Archives, GSE scholar partner on Love Canal programming

The University Archives is collaborating with the Graduate School of Education ot present a public programming series in connection with “Toxic Archives: Voices from Love Canal,” an exhibition currently on view in Silverman Library.

The series brings together UB faculty, community organizations and national voices to examine the lasting legacy of Love Canal and its connections to contemporary environmental justice, community stewardship and collective action.

“Thinking back on this crisis, we might ask, ‘What should we hold onto from the legacy of Love Canal?’” says Saguna Shankar, assistant professor in GSE’s Department of Information Science. “Speakers in the spring series help us to see that environmental justice is multi-generational and can involve all of us. We each have valuable skills to lend and stories linking us to the ecosystems we live within. This can propel collective action.”

University Archivist Hope Dunbar says the series brings together the past and present of environmental justice in Western New York. “We’re creating opportunities for students and community members to learn from Love Canal’s history while engaging with the people doing this work today,” she says.

Dunbar and Shankar will also present on the exhibition and their related work at “These Toxic Times,” the UB Humanities Institute's annual conference taking place March 10-11, and at other venues, including the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists.

The lineup for the Archives/GSE series is available on the University Libraries website. All events, including some being held virtually, are free and open to the public. Registration is required for each event through the exhibition website.

The lineup includes:

• “Fighting for a Toxic-Free World: A Conversation with Professor John Fiege and Mike Schade of Toxic-Free Future,” March 11. UB media study professor John Fiege will interview Mike Schade of Toxic-Free Future live on stage for the Chrysalis podcast. The conversation will explore decades of advocacy to reduce plastics and eliminate toxic chemicals, including PFAS, and consider the role students can play in working toward a healthier future.
• “Equity, Environment, and Community Resilience in Western New York,” April 1. Monica Miles, assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Education and co-founder of Mother Earth Literacies, will lead a discussion of contemporary environmental challenges in Western New York through the lens of environmental justice, community engagement and equitable access to healthy environments. A GSE alum, Miles will explore how local communities can build resilience and foster meaningful change.
• “Evening Keynote: A Conversation with Keith O’Brien and Luella Kenny,” April 16. Journalist Keith O’Brien, author of “Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe,” will speak with former Love Canal resident and activist Luella Kenny for a conversation on lived experience, historical memory and environmental justice. Moderated by John Fiege, the discussion will connect Love Canal’s history to present-day movements for accountability and community advocacy. This conversation will be recorded live for the Chrysalis podcast.
• “Community Science and Environmental Justice in Western New York,” April 30. Lourdes Vera, associate professor in the departments of Sociology and Criminology, and Environment and Sustainability, will discuss community-driven approaches to environmental challenges in the region. Her work bridges sociology, environmental monitoring and data justice, highlighting how residents and citizen scientists can collaboratively identify and address air and soil contamination and other environmental health concerns.