of companies are opposed to it. Are there any specific companies that have been particularly, well, vocal about it?
SC: There are, but I think the but rather than naming them here, I think the just the broader the broader concern is that, you know, the the industry organizations, as a whole that represent many different companies, have unfortunately been opposed. But we we actually have made quite a number of significant changes that they suggested. But, still not quite there.
KH: No. Absolutely. And so going back a little bit more in your history, you were an assistant of Grace Lee Boggs. How did that experience, like influence the way you look at climate change and just like your worldview in general?
SC: Yeah. Well, so so before I moved to Detroit, I was I went to the University of Michigan. 2001 to 2005, graduated in 2005, was involved in the Detroit Asian Youth Project. And that is what led me to, you know, meeting Grace. And then her asking me to live in the Boggs Center. And so that is how I moved to Detroit in 2005, and, I Have told other people this as well. It is very true, is that I think if I had moved to Detroit in any other circumstance and lived anywhere else in the city, I would probably be a different person. Because I think my first two years of living in Detroit at the Bogg Center on Field Street and the east side of Detroit, I think really, informed a lot of the way that I am as an organizer, as a public servant, even and, in really recognizing, not even just the value, but just like how important it is to, really believe in and uplift people in the community that are not waiting for the government. They are finding solutions on their own and implementing them because they know that, that, many of the crises that we are facing are too urgent to wait. And so, for me as a public servant, and formerly as an organizer, being able to work with people who are, whether it's a block club or a neighborhood organization or group that's trying to, you know, end gun violence in their neighborhood, like all of these groups are the ones that know best what the solutions are. And so I think that that is something that I've taken with me, again, both as an organizer and now as a public servant. And I think that I attribute a lot of that to those first two years living at the bogg center with Grace and, just through, not even like obviously because of her, but also because of just the network of people that were all that were around her and people that came to talk to her and visit her. I think she was really good at really making sure that we were always cognizant of the fact that we were on an assignment and that, we had to kind of always deeply think about, what it is that, that we are doing, to make this world a better place.
KH: Absolutely. And while you were working with, Grace Lee Boggs in the Dogg center, obviously one of their most enduring contributions in programs that they've had is, the Detroit summer. Were you ever involved with that project so ?
SC: So tangentially. So Because I was involved with the Detroit Asian Youth Project, Day Project and Detroit Summer often did things together. This was 20 years ago, so I don't remember all of the details, but I do remember moments of being at the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Center. With both day project kids and Detroit summer kids. Maybe potlucks. I don't remember what it was. Some potlucks and, different workshops together and different, activities together. So I wasn't directly involved, but, tangentially was. Yeah.
KH: And, what did you see as, like, the most important part of Detroit summer's work?
SC: So I think with both Day Project and Detroit Summer, which both were, you know, affiliated through the Bug Center. A lot of the, the impact, I think has been on honestly, the, the people that came out of that program who have done amazing things. And, you know, I think about Julia Putnam, who was the principal at the Boggs School. And the fact that, you know, she tells the story of how she was in Detroit summer. And because of that program, it shifted kind of her life trajectory and seeing Detroit as a place that she wanted to continue to be, to be a solutionary. As you know, I think a lot of the folks around Grace, use that term solutionary. So, she's just one example, you know, thinking about, the many generations of people who went through that program and are, making change in, in a lot of different ways in the community, I think is the biggest impact. And, and same with day projects. Some of the folks who went through that program that are now, you know, full grown adults that they were once high school students and now full grown adults that are, you know, doing great things, some pretty incredible.
KH: A little bit earlier, we were talking about some of the issues of the air and water pollution, in Detroit. Is there anything else you, think you would want to say on that topic?
SC: You know, we just sort of. It's a constant battle. It feels like, you know. I think things are obviously better under. Yeah, we have in a Democratic led trifecta, we've been able to do more good things for the environment, but there are still challenges, right. And, and it does feel like a constant battle in terms of permit after permit. And this company wanting to raise their emissions limits and, other companies having multiple violations. And, you know, not necessarily they have facing the consequences that they should and we see residents who experience, some of the really harmful health impacts of, of those actions or inactions by, by these, polluting companies. And, it's really unfortunate. It's, I think something that. I really hope that we can continue to make progress on. I think that there's growing awareness of the fact that we face these issues in Detroit, and that it's not isolated to one neighborhood. It actually, you know, we're concrete crusher over here and, steel company down there and, refinery over here and, I think auto manufacturer over here. It's just it is, I think becoming in an increasingly, it's increasingly becoming an issue that more and more Detroiters are paying attention to. And one of the things that I'm really, hopeful about is the fact that we now have folks in southwest Detroit and the east side of Detroit that have connected and are recognizing, you know what, we all face issues with truck traffic, which is also a huge issue when it comes to the air that we breathe. So I think that we're seeing more of that happening, between different neighborhoods in the city where people are recognizing, oh, you had to battle a concrete crusher. We are now also battling a concrete crusher. So, like, finding, finding those connections, I think has been really, really exciting to see.
