How to Explain Her Impact to Kids: Have you ever been near a place that smelled bad or had lots of trash? Imagine if your home was surrounded by pollution that made you and your family sick. That’s what happened to Hazel Johnson’s neighborhood in Chicago.
She didn’t just complain—she took action! She told leaders that Black communities deserved clean air and water just like everyone else. She helped people learn how to protect their health and fought for new rules to stop pollution. People call her the "Mother of Environmental Justice" because she made sure the government listened to people who were being hurt by pollution.
How Kids Can Learn from Hazel Johnson Today:
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be the boss of a big company? Or how someone can go from growing up in a small neighborhood to leading thousands of people? Let us tell you the story of Rosalind Brewer—a kind, smart, and determined woman who became one of the most powerful business leaders in the world. And she did it by always believing in working hard, helping others, and standing up for what’s right.
Sunita Narain is a name that resonates with power, persistence, and purpose in the world of environmental advocacy. Based in India, Narain is one of the most respected environmentalists globally, known for her fearless pursuit of environmental justice and her ability to connect ecological issues with economic and social realities. As the Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi, Narain has been instrumental in shaping policies and public opinion on climate change, water conservation, air pollution, and sustainable development—not just in India, but across the world.
Alice Waters is far more than a world-renowned chef. She’s a visionary, a food activist, and a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement whose impact reaches far beyond restaurant kitchens. Through her work promoting sustainable agriculture, food education, and local sourcing, she has reshaped the way Americans—and increasingly, people around the world—think about food. At the heart of her legacy is the Edible Schoolyard Project, an initiative that has planted the seeds of lifelong change in the lives of children, families, and communities.