Neighbors Come Together to Tackle Air Pollution and Climate Action in Detroit

At the end of 2024, Dream.Org launched the Make It Real photojournalism series to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those fighting for a more sustainable and equitable future. We're collaborating on a series of TriplePundit articles to share the stories of the people and communities on the frontlines of climate equity in the United States. 

When it comes to her community, Raquel Garcia doesn’t take “no” for an answer. “My joy comes from having been a young Latina in education, having a lot of walls presented to me, and having tenacity and just smiling at people when they told me, ‘No’ … And doing it anyway,” she said.

Garcia replicates that approach in her work as executive director for Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV), a community-based nonprofit working to reverse environmental degradation while promoting a robust economy.  As a small organization primarily led by women of color, tenacity is integral to their success.

A small organization doing big things for air quality 

SDEV may be a small organization, but its multidimensional take on climate action is wide-reaching. The team is tackling air quality, land use and decarbonization issues, among others. This is crucial for the people of Detroit, where poor air quality results in some of the worst asthma outcomes in the country, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Per the foundation, poverty and air pollution are significant risk factors when managing and developing asthma, and Detroit ranks highly for both. 

The organization is working to improve air quality at the community level through its anti-idling campaign. The campaign asks residents to pledge to shut off their vehicles whenever they are stationary for a minute or longer to reduce harmful particulate and greenhouse gas emissions. The team also reaches out to businesses to encourage them to upgrade their old diesel trucks — which emit gases and fine particles that can exacerbate asthma — and to ensure the materials they haul are covered during transport to reduce dust pollution, an integral part of improving air quality. 

SDEV is also helping implement a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program grant, awarded to the city from the Federal Railroad Administration, and involve community members in the process. The grant money is helping Detroit decrease dust and other pollutants from passenger and freight rail, among other improvements, Garcia said. 

“We're really excited to be on the inside, to understand the city processes, to open the door, to talk, to bring other organizations on board — and to really hand it over to the residents,” she said. 

Working alongside government and engineering partners, the organization also has a voice in other air quality initiatives focused on the top local emitters. It’s part of the decarbonization effort at the Port of Detroit, which is situated on a major commercial shipping waterway, and a project weighing use cases for hydrogen energy across the city. Garcia said she is hopeful that Detroit’s fossil-fuel-powered steel industry can be converted to use green hydrogen instead.

Collaboration beats a scarcity mindset

Working with other organizations is a big part of Garcia’s approach. She makes it a point to collaborate with other nonprofits, government entities, universities and businesses on the local, state and national levels. “Collaborative is such a critical and important word. It's not just like a style or a strategy, it's really a core value,” she said.

But it hasn’t always been that way. Garcia remembers a time when nonprofits existed in a world of scarcity, whether from their environment or their own mentality. “It was very competitive,” she said. “I would even say that we still see some nonprofits that behave that way just because you can't undo your trauma so fast.”

That’s why she feels it’s so important to include community shareholders and other organizations in SDEV’s work. For example, its anti-idling campaign involves organizations like the Michigan chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Michigan Clean Cities. Garcia makes it a point to open up the dialogue, keep shareholders informed, and include them in the grants she writes. Though grants can often go unapproved, she still sees the value in building alliances with those also looking for funding instead of competing for it.

“We have to build a table. We have to talk about all these different areas. We have to know that our experience isn’t the only one being had around decarbonization or truck traffic or any of the pain points that we have,” she said. “We really believe that if you don't include people and they don't know what's happening and they don't have input, we're eroding our own trust.”

Detroit residents and local businesses are responding well to the SDEV campaigns that take that approach, Garcia said. After hearing from the organization, some businesses in the city are upgrading to diesel trucks that produce less emissions, covering the loads they’re hauling to reduce dust pollution, and adjusting their routes to reduce air pollution.

“They've really heard what we're saying,” she said. “We look forward to more wins when residents can see their voices expressed in the projects.”

“We’re always looking for inspiration”

With Garcia’s tenacity, spirit of collaboration and dedication to creating a healthier Detroit, it’s fitting that she’s featured in Dream.org’s Make it Real photojournalism campaign for her work with SDEV. But working with Dream.org goes beyond sharing her story and photos, Garcia said. The organization also helped SDEV develop its vision. Dream.org provided tools for writing better grants, sponsored a fellow to work alongside existing SDEV staff, and connected SDEV with national partners and other like-minded grassroots groups.

Still, much of the benefit of participating in the campaign goes back to the power of storytelling, Garcia said. “We’re always looking for inspiration. We’re always looking for ideas. We’re always looking at other people’s stories … And then you get reminded that you are one of these people."