KH: Absolutely. And then I was just, thinking here, we've interviewed quite a few people already, and, I've noticed a running theme is a lot of them. Like, obviously there's a lot of work to be done throughout the city, and people are excited about that. But there's also a worry about gentrification and like the, you know, intersection of gentrification and climate change and how maybe while we should be taking these instances, it might accidentally push the people that we're trying to help. How would you respond to those people's, fears about that?
SC: That's a really good question. I'd have to think a little bit more about that. And understand sort of what the concerns are. I, I think that I understand both of those issues separately and haven't spent really any time thinking about how they intersect. So, I'm going to have to definitely think about that. I mean, I do think that just generally, the, huge increases in, in rent, that people have had to pay. That has definitely pushed people out of their homes, has been, a huge priority and a concern. Unfortunately, you know, some of the, some of the, some of the ways that we can sort of address this have been have not been successful in the legislature yet. But, we're going to keep pushing and I think that, you know, it's. I think the issue of gentrification and the issue of, housing unaffordability is something that. Unfortunately, more and more people are experiencing. And so it is something that I think that we continue to face as a crisis. And so hopefully that crisis will spur people to act a little bit more swiftly. You know, obviously we have done quite a bit in terms of like allocating more money towards building, homes that are affordable, for people, but there's just so much need. So we're we've got to keep pushing for that. And doing more on that front. But I also think that, when we look at neighborhoods that are most impacted by climate change, recognizing that oftentimes those are environmental justice communities that are predominantly people of color and lower income. You know, making sure that we are Protecting people's quality of life and ability to be in the home that they want to be in. And so, you know, I think about Jefferson Chalmers in particular, where that's a neighborhood that, has seen sort of an influx of some folks moving there. And then also the folks who have been there for such a long time, where there's generational homes and people feel an attachment to the water. Some people really love the canals. They're beautiful. But also that flooding is a huge issue. So how do all of those issues intersect? It's, I think something that's really, worth continuing to think about and talk about.
KH: Absolutely. Are in shifting just a little bit, we are also talking about Covid 19. So I just want to see what have you seen as the effects of Covid 19 on the city, because obviously it's easy to say, oh, we live in like a post-Covid world because no one's really masking a lot of the restrictions are gone. But unfortunately, you know, we are still very much living in a pandemic world. And so what are the effects you still see and, you know, have, you know, started in 2020 and what have you continued to seek out throughout the city?
SC: well You know, obviously there were a lot of lives lost to Covid. And so we we that I think is the biggest impact is that people lost family members, people lost friends. There are people who, you know, there are A couple of actual former legislative colleagues that, died from Covid, right? And there's so many community leaders and community members that we lost to Covid. So I think that is the most important impact, to remember is all of these people that, that, unfortunately, are no longer with us, and that we need to continue to remember them. So that's, I think the first thing and most important thing. But I think, you know, I think one positive thing that came out of Covid, although. I think some of it was unfortunately short lived. Was that there was a it seemed like Covid. I remember several moments during Covid when I felt like, oh, people now are understanding that water affordability is an issue and that shutoffs shouldn't happen because it's a public health hazard, because you can't wash your hands with soap and water if you don't have water. And that was, you know, before masks and before everything else. People were told to wash their hands with soap and water. And I remember people talking more about, you know, obviously we there were at the national and state level, there were, you know, moratoriums on after (?) A moratorium on evictions. We were looking at things from a public health lens. More people during the pandemic even learned of the term public health. There was more attention on the fact that we have public health officials at our in our states, cities and counties. And, so I think those were positive things in that I think our, our nation and I think our world, I'm not exactly sure, but certainly our state, focus in more on some of these issues of equity, housing, water, even things like disability issues, issues in our prisons where obviously folks that were incarcerated in close quarters, the spread of Covid, was a huge concern. So looking at all of these things, one of the positives was looking was, like people looking at issues of equity with a closer eye than we really had before. Unfortunately, I think that time has passed, and I think that some folks have kind of lost their lost that focus. But I think that was one of the things that certainly Detroit, people got really the city got really creative in finding ways to respond and having to adjust and, setting up, you know, mobile testing and outdoor outdoor spaces and all of these things. I think one other positive that came out is that we, I think that we. I think. I'm not sure if this is. We'd have to verify with some actual numbers here, but, anecdotally, more people are getting outside and getting fresh air and, going to parks. And, I think that's a positive thing, but sort of going back to the negatives that, you know, I think one of the in addition to most importantly, the loss of life, we still have people who have long Covid, many people with long Covid. That's something that I think people forget about. And then thinking also about, all the students who, had to adjust to, sitting in front of a screen for hours to learn. And, that was a huge challenge. There was a huge, huge challenge for a lot of people. And I know that, you know, it's not just Detroit. It's really across the whole. Everywhere. That that is still something that we have to, work on. Is that a lot of, the learning loss that happened and, and the also the just sort of like, emotional mental health issues that I think. Have arisen because of that whole situation. But I think that those are those are a couple of examples. Both. Both for the good and bad.
