Sacrifice Zones

<p>When toxic chemical spill from a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio last month led to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/ohio-derailment-chemicals-spilled-impact-residents-rcna71561" target="_blank">health concerns</a> in the area, the disaster attracted widespread media coverage, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/east-palestine-dioxins-testing-epa-rcna73856" target="_blank">action</a> from Environmental Protection Agency, and a bipartisan push to enact stricter <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senators-unveil-rail-safety-bill-ohio-train-derailment-rcna72864" target="_blank">regulations</a> on rail safety.</p><p>Yet for residents of so-called "sacrifice zones," this kind of environmental disaster is everyday life. These communities, which are disproportionately Black, are close to industrial plants that emit carcinogens and other dangerous pollutants. </p><p>This week, Into America heads to Institute, West Virginia, a Black town that has long dealt with toxic air from nearby chemical plants, to talk with resident and activist Katherine Ferguson, interim director of the community group Our Future West Virginia, about the town’s fight for justice. Trymaine Lee also talks with Dr. Sacoby Wilson, a public health professor at the University of Maryland, about why Black communities like this one are hit hardest by environmental concerns, and what can be done to prevent further disaster.</p><p>Follow and share the show on <a href="https://twitter.com/intoamericapod" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/intoamericapod" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/intoamericapod" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, using the handle <strong>@intoamericapod</strong>.</p><p>Thoughts? Feedback? Story ideas? Write to us at <a href="mailto:intoamerica@nbcuni.com" target="_blank">intoamerica@nbcuni.com.</a></p><p>For a transcript, please visit <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/intoamerica" target="_blank">our homepage</a>.