SOLIDARITY RIDES
Angleton, Texas
On August 3, 2024, Solidarity Rides traversed Angleton, Texas, to highlight, amplify, and catalyze Environmental Justice voices, solutions, and strategies — specifically addressing fossil fuel extraction and toxic industries in Angleton, Texas and Brazoria County.
Angleton, TX is a community located in the Gulf South, just outside of Houston. Located in Brazoria County, it is a community with a rich history and a strong and vibrant community spirit. But it is also an area where residents face extractive industries (like the petrochemical and oil and gas industries) that exacerbate the climate crisis and pollute their air, water, and environment in the process.
The Solidarity Ride hosted the Texas Campaign for the Environment, Freeport Haven Project, Safe Diversity Communities, First Missionary Baptist Church, Liberty Road CRC, and other Environmental Justice advocates and voices.
The Solidarity Ride also contributed to First Missionary Baptist Church’s back-to-school drive and provided some mutual aid to the Freeport Haven Project as many citizens are still recovering from Hurricane Beryl.
Manny Rollerson, founder of the Freeport Haven Project, gave insight into the negative environmental impacts caused by Chevron Phillips, Petrologistics PDH, Dow Chemical, Freeport LNG, and the abandoned oil wells in the Freeport community.
Solidarity Riders and members of Missionary Baptist Church also pledged to #StopGulfLink by submitting comment cards to have the US Maritime Administration stop Gulf Link. The Gulf Link project is proposed by Sentinel Midstream. Comments to stop Gulf Link can be submitted to bit.ly/fedregGL.
Daniella Flanagan of Liberty Road CRC (in 5th Ward, Houston, TX) expounded on how the railroad connects toxic industries in Brazoria and Harris County and how the Solidarity Ride in Brazoria County was a catalyst for power-building between citizens in Brazoria County and Harris County.
Dr. Thelma Scott, founder of Safe Diversity Communities, reflected on her fight against cancer and the impacts of toxic industries on her family living near Petrochem in Brazoria County.
Photography by Michael McKenzie.
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