KH: Did you notice any particular effects on your neighborhood with Covid?
SC: Yeah, it's hard to think about. Just specific to the neighborhood. It's okay. Can't think of anything offhand.
KH: That's totally fine. And, did you see any intersection between the effects of Covid 19 and the effects of climate change?
SC: There is also a question I have not thought about. Hmhm.
KH: No, it's totally fine. We can move on to our next question. And which is just what would you like to see the city of Detroit do right now to climate combat? Climate change? Like, what immediate actions do you think they could be taking right now and would you'd like to see?
SC: Well. You know, I know that the city has. I think it's called the Office of Sustainability. I'll be perfectly honest and know that and say that I don't exactly know what all they have been doing lately. I think in the beginning, when it was first created and Joel was there, I had a, I like, knew a little bit more about what was happening and went to one of their public meetings and, and maybe the fact that I don't know what they're doing is actually a problem. Right? So maybe we need to give that office a little bit more resources to be able to, engage with folks. Or maybe I'm just not doing a good job keeping up with what they're doing, which is probably probably part of the case. But I think, you know, really prioritizing that office, and prioritizing, finding ways to combat climate changes, something that we should be doing. I do think that, you know, I know that there DWC and elsewhere have been doing more around like, let's, let's build let's, let's address some of these infrastructure issues because climate change is here. And so we've got to adjust the what our water infrastructure looks like can do move faster on some of these upgrades. So that's a good thing. We should be doing more of that and, hopefully allocate even more money to keep that progress going. On those infrastructure upgrades. And then, you know, honestly, because I'm at the state level, I don't keep a pulse on everything that the city does on in terms of their policies. But like looking at what are all the things that they are doing or that they're not yet doing around reducing greenhouse gas emissions? I just I honestly don't know the answer to that. Because I'm not at the city level, like, try to keep up with what I can at the city level. But, and I know that there have been things that they've done, but I wouldn't be able to tell you concretely what what are the gaps and what things are missing.
KH: You know, thank you for your time. Is there anything that we haven't covered here today that you would like to speak on?
SC: No, I don't think so. I just appreciate that you all are doing this project. I think it's really important.
KH: Oh, well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
SC: Absolutely.
Stephanie Chang: Hi. It's great to be here.
KH: It is great to be here. Thank you so much. So let's, get right into it with some of our questions. Have you seen the effects of climate change on your neighborhoods?
SC: Yeah. So, you know, absolutely. And unfortunately have seen some pretty devastating impacts of climate change in our, in my district. So I happen to have the honor of representing, a good portion of Detroit, as well as a few suburban areas as well in Oakland, Macomb. But in particular, my district has included Jefferson Chalmers, for many years now. And Jefferson Chalmers, for those who are tuning in and might be unfamiliar, is a neighborhood that's right along the river and the furthest east and south, portion of Detroit. It's got canals it's got, it's really a beautiful neighborhood. But has been just really kind of devastated by flooding. Pretty much any time there's a major storm in that area. And so I remember pretty vividly in 2021, with, really heavy rainfall over a few days, that summer, just seeing firsthand because at that point I also lived in East English Village, just like the the flooding that, that was happening there on the east side, Jefferson Chalmers, other parts of the east side. And people lost furnaces, hot water heaters, lots of valuable, you know, sentimental items. And, you know, there still are people who are dealing with the after effects of mold in their basement. And all of this is because of, well, there were some infrastructure issues, of course, as well. And the power outages, a lot of different things combined. But all related to the really heavy storm that happened that year. And so I think that if you ask folks in that neighborhood in particular, you know, addressing climate change is a big priority. And in addition to, of course, addressing a lot of the infrastructure issues. But I also think that we see the effects of climate change all the time now, right? With, with just, the winters that don't seem like Michigan winters sometimes and then really extreme heat that we've experienced several years in a row. And the list goes on.
KH: So definitely we've interviewed a lot of people from Jefferson Chalmers, and they've said the flooding has been an issue. And also with power outages becoming much more frequent, and the lack of response from places like DTE has been a big issue as well. Have you noticed that within your, so you said you lived in the, East English Village? Which area of Detroit do you currently live in now?
SC: So I live in Rivertown now. I've, I've lived in a several different neighborhoods in, in Indian, in, Island View, Woodbridge, New Center, Lafayette Park for the longest time, and then East English Village and then now Rivertown. I don't think it was really until we lived in East English Village that we really had experienced that kind of flooding. And, you know, lots of things to say about that, but, but in terms of going back to your point about the power outages, for sure, that's been a huge problem. And that is something that I think spans across the district. And definitely has has had an impact on the suburban areas of my district as well. In Oakland, in Macomb counties. And, it's something that people get really, really frustrated by, and understandably so, both by the fact that it happens and then also the fact that, they, you know, don't necessarily recoup the money that they deserve to be able to, you know, pay for the things that they lost. And sometimes and sometimes people just really can't afford to lose the food that's in their refrigerator or other things. And, to those power outages, might be an inconvenience for some people, but for other people, it's actually like a really, can be a pretty devastating thing that happens. So, and people definitely get very, very angry. I think that one of the things that I'm hopeful is that we can, like, remember that anger and really try to turn it into something positive in terms of some of the action that's needed.
