Overview:
-Detroit City Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who grew up in poverty with a single mother, is dedicated to tackling climate change and pushing for proactive environmental measures.
-She calls for an annual health impact study in industrial neighborhoods to monitor pollution and its effects.
-Santiago-Romero has documented Detroit's environmental issues since middle school and is committed to making a difference in her community.
A home video shows a 4-year-old Gabriela Santiago-Romero picking up garbage along the shore of a beach in Mexico. She complains to her mother, who is filming her, about why people were not taking care of the beach.
“Ever since I was young, I had this deep responsibility to care for the planet, to care for each other. The City of Detroit really dug that deep into me,” the Detroit councilmember said.
She said she grew up in poverty with a single mother and understands the struggles of many of her constituents. Her formation as a councilmember started at Our Lady of Guadalupe Middle School in Southwest Detroit, where her teachers taught her about power at every level of government “and how to fight for it,” she said.
Santiago-Romero has been talking about solutions to address climate change since middle school, she said. Her teachers suggested she become a politician to create environmental policy.
“I thought only old white men were allowed to be politicians,” she told Planet Detroit. “I thought it was a requirement.”
At every protest or community meeting, Santiago-Romero said she was there documenting with her camera. She wanted to tell the stories of Detroit that were not being told, especially during the recession, she said.
“People were painted in a way that, to me, felt really unfair,” Santiago-Romero said. “There were actually really wonderful things happening. People were bringing together the resources that we had.”
Welcome to Café y Chisme, where we provide the café, and you provide the chisme. This is a casual event every other Friday with me, Planet Detroit reporter Isabelle Tavares. I aim to speak with Southwest community members about the environmental and public health challenges (and wins!) in our communities. These 45-minute conversations take place at cafes across Southwest Detroit. Whether you’re a community health worker, a truck driver, a school teacher, a newly arrived immigrant, lo que sea, I want to learn from you!
To participate, please sign up here for a 45 minute time between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
One day Santiago-Romero felt the ground shake as she was taking photos of alleys around Southwest near the salt mines. Her friend told her to call U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
“I’m like, why would I call a politician? They don’t care. I leave a voicemail, and the very next day she calls me,” Santiago-Romero said.
Tlaib asked her for more information, such as the time, smell, and location of the explosion. She realized Tlaib is collecting data to hold power accountable.
“Rashida was the first person that I saw in office that comes from an immigrant family, talks like me, thinks like me,” Santiago-Romero said.
This experience made her realize the importance of having responsive and accessible politicians.
She said Southwest Detroit is experienced in responding to crises and emergencies, and offers a roadmap for working together with residents and agencies to create actionable emergency plans.
“I think we can also ring the alarm of what happens when you don’t invest in your infrastructure, what happens when you only have industry, and what that does to your health,” she said.
Santiago-Romero advocates for an annual health impact study in neighborhoods near industry to track pollution and its effects, and emphasizes the need for proactive measures rather than reactive responses to environmental issues.
“We’re not constantly monitoring the impacts of industry in our residential neighborhoods. We know the issues. We need to be in front of it,” she said. “We need to be thinking about how to solve and then the process in which people get cured, which currently is also very difficult.”
Santiago-Romero stressed the importance of community support and collaboration in her work.
“I understand completely that politicians are hard to trust for valid reasons, but we’re beginning to receive positive feedback, which is really necessary and important,” she said. “It’s what makes me think we’re going to be okay. The work we’re doing is making a difference.”
READ MORE FROM OUR CAFE Y CHISME SERIES…
Café y Chisme No. 4: Victor Jimenez on environmental organizing in Southwest Detroit
Victor Jimenez, raised in Southwest Detroit, learned firsthand about the cumulative impact of pollution from truck traffic and oil refineries. Now, as a community organizer with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, he advocates for environmental justice.
Café y Chisme: Planet Detroit’s Southwest community reporter wants to chat with you!
Welcome to Café y Chisme, where we provide the café, and you provide the chisme. This is a casual event every other Friday with me, Planet Detroit reporter Isabelle Tavares. I aim to speak with Southwest community members about the environmental and public health challenges (and wins!) in our communities. These 45-minute conversations take place…