Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTricea Adams.
LaTricea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
While I am a K-12 educator by trade, my journey to lead a national environmental justice and civil rights nonprofit have been very unconventional. The story began in Washington, DC November 2015 when the country learned about the #FlintWaterCrisis which had actually begun several months earlier in April 2015. At the time, I was serving as the Vice-President of Thursday Network–Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals and I were, to be transparent, really angry with the lack of a call to action from our legacy civil rights organizations. Instead of waiting, I started to look out for my brothers and sisters on my own. In December 2015, I partnered with young African American organizations (special shoutout to the Buffalo NY Urban League Young Professionals who facilitated all the delivery logistics) from the East Coast and the South in partnership with Target to ship clean water to Flint. From a community outreach perspective, I felt pretty good that I had given back to a community in need. I soon learned that wasn’t enough.
In January 2016, Thursday Network had a new member orientation where I met a DOPE queen named Michelle Mabson who changed my life within a 2-minute conversation. Michelle approached me and said that she liked the project I organized to get water to Flint, but what she said next has stayed with me everyday–“Did you know Freddie Gray experienced childhood lead poisoning? Considering the timeline, we had recently experienced the riots and civil unrest due to the murder of Freddie Gray by the hands of law enforcement officers in Baltimore. At that moment with a complete stranger, I was convicted to shed light on the issue of lead not just in Flint. MI, but in Black and Brown communities throughout the nation. On February 10, 2016, Black Millennials 4 Flint was born.
I organized a national conference call with nearly 50 young leaders where we established our namesake and crafted an immediate plan of action. Four years later we have a team of three executive-level staff, a total of 15 members of our signature Lead Prevention Ambassador Leadership Program, passed three bills in DC and MD, appeared on BET’s Award-Winning Documentary Finding Justice: The Baltimore Lead Paint Crisis, established a partnership with celebrity/actor Jaden Smith and his company 501CTHREE to bring “The Water Box ” to Flint–a sustainable water filtration system–the list of God’s work to create a #LeadFreeUSA is endless.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In the words of our ancestor Langston Hughes “Life for [Black Millennials 4 Flint] ain’t been no crystal stair”. One of the main struggles is being Black and underfunded–a national epidemic that hits African American and Latinx led nonprofits the hardest. We can’t even count the times we have had to support our work out of pocket to ensure the movement is consistent and our people are supported and empowered as time has progressed (and once that 501c3 hit) we have been able to feasiblly sustain our steady growth.
The environmental justice space is overwhelmingly white. While we have some of the dopest allies you can find, white privilege and racism have proven to be a challenge, but as African Americans and Latinx we have the bloodline of warriors… we still remain undefeated.
Please tell us about Black Millennials 4 Flint.
Black Millennials 4 Flint’s mission is to empower communities to take action and advocate against the crisis of lead exposure specifically in African American & Latinx communities. Our core values are 1. Community 2. Education 3. Black & Latinx Lives 4. Equity and 5. A #LeadFreeUSA. In our four years, we have been consistent with executing our 4 Point Action Plan: 1. Raise funds and cultivate resources to improve the quality of life of communities impacted by lead exposure. 2. Advocate for the eradication of lead in air, consumer products, housing, soil, and water. 3. Educate & equip the general public with digestible information regarding lead and lead exposure. 4. Build coalitions with like-minded organizations. We specialize in training and development (with community members, elected officials, etc.), community outreach and political advocacy.
What were you like growing up?
I’m a quintessential Aries and I have been a whole firecracker since birth. As a child, I exemplified drive and ambition early on. I have always possessed an unyielding desire to be the best. I am an only child, so I have a keen sense of independence and autonomy which offsets my “GirlBoss” lifelong philosophy. In addition to running the world as a child, I have been very consistent with my devotion to good stewardship and benevolence. Rather it be time, talent or treasure, my affinity for giving back is a part of my DNA. My childhood is where I developed a passion for fashion! From designing Black Barbie outfits to designing unique styles in high school, fashion is a close second to my ardor for service.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blackmillennials4flint.org | www.latricea.com
- Email: president@blackmillennials4flint.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmillennials4flint/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/blackmillennials4flint/?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/BM4Flint
- Other: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC0jdoHpPtpzvRwAMrwCIGgA
Image Credit:
makeup artist (Samantha Key), photographer (Erica Dunlap) and hair stylist (DeShun Lewis) for my main photo.
Maurice Bland
Salim Adofo
Arekah Goddess
James Jeter
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