KH: Yeah, absolutely. And in your view, just what are the biggest issues that climate change poses for the city of Detroit and for Detroiters?
SC: Yeah. So, you know, climate change poses a lot of challenges. And has certainly had so many devastating impacts on a lot of folks in Detroit. I think that, you know, it's it's obviously the flooding, those power outages, but also I think we see the impact You know, the extreme weather, the extreme heat, all of those things. And I think that One of the things that that I think sometimes people forget about, and sometimes as lawmakers, we forget to talk about as much as we should, is the fact that when we're talking about the solutions to climate change, some of them are also interweaving, addressing climate change with addressing, pocketbook issues because people pay a lot for their energy bills. And by, by increasing energy efficiency and as a way to combat climate change, we're also, reducing the amount that people have to pay. You know, with, clean energy bills that we passed last year, we actually did, we know that that impact is going to be saving people money. And so I think that, like, I try to remember, that, it's actually multiple issues that all intersect here. Which are all challenges that face Detroiters. Oh, one other thing. Sorry.
KH: No absolutley go ahead
SC: Yeah. Another one of those examples of the intersection of issues is, I think a lot of folks are becoming more aware of the fact that we have combined sewer and stormwater. And that is a big reason why we have so many of the flooding issues that we've had. But I think that when, when flooding it happens in people's basements, unfortunately sometimes it's not just water. And so there's infrastructure issues there as well. And so that's I think a unique well it's not necessarily unique to Detroit, but because Detroit is such an old city and has so much old infrastructure, we are I know that, the city has been doing quite a bit, to upgrade and, you know, replace lines and all of these things, but there is still so much more to do. It's a big city with a lot of infrastructure and a lot of old infrastructure, so that those issues combined of the heavy rainfall due to climate change. Plus, you know, the aging infrastructure that we are working to replace, but there's still have much more to do. I think combines in a way that obviously is very detrimental to the folks that are our neighbors.
KH: Oh, absolutely. So obviously, you are very involved with climate change and you have a history with being above climate change. Can you talk a little bit about like your history of getting involved with activism?
SC: Yeah, sure. So, before I ran for office, I worked as, as an organizer on a number of different social justice and civil rights issues. You know, other things totally unrelated to climate change, but then also climate change. So I'll worked on issues like affirmative action, criminal justice reform, voting rights, immigration reform. And then right before I took office, I briefly worked like, in between the primary election of 2014 and kind of the end of the work for next gen climate, helping with, you know, getting folks out to vote, for the right candidates. That would be a champion for addressing the climate crisis. And so, it's something where, you know, I never studied environmental sciences in college, right? It wasn't something that I felt like I had a lot of expertise on. But I remember the so many conversations that I had my first campaign in 2014, knocking on doors, in southwest Detroit, talking to people who had lost loved ones to cancer due to air pollution, talking to folks who really were, in a way, demanding that I prioritize environmental justice issues, that it quickly made me realize that it absolutely needed to be a top priority. And so that I learned as much as I could as quickly as I could. And honestly, a lot of that learning happened directly, because of residents that I'm so grateful to have the honor of having been able to work with, who taught me about the permitting issues and taught me about, you know, cumulative impact and taught me about all of these things and how, you know, when we're talking about environmental justice, side by side with climate issues, that we have to be talking about within all of these issues, what is the impact on the most vulnerable in our communities? And so I'm really proud to over the, you know, past almost ten years in office, have been able to really focus in a lot on some of these environmental issues that sometimes don't necessarily seem like they're directly related to climate, but in a way, they all are. So in looking at air quality issues in southwest Detroit, on the east side of Detroit, down river, all of these places that I've had the honor of representing at different points in time. You know, it's all very much related to what we're doing to protect people's health. And climate is definitely a public health issue.
KH: Yeah, absolutely. So what you're saying with like, NexGen climate when you're working with them, it was a lot of door to door stuff.
SC: Some door to door, a lot of sort of, communications, a lot of like community and a lot of engagement in the community around the election that year, in 2014. But really trying to make sure that folks were thinking about the election, in terms of what is the impact going to be, for our climate? And I think obviously ten years later, still very much hopefully an issue that is, resonating. And honestly, I do think that, a lot of talking to people on the ground, talking to voters, climate is definitely something that people care about. It's definitely something that a lot of young people care about. I think that young people are one of the biggest reasons why, you know, we prioritized, getting clean energy legislation passed in the legislature in 2023, because people are rightfully so, demanding a better future for themselves.
