Activist Kim Wasserman Spoke in Evanston
Environmental leader Kim Wasserman shared organizing strategies at the Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Environmental
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Environmentalist Kim Wasserman addressed community members at an event hosted by the Evanston/North Shore NAACP. The session focused on strategies for neighborhood-level environmental justice organizing.
Why it matters
The event provided a platform for sharing successful community advocacy tactics, such as transforming industrial land and challenging fossil fuel reliance.
The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization led efforts to successfully shutter two coal plants. They also completed the conversion of contaminated industrial property into a public park for the community.
The players
Kim Wasserman
She is the founder of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and a prominent leader in environmental advocacy.
Evanston/North Shore NAACP
This local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organized the community gathering.
The details
Kim Wasserman, founder of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, used the panel to encourage local organizers to convert skepticism into actionable community momentum. The gathering featured collaboration from the Center for the Church and the Black Experience, Climate Action Evanston, and the Stead Center for Ethics and Values.
Timeline
The environmental justice event was held on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Deeper Dive
This organizing effort follows the precedent set by the closure of the Fisk and Crawford coal plants by the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. The event demonstrates how community-led movements successfully transition from localized environmental concerns to broader policy influence.
Residents can utilize these proven organizing methods to identify and address environmental hazards within their own neighborhoods. These community-led frameworks provide a clear roadmap for securing local support and influencing regional land-use decisions.
The takeaway
Community leaders emphasize that transforming local industrial sites requires persistent, collective advocacy against institutional skepticism. Sharing personal stories of successful change can effectively mobilize residents to prioritize environmental safety in their local areas.
Further reading
Learn more about local ecological initiatives on the Evanston Environmental page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Northwestern.
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