Law and Justice in Community Engagement and Ecological Restoration Initiatives

• Sarah Kasper, English, University of Delaware

• McKay Jenkins, Department of English, University of Delaware

As a Community Engagement and Ecological Restoration intern under the guidance of McKay Jenkins, the goal of my project was to work with compromised ecological systems and impoverished minority communities in Delaware and Maryland to develop a meaningful understanding of environmental and social justice. I explored how law and justice prevail in the process of strengthening social and ecological communities. Over the course of ten weeks, I worked with nonprofit organizations and community partners like Rock Rose City Farm, Baltimore Gift Economy, Native Roots Farm Foundation, InnerSource Wellness Center, and members of the Lenape and Nanticoke tribes in various settings to develop fieldwork experience and exposure to the processes that encourage sustainability, further environmental and social justice, and foster relationships. With a focus on land restoration, urban reforestation, and food justice farming, my responsibilities included planting trees and removing invasive plants; harvesting, processing, and delivering locally grown food to stakeholders like Chase Brexton Health Care and the Food Project; teaching short environmental education courses to small groups of K-12 students; and writing grants aimed at continuing community engagement and environmental justice efforts. My experience has culminated in an abundance of knowledge related to ecological restoration techniques–such as urban farming–and the social impact of non-profit organizations. This project recognizes the importance of community engagement in developing tangible and sustainable movement towards greater environmental and social justice. However, it also realizes the challenges associated with policy gaps, government laws, and inadequate services in communities; in areas where the government cannot provide ample resources, nonprofits and determined individuals attempting to fill the absences face challenges related to funding and continuation. Above all, developing connections between legal entities, universities, and community engagement stakeholders proves essential in attaining the knowledge, network, and influence that promotes environmental and social justice.