KH: Absolutely. And just. What actions are you personally taking? And, you know, not just personally because, politically as well, like, you know, I there's often an intersection of what people can do both personally and politically. And, what would you be doing right now or what are you doing?
SC: Yeah. Well, I think that obviously the work that we did as the legislature around our clean energy laws, you know, increase our renewable energy standard, to, really address energy efficiency and also ensure that we're, creating good paying union jobs to, as we're creating clean energy, for the state. All of those things are things that we have done. And then also things that we hopefully can build on. You know, one of the things that, I'm not necessarily leading on, but definitely, and in conversation with my colleagues about is, this piece around, after the storm and when people lose power, how do we, make sure that we are, getting people the support that they need? Because I think that $25 or the $35, whatever it is right now, I think it went up a little bit last year, that energy companies pay for folks who have lost power is not really a lot of money. And so I think that a lot of times people see that as a slap in the face, given the hardship that they go through. I know that there are folks who have been working on, legislation to address that, and I'm definitely supportive and engaged in that conversation. I also think that there are lots of things sort of related, to climate change that, that I'm excited to be part of. So, leading this effort is Abraham Isaac, who is one of my partners in the, in the state House, addressing this idea of cumulative impact, of different air quality, pollution sources. To really look at what is the cumulative impact of, this place and this facility and this other facility, but also the multiple pollutants that are emitted by those facilities. And what is the cumulative impact on people's health, and requiring that type of analysis to be done, by our state before issuing permits and in lots of other decision making? That is something that I think is really, really important. That will have that if passed, could have a huge impact for our residents, particularly in Detroit and, and in other environmental justice communities, but also would also have an impact on climate change, because if we can then actually, reduce the number of polluting sources, then obviously will be contributing less greenhouse gases. So I think that, all of these things are, only possible if we continue to build political will, to address these challenges head on, because, I think that it's it's more and more people recognize that this has to be a priority. But unfortunately, there are also folks on the other side who are very much opposed to these kinds of issues. And obviously for some of these, corporations who are emitting this air pollution, changes, are hard. And I recognize that, but we have to look out for people's health first and foremost.
KH: Right? So definitely those are a lot of political actions. What about you personally? What are you doing in your personal life to be able to combat climate change?
SC: Yeah, well, I'm trying to walk more. One of the things that is really great is that, because I live in River town, being able to take my just walk down to the riverfront with my girls to, to valet park or the riverfront and being able to, just get more outdoors time. It also means that I'm not driving somewhere else to take them to a park or a playground. Although we do do that too, sometimes. But, you know, unfortunately, being part of part of being a state legislator means I have to drive to Lansing a lot. So, unfortunately, you know, and my actually, my five year old pointed out that, I have a car that's bad, That's not the greatest for the environment. I don't have an electric vehicle, but I'm hoping to one day purchase one, once I'm, you know, able to do that. But, also, one of the things that I'm trying to do as a mom is, really instill in my two daughters the value of the environment and, taking care of the earth. And I think I have two little environmentalist, kids in my family now because they care about recycling. They care about not littering. They understand, they care about the polar bears. So, so that they get that, all of the things that we do as humans have an impact on the Earth and other living beings, and so they might not. Not necessarily know the words climate change, although actually maybe my older daughter does. I'm not sure. But they definitely, I think, have an appreciation for the environment. And so I think that's one thing that I actually take pretty seriously is that, you know, I want my kids to be, good stewards of the Earth. And, so really trying to keep reminding them and find ways to, engage in conversations with them about protecting the environment, in ways that are like age appropriate, and understandable. It's another thing that I'm doing as well. Yeah.
KH: And obviously you said you currently don't have an electric vehicle, which is understandable. They are like we always yes, a lot of people say like, oh, we should all be driving electric vehicles. And they often don't talk about the cost of that. But what about other things? Have you looked into getting solar panels for your house?
SC: Well, I live in a condo, so I don't think we can do that. Although maybe we could. I don't know, I'll have to ask, but maybe that might have to be a future thing. But, I'm trying to think of what else. I mean, we also do sort of like, really basic things, like turning off the lights, in rooms that we're not using, trying to unplug things that aren't currently being used. Right. And just doing all of those types of things to reduce energy use. And my kids are actually really good at reminding me, too. So I do that. A lot of that like turning off lights throughout the house. But my kids also will point out, that we need to turn off lights as well. So they're they're becoming pretty conscious of of that. Try to think of what else. And then also obviously conserving water and that that's not necessarily climate change related, but actually in in a way it is. So just finding ways to like, reduce our own energy use.
KH: Absolutely. And what issues you talking about? A lot of environmental legislation. But obviously these things are sometimes hard to get past. What are the issues you're facing and climate change legislation?
