Today we’d like to introduce you to Marsha Jackson.
Hi Marsha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Blue Star Recycling moved next door to my home in January 2018, which was to recycle wood pallets. Blue Star stored roofing shingles 100 ft from my bedroom within a week. The shingles grew taller than my home, with front loaders packing the shingles. I reported it first to the City of Dallas 311, and nothing occurred; however, the service request was closed. I placed another 311-service request and was closed again. I called my City Council in March 2018 and did not receive a return call. Again July 2018, I contacted the code inspector and asked why was my 311 request being closed without any actions or follow-up. The code inspector stated their business was given a violation and moved to a larger space next door, but they had moved back to my home. The shingles had grown so high at each location was over 180,000 tons. BlueStar Recycling had covered the creek, allowing a drive back/forth from one place to the other. My community is zoned as agricultural, but next to my home is zone heavy industrial, and we are in a flood zone. In September 2018, the rain was heavy; my neighbor and my backyard had flooded due to the creek blockage. My neighbors lost two horses.
The smell of Shingle Mountain was horrible, and the airborne pollutants were causing breathing issues throat and skin irritation. I attended a Lane Plating Superfund meeting in November 2018, met a young lady, Temeckia Derrough, and I told her, you guys are fighting this issue; what about the issue near my home. Two weeks later, Temeckia called to invite me to a Let Joppa Breathe meeting in December 2018. I met Jim Schermbeck at the meeting. Jim came out the next day to investigate and could not believe his eyes. Jim contacted Robert Wilonsky of Dallas Morning News, who investigated and interviewed me. Robert wrote the first article in which the City of Dallas did react and issued violations to Blue Star Recycling. However, BlueStar started its business again in January 2019. Again, Blue Star was issued a cease and deceits order in March 2019. Robert wrote about 16 articles on Shingle Mountain and the Environmental Injustice. BlueStar Recycling never paid one cent after the contempt of court and violations. They end up filing for bankruptcy, walking away, leaving the 180,000 tons of raw roofing shingles and ground-up particles on both tracts of land. I filed an RCRA suit against them, which was died up in court but was eventually dismissed by the Judge after the City of Dallas finally filed against the property owners. Almira cleaned up their property in February 2020 but did not assess the property. They only put white rocks on top of the ground-up particles, which when the wind is heavy, or trucks stir up the gravel, the fiberglass is airborne.
CCRA owned the property with the more significant Shingle Mountain pollutants, eventually reaching a settlement with the City of Dallas and paying them $1,000,000 for the cleanup, which began in December 2020. The vendor completed Shingle Mountain removal in February 2021. The City of Dallas has now obtained ownership of the previous Single Mountain property.
The City could have removed Shingle Mountain months and years ago if they had listened to our voices. Our health would not have been affected. During this time, Soledad O’Brien produced a Documentary, Disrupt and Dismantle. Also, documentaries by AJ+News, Ed Chapo, and Washington Post news articles. When the City received notification, instead of turning their backs black and brown communities, they could have taken action and taken into account the residents’ health was the priority.
The results from Shingle Mountain influenced me to study for my Doctorate in Public Administration to help in being an effective voice for those that are seeking help for environmental injustice in their communities.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, the road has not been smooth. My health, granddaughter, and neighbors’ health were affected. Imagine our lives as you have experienced covid since 2020, staying indoors, barely can breathe, not being able to enjoy the outside atmosphere, or walking your dog without having to wear long sleeves. Our community has been indoors from January 2018 and still most of the time now, 2022, after Shingle Mountain removal. My vocal cords are inflamed and will have permanent damage. The kids still stay inside. I would not let my great-grandbabies visit because of the experience and the effects of the airborne pollutants. If I have health issues, it could be worst for the babies. Our lives have been impacted drastically because of Shingle Mountain.
Our experience is an environmental injustice issue and also a zoning issue.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a full-time employee, a Sr. Executive Assistant, a Rep 1 Bus Admin, a retired manager from AT&T with over 30 years of service, an Environmental activist, and a guest speaker at various organizations discussing Environmental Injustice. I am also a Red Cross Disaster Response Team member, sit on four nonprofit Boards, and currently studying for my Doctorate of Public Administration.
I am most known for the Environmental injustice advocating for removing Shingle Mountain polluting my community which is mainly black and brown residents.
I am proud of the activism, staying strong to fight for the removal of Shingle Mountain, and proud to be a part of the founding of the nonprofit, Southern Sector Rising, which was campaigning for the removal of Shingle Mountain. I am the co-chair of Southern Sector Rising, and we focus on fighting against environmental injustice or marginalizing communities in the southern sector and racial zoning in Dallas, Texas.
What sets me apart from others is staying focused and persistent regarding critical issues and advocacy, and I was individual fighting against environmental injustice until allies joined forces to change. I will continue to fight to change wrong to make it right.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
These are excellent questions. At this time, I am not sure what I like about our city because of the hurt and harm to my family and community. I’m not too fond of the city because the city officials are not treating all equally. Just as we reached out to the city for help and we received none, when the prominent area of the city reached out, they almost received immediate support. It is also shocking to know we are advocating for a park at the location, which was previously the home of Shingle Mountain, and the City now owns the property. Still, we are not getting support from the city for the Park to begin healing and make wrong into something beautiful. The message received is there is no funding, but then you see and hear on the news that the city provided 15 million or 39 million for other parks and billions to tear down an old convention center to build another one. The city continues to overlook a hurting community in all types of wrong. Still, again the city has no remorse but continues to show from their eyes our community is not worthy of the same respect other areas receive. It is hurtful to know the elected officials you work hard to help get elected in the seats from which we did not receive support. It is also hurtful that they do not select the groups or individuals doing grassroots work to appoint to Boards or committees but instead select inexperienced representatives for the positions.
Pricing:
- Remediation from $500,000-$3.500.000
- Floral Farms Park fundraising of $approximate $13,000,000
Contact Info:
- Email: southernsectorrising@gmail.com;
- Website: www.southernsectorrising.org; parkforfloralfarms.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernsectorrising
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RisingSector
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZh_LAwsnTo
Image Credits
Beatrice W
Allison Smith
