"Cheryl Johnson, who took charge of People for Community Recovery in 2010, just before her mother’s death, says MAGA can’t end a decadeslong fight that affects poor white communities as well as communities of color."
"Hazel Johnson was jolted by deaths of those she knew and loved throughout her life.
Her mom died of tuberculosis when she was 12, her little brother died before his 2nd birthday, and her baby sister died before she was 1. That was when she lived in Louisiana — in an area not far from the infamous Cancer Alley, nicknamed for its high rate of disease and proximity to petrochemical plants.
After Hazel came to Chicago — soon settling in Altgeld Gardens, a public housing complex on the Far South Side — her husband, John, died at 41 from lung cancer.
It was John’s death in 1969 that opened her eyes about her surroundings. It was a leak at a nearby chemical storage facility in 1974 that put a spotlight on the pollution threats all around her community. Altgeld residents were evacuated, and dozens were treated at a hospital."
Brett Chase reports for the Chicago Sun-Times March 10, 2025.
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