SC: Well, you know, I think like going back to some of the environmental justice related, bills that we've been working on. As sort of as mentioned, these are the right things to do, but sometimes an issue being the right thing to do isn't enough to get it done right. So, being able to build, enough support to be able to get something across the finish line, it can be challenging at times. So, I'll give you an example. I have a bill that, is three quarters of the way through, I guess 3/5 of the way through. That is basically designed to, okay, so let me back up. So right now, when a company violates the air quality standards where they violate their air quality permit, the money, they usually end up with a fine and, and a, and a consent order, that says, okay, here are things that you have to do to, address whatever was in the violation. Notice that we issued as a, as the state's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and then the fine. So the fine right now goes into our state's general fund, which means that it disappears into this giant bucket of money, and that money doesn't necessarily go back to the community that is affected by that air pollution. And so, for years, had been advocating for, and working with residents in my district, to actually work on legislation that is about redirecting that those fines to go back to the affected communities, in the way of vegetative buffers or air monitors or, you know H vac systems that can help reduce, air pollution. All of these different things. And so that piece of legislation, passed the Senate, passed House Committee and is, sitting on the House floor. And all along the way there have been folks who have opposed these efforts. You know, basically industry industry. So, and in a way, I understand from their point of view with why they would oppose. But in another, as I think about it, more and more, I also think, you know, this is. We're talking like 1 to $2 million every year, which for total, in terms of the fines that we're collecting, from these air quality violations, which could make a huge impact for some of these smaller neighborhoods, that are affected by air pollution. Where these violations have been happening. But, you know, $10,000, $100,000 for some of these. Companies that, certainly have quite a bit of profit. You know, it's a tiny drop in the bucket. So, I struggle to, struggle with the fact that we have not yet, gotten this all the way through the legislature. But hopefully by the time this project is life, we'll have gotten it done. But I also am really. Proud of the fact and glad to know that. We have gotten 3/5 of the way through on this just and, you know, have been working on this legislation basically ever since my first term in the House. So, it's gotten the farthest that it ever has. But obviously that doesn't mean anything unless it becomes law. So, part of the challenge was, I think that. I understand what environmental justice is to the best that I can. And lots of other people do as well. But there are still, I think, folks who this is a new concept for them. And, movement in this direction is, I think something where there's a lot of education that has to happen. And if you don't have an environmental justice community in your district, as a lawmaker, it might be harder to understand what the impact is going to be on real people. So actually, we actually brought people to the Capitol to testify and say, this is why this is so important and this is how it would affect my community. But we need to do continue to do more of that. So that's one of the challenges as well.
KH: You say a lot of companies are opposed to it. Are there any specific companies that have been particularly, well, vocal about it?
SC: There are, but I think the but rather than naming them here, I think the just the broader the broader concern is that, you know, the the industry organizations, as a whole that represent many different companies, have unfortunately been opposed. But we we actually have made quite a number of significant changes that they suggested. But, still not quite there.
KH: No. Absolutely. And so going back a little bit more in your history, you were an assistant of Grace Lee Boggs. How did that experience, like influence the way you look at climate change and just like your worldview in general?
SC: Yeah. Well, so so before I moved to Detroit, I was I went to the University of Michigan. 2001 to 2005, graduated in 2005, was involved in the Detroit Asian Youth Project. And that is what led me to, you know, meeting Grace. And then her asking me to live in the Boggs Center. And so that is how I moved to Detroit in 2005, and, I Have told other people this as well. It is very true, is that I think if I had moved to Detroit in any other circumstance and lived anywhere else in the city, I would probably be a different person. Because I think my first two years of living in Detroit at the Bogg Center on Field Street and the east side of Detroit, I think really, informed a lot of the way that I am as an organizer, as a public servant, even and, in really recognizing, not even just the value, but just like how important it is to, really believe in and uplift people in the community that are not waiting for the government. They are finding solutions on their own and implementing them because they know that, that, many of the crises that we are facing are too urgent to wait. And so, for me as a public servant, and formerly as an organizer, being able to work with people who are, whether it's a block club or a neighborhood organization or group that's trying to, you know, end gun violence in their neighborhood, like all of these groups are the ones that know best what the solutions are. And so I think that that is something that I've taken with me, again, both as an organizer and now as a public servant. And I think that I attribute a lot of that to those first two years living at the bogg center with Grace and, just through, not even like obviously because of her, but also because of just the network of people that were all that were around her and people that came to talk to her and visit her. I think she was really good at really making sure that we were always cognizant of the fact that we were on an assignment and that, we had to kind of always deeply think about, what it is that, that we are doing, to make this world a better place.
KH: Absolutely. And while you were working with, Grace Lee Boggs in the Dogg center, obviously one of their most enduring contributions in programs that they've had is, the Detroit summer. Were you ever involved with that project so ?
SC: So tangentially. So Because I was involved with the Detroit Asian Youth Project, Day Project and Detroit Summer often did things together. This was 20 years ago, so I don't remember all of the details, but I do remember moments of being at the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Center. With both day project kids and Detroit summer kids. Maybe potlucks. I don't remember what it was. Some potlucks and, different workshops together and different, activities together. So I wasn't directly involved, but, tangentially was. Yeah.
