Lamont Taylor: “I’ve learned never to stop learning…”
Lamont Taylor is a relentless advocate for environmental justice and community empowerment in Corpus Christi. Originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Lamont’s family relocated to the Hillcrest neighborhood in Corpus Christi, where he graduated from Miller High School. After earning degrees from Huston-Tillotson College and Trinity University, Lamont returned to Corpus Christi and enjoyed a successful 39-year career as an urban planner.
As a co-founder and longtime officer of the Hillcrest Residents Association, as well as a leader of the Citizens Alliance for Fairness and Progress, Lamont has worked tirelessly to fight environmental racism and preserve the rich history of Corpus Christi’s marginalized communities, especially that of his beloved Hillcrest. Lamont’s enduring commitment to civil rights and environmental advocacy continues to inspire and create positive change.
The Current recently sat down with Lamont and asked him to answer five questions. Here’s what he had to say:
Was there a single event in your life that helped shaped who you are today?
Yes, there was. When I was 11 years old, I was visiting my grandparents for the summer in Mississippi when we found out that Medgar Evers and been shot and killed in Jackson, which was just one town over from us. He was a real hero to us because, among other things, he had been a leader in desegregating the University of Mississippi. So when he was murdered, by someone who belonged to what was called the White Citizens Council, that just flipped a switch for me. I think it was really that moment when I became aware of a desire that I had to stand up for my rights, and for the rights of my community. That was in the summer of 1963, and in one way or another, I’ve been fighting racism and discrimination ever since.
When did you become active on environmental issues?
My neighborhood, Hillcrest, is basically surrounded by refineries. I lived there before there was a Refinery Row, but eventually the tanks got so close that I could throw a rock and hit them – and I didn't have a good throwing arm. But I didn't know for most of that time that those refineries were emitting all sorts of dangerous pollutants. But finally, I read a report from the CDC saying that these facilities were emitting carcinogens that cause cancer, asthma, birth defects – everything that had been happening to the people all around me for years. I just really had no idea until then. And then, of course, I ended up being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer myself. I went to MD Anderson, and praise God, I’m still here. But even before that, when I finally got educated and became aware of what was really going on, I know that I had to help other people connect those dots, and push back on what those companies were doing. So that was the beginning of my environmental work.
What issue are you most focused on right now?
Right now I’m working with lots of other folks in the community to try to stop Corpus Christi from building a water desalination plant inside Hillcrest. The most basic problem with desalination is that the water isn’t for us to drink, and it’s not for small businesses to use. It’s water to sell to all the big fossil fuel and petrochemical companies across this whole region. They brought in all of these companies and now we’re in a drought, and these companies need way more water than the people who live here do. And of course, they want us to pay for it, not them. Also, it’s no surprise, when you look at how badly the City has treated my neighborhood over the years, they want to put it right there in Hillcrest. All of that’s bad enough, but that plant is also going to discharge so much brine into the bay that it’s just going to be an environmental disaster. Nature is a delicate balance, and this desal plant would knock it right off its feet. The City talks about the “Sparkling City by the Sea” but it's going to be the “Sparkling City by the Dead Sea” if nothing changes, because there’s going to be no life left in that body of water. So no, we’re not going to just roll over and let them come in and kill our neighborhood and kill our bay, too. It doesn’t work that way.
How would you define environmental racism?
Environmental racism is exactly what happened, and is still happening, in my neighborhood. All those refineries around us, and the people that brought them in, and the banks that funded them, they all know exactly what they’re really doing to the people in Hillcrest, but they go ahead and do it anyway. I don’t know how you could call that anything but environmental racism. Some people talk about sacrifice zones. Well, let me put this right where the goats can get it: A sacrifice zone is place where somebody has got to die so that somebody else, who lives someplace else, can make a buck. In a sacrifice zone, we’re pawns in someone else’s chess game. So now, in Hillcrest, we’re basically like the people of a diaspora. These polluters came in and destroyed a neighborhood that I loved – that we all loved – and now my community is spread out all over the city. I’m living in an apartment in another part of town, but where I want to live is my neighborhood. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to live there again, but I’m sure not going to give up on it.
What advice would you give to people who want to make the same kind of impact you have?
The first thing is, I’ve learned never to stop learning. You have to be able to see the big picture, and that means taking in new information all the time. And second, I would say to remember that it’s not just about you. What I’m doing isn’t just about me. And actually, it’s not just about Hillcrest, or Corpus Christi, either. Go anywhere along the Texas coast and you’ll see it. Go over to Lake Charles, drive along the Louisiana coast, all the way over to New Orleans. There are dozens and dozens of communities, and tens of thousands of people, that are being victimized, and actually murdered, by the stuff coming out of all those dirty facilities. We just can’t let them get away with that. I know what my purpose is. It’s basically making sure that people are not being oppressed. So what I would say is, know your purpose, make an effort to always stay informed, and whatever you do, don’t give up.