Native American Environmental Justice in New Jersey

A film screening and panel discussion held on November 13, involving the Ramapough Nation, co-sponsored by Religion, Anthropology, History, Earth and Environmental Studies, and the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education Project was well received by Montclair State students, faculty and community members.

The standing-room only program was full of energy all evening and focused on indigenous rights & environmental justice efforts here in New Jersey. A clip was shown of the HBO documentary Mann v. Ford, based on the Ramapough Tribe’s legal fight with Ford Motor company over the contamination of Ringwood, NJ. It was followed by remarks from Micah Fink, the Producer/Director of the film, the Turtle Clan Chief Vincent Mann (Ramapough Nation), Vivian Milligan (Ramapough), Wayne Mann (Ramapough), Wenke Taule (former mayor of Ringwood), Dr. Anita Bakshi (Rutgers), and Dr. Jessica Miller (Montclair State). A very lively conversation rounded out the event, with almost everyone remaining to the very end.

“It was pretty inspiring to see our students so engaged by such critical, current issues affecting the environment and indigenous communities of our own state — especially issues that cut across so many disciplines,” said Mark Clatterbuck, associate professor of Religion.