KH: And, what did you see as, like, the most important part of Detroit summer's work?
SC: So I think with both Day Project and Detroit Summer, which both were, you know, affiliated through the Bug Center. A lot of the, the impact, I think has been on honestly, the, the people that came out of that program who have done amazing things. And, you know, I think about Julia Putnam, who was the principal at the Boggs School. And the fact that, you know, she tells the story of how she was in Detroit summer. And because of that program, it shifted kind of her life trajectory and seeing Detroit as a place that she wanted to continue to be, to be a solutionary. As you know, I think a lot of the folks around Grace, use that term solutionary. So, she's just one example, you know, thinking about, the many generations of people who went through that program and are, making change in, in a lot of different ways in the community, I think is the biggest impact. And, and same with day projects. Some of the folks who went through that program that are now, you know, full grown adults that they were once high school students and now full grown adults that are, you know, doing great things, some pretty incredible.
KH: A little bit earlier, we were talking about some of the issues of the air and water pollution, in Detroit. Is there anything else you, think you would want to say on that topic?
SC: You know, we just sort of. It's a constant battle. It feels like, you know. I think things are obviously better under. Yeah, we have in a Democratic led trifecta, we've been able to do more good things for the environment, but there are still challenges, right. And, and it does feel like a constant battle in terms of permit after permit. And this company wanting to raise their emissions limits and, other companies having multiple violations. And, you know, not necessarily they have facing the consequences that they should and we see residents who experience, some of the really harmful health impacts of, of those actions or inactions by, by these, polluting companies. And, it's really unfortunate. It's, I think something that. I really hope that we can continue to make progress on. I think that there's growing awareness of the fact that we face these issues in Detroit, and that it's not isolated to one neighborhood. It actually, you know, we're concrete crusher over here and, steel company down there and, refinery over here and, I think auto manufacturer over here. It's just it is, I think becoming in an increasingly, it's increasingly becoming an issue that more and more Detroiters are paying attention to. And one of the things that I'm really, hopeful about is the fact that we now have folks in southwest Detroit and the east side of Detroit that have connected and are recognizing, you know what, we all face issues with truck traffic, which is also a huge issue when it comes to the air that we breathe. So I think that we're seeing more of that happening, between different neighborhoods in the city where people are recognizing, oh, you had to battle a concrete crusher. We are now also battling a concrete crusher. So, like, finding, finding those connections, I think has been really, really exciting to see.
KH: Absolutely. And then I was just, thinking here, we've interviewed quite a few people already, and, I've noticed a running theme is a lot of them. Like, obviously there's a lot of work to be done throughout the city, and people are excited about that. But there's also a worry about gentrification and like the, you know, intersection of gentrification and climate change and how maybe while we should be taking these instances, it might accidentally push the people that we're trying to help. How would you respond to those people's, fears about that?
SC: That's a really good question. I'd have to think a little bit more about that. And understand sort of what the concerns are. I, I think that I understand both of those issues separately and haven't spent really any time thinking about how they intersect. So, I'm going to have to definitely think about that. I mean, I do think that just generally, the, huge increases in, in rent, that people have had to pay. That has definitely pushed people out of their homes, has been, a huge priority and a concern. Unfortunately, you know, some of the, some of the, some of the ways that we can sort of address this have been have not been successful in the legislature yet. But, we're going to keep pushing and I think that, you know, it's. I think the issue of gentrification and the issue of, housing unaffordability is something that. Unfortunately, more and more people are experiencing. And so it is something that I think that we continue to face as a crisis. And so hopefully that crisis will spur people to act a little bit more swiftly. You know, obviously we have done quite a bit in terms of like allocating more money towards building, homes that are affordable, for people, but there's just so much need. So we're we've got to keep pushing for that. And doing more on that front. But I also think that, when we look at neighborhoods that are most impacted by climate change, recognizing that oftentimes those are environmental justice communities that are predominantly people of color and lower income. You know, making sure that we are Protecting people's quality of life and ability to be in the home that they want to be in. And so, you know, I think about Jefferson Chalmers in particular, where that's a neighborhood that, has seen sort of an influx of some folks moving there. And then also the folks who have been there for such a long time, where there's generational homes and people feel an attachment to the water. Some people really love the canals. They're beautiful. But also that flooding is a huge issue. So how do all of those issues intersect? It's, I think something that's really, worth continuing to think about and talk about.
KH: Absolutely. Are in shifting just a little bit, we are also talking about Covid 19. So I just want to see what have you seen as the effects of Covid 19 on the city, because obviously it's easy to say, oh, we live in like a post-Covid world because no one's really masking a lot of the restrictions are gone. But unfortunately, you know, we are still very much living in a pandemic world. And so what are the effects you still see and, you know, have, you know, started in 2020 and what have you continued to seek out throughout the city?
SC: well You know, obviously there were a lot of lives lost to Covid. And so we we that I think is the biggest impact is that people lost family members, people lost friends. There are people who, you know, there are A couple of actual former legislative colleagues that, died from Covid, right? And there's so many community leaders and community members that we lost to Covid. So I think that is the most important impact, to remember is all of these people that, that, unfortunately, are no longer with us, and that we need to continue to remember them. So that's, I think the first thing and most important thing. But I think, you know, I think one positive thing that came out of Covid, although. I think some of it was unfortunately short lived. Was that there was a it seemed like Covid. I remember several moments during Covid when I felt like, oh, people now are understanding that water affordability is an issue and that shutoffs shouldn't happen because it's a public health hazard, because you can't wash your hands with soap and water if you don't have water. And that was, you know, before masks and before everything else. People were told to wash their hands with soap and water. And I remember people talking more about, you know, obviously we there were at the national and state level, there were, you know, moratoriums on after (?) A moratorium on evictions. We were looking at things from a public health lens. More people during the pandemic even learned of the term public health. There was more attention on the fact that we have public health officials at our in our states, cities and counties. And, so I think those were positive things in that I think our, our nation and I think our world, I'm not exactly sure, but certainly our state, focus in more on some of these issues of equity, housing, water, even things like disability issues, issues in our prisons where obviously folks that were incarcerated in close quarters, the spread of Covid, was a huge concern. So looking at all of these things, one of the positives was looking was, like people looking at issues of equity with a closer eye than we really had before. Unfortunately, I think that time has passed, and I think that some folks have kind of lost their lost that focus. But I think that was one of the things that certainly Detroit, people got really the city got really creative in finding ways to respond and having to adjust and, setting up, you know, mobile testing and outdoor outdoor spaces and all of these things. I think one other positive that came out is that we, I think that we. I think. I'm not sure if this is. We'd have to verify with some actual numbers here, but, anecdotally, more people are getting outside and getting fresh air and, going to parks. And, I think that's a positive thing, but sort of going back to the negatives that, you know, I think one of the in addition to most importantly, the loss of life, we still have people who have long Covid, many people with long Covid. That's something that I think people forget about. And then thinking also about, all the students who, had to adjust to, sitting in front of a screen for hours to learn. And, that was a huge challenge. There was a huge, huge challenge for a lot of people. And I know that, you know, it's not just Detroit. It's really across the whole. Everywhere. That that is still something that we have to, work on. Is that a lot of, the learning loss that happened and, and the also the just sort of like, emotional mental health issues that I think. Have arisen because of that whole situation. But I think that those are those are a couple of examples. Both. Both for the good and bad.
KH: Did you notice any particular effects on your neighborhood with Covid?
SC: Yeah, it's hard to think about. Just specific to the neighborhood. It's okay. Can't think of anything offhand.
KH: That's totally fine. And, did you see any intersection between the effects of Covid 19 and the effects of climate change?
SC: There is also a question I have not thought about. Hmhm.
KH: No, it's totally fine. We can move on to our next question. And which is just what would you like to see the city of Detroit do right now to climate combat? Climate change? Like, what immediate actions do you think they could be taking right now and would you'd like to see?
SC: Well. You know, I know that the city has. I think it's called the Office of Sustainability. I'll be perfectly honest and know that and say that I don't exactly know what all they have been doing lately. I think in the beginning, when it was first created and Joel was there, I had a, I like, knew a little bit more about what was happening and went to one of their public meetings and, and maybe the fact that I don't know what they're doing is actually a problem. Right? So maybe we need to give that office a little bit more resources to be able to, engage with folks. Or maybe I'm just not doing a good job keeping up with what they're doing, which is probably probably part of the case. But I think, you know, really prioritizing that office, and prioritizing, finding ways to combat climate changes, something that we should be doing. I do think that, you know, I know that there DWC and elsewhere have been doing more around like, let's, let's build let's, let's address some of these infrastructure issues because climate change is here. And so we've got to adjust the what our water infrastructure looks like can do move faster on some of these upgrades. So that's a good thing. We should be doing more of that and, hopefully allocate even more money to keep that progress going. On those infrastructure upgrades. And then, you know, honestly, because I'm at the state level, I don't keep a pulse on everything that the city does on in terms of their policies. But like looking at what are all the things that they are doing or that they're not yet doing around reducing greenhouse gas emissions? I just I honestly don't know the answer to that. Because I'm not at the city level, like, try to keep up with what I can at the city level. But, and I know that there have been things that they've done, but I wouldn't be able to tell you concretely what what are the gaps and what things are missing.
KH: You know, thank you for your time. Is there anything that we haven't covered here today that you would like to speak on?
SC: No, I don't think so. I just appreciate that you all are doing this project. I think it's really important.
KH: Oh, well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
SC: Absolutely.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Stephanie Chang, July 16th, 2024,” Detroit Historical Society Oral History Archive, accessed January 21, 2025, https://oralhistory.detroithistorical.org/items/show/1035.