Catherine Coleman Flowers

Fighting for environmental justice with Rural development @EJI_org. Board member @climatereality & @NRDC. 2020 #MacFellow. Author of "Waste."

[Sargent Shriver Peace Institute @RSargentShriver]

More praise for WE CALLED IT A WAR, Sargent Shriver's memoir about his time leading the War on Poverty. Do you have your copy? Look for it at your favorite online book shop.
@cathflowers @chefjoseandres @beschlossdc

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I'm so grateful to have participated in Upstream, Downriver's Women Water Warriors series, sharing how America's dirty secret –  more than 2.2 million Americans living without basic sanitation – demands the same innovation we're using to go back to the Moon. In the docuseries, we explored the rural communities dealing with poor sanitation and how engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center could revolutionize water treatment right here on Earth. This isn't just about infrastructure; it's about a paradigm shift that lets us finally put people and planet over profit, especially as climate change makes the 2.2 million Americans living without proper sanitation more vulnerable to disease and poor health. My granddaughter Halo reminds me every day why this issue matters: the future generation deserves clean water, and we have the power to make it happen.
https://t.co/V0YhW20owM

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m grateful to be recognized by the Economic Architecture Project and featured on View From The Frontier. Their focus on redesigning markets and rethinking how resilience is built across communities and markets is more important than ever. Thank you for contributing to our broader effort to learn from those who are leading the way in structural innovation. Honored to be part of this dynamic community working toward solutions that benefit us all.

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m so excited to see Sargent Shriver’s memoir, We Called It a War: Lessons Learned from the Fight to End Poverty, now available to readers everywhere. This memoir is a powerful look at the origins of the War on Poverty and the lasting impact of programs that changed millions of lives. Sargent Shriver’s work reminds us that meaningful change takes courage, faith, and collaboration.
https://t.co/lChG8ZpEdB

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I sat down with @lee_hedgepeth for a special Earth Day interview with @insideclimate to talk about America’s dirty secret: the lack of safe, affordable sanitation in too many rural communities. We discussed the realities families face, stories from my book Holy Ground, and why policymakers need to witness these conditions firsthand. Thank you for helping to shine a light on this critical issue.
https://t.co/TWVudkOEch

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

It’s a full circle moment to be interviewed by my former Renaissance High School student @aaronkfoley for @MIChronicle. Telling my story, from Detroit to Lowndes County and the fight for environmental justice, carries even more weight when shared by someone I once taught. I’m proud to see this work continue with such purpose and energized by the next generation’s voice for change.
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[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

Hey @MIT friends – I’m excited and honored to stand with you and share the stories of rural America at the Morison Prize and Lecture on April 13. Let’s rethink what progress means and explore new futures shaped by community. Looking forward to this important conversation together.
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[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m so honored and excited to share that my latest book, HOLY GROUND, has been awarded the 2026 Reed Environmental Writing Award by the Southern Environmental Law Center. This book is rooted in my own journey and the stories of communities I’ve worked with across the United States and around the world. It reflects the ongoing fight for clean air, safe water, and dignity for those too often overlooked. Thank you to SELC and the judges for spotlighting writing that brings these realities forward.
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[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m grateful to have spoken with Steve Mencher for @NextAvenue and to reflect on what it means to keep pushing for environmental justice. I’ve seen how local organizing, persistence, and hard evidence have made real progress for rural families, even when national policies shift or priorities change. We’ve built a movement that cannot be silenced or set aside. We know what’s at stake, and we’re not giving up on our communities or our future.
https://t.co/6xqOlYYgNn

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

It’s a privilege to witness the Bartlett-Glover family’s legacy transformed into opportunity for Wallace Community College Selma students. When Carol Bartlett uncovered her ancestor’s history as a plantation owner in Lowndes County, she and her daughter chose action – investing in scholarships that open doors for local students. This is accountability in practice: facing history, investing in community, and building something better.
https://t.co/buWyKqBdy9

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

Last month, I had the privilege of joining conversations at @UAHuntsville and on @KALW to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and the urgent realities facing so many communities today. The struggle for justice is not just about changing laws—it’s about ensuring families have clean water, healthcare, and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. We organize, we vote, and we keep pushing forward because the fight for dignity and opportunity is far from over. Hope lives in our collective resolve to demand better for all.
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[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

As we kick off Black History Month, I’m grateful to @WillieshaMorris and @aldotcom for reporting on the direct impact of anti-DEI policies in Alabama. The Legacy program, which once opened doors for black girls in computer science, has been cancelled. In Lowndes County, hundreds of residents are still living with failing septic systems and ongoing threats like hookworm after federal oversight was withdrawn. On university campuses, the closure of diversity and LGBTQ centers has left students without vital spaces for support and belonging.

Even as these doors close, we continue to find new ways to stand together and push for the dignity, health, and opportunity every community deserves. We press forward—raising our voices, building coalitions, and demanding real solutions—honoring the legacy of those who came before us and refusing to give up on the future our communities are owed.https://t.co/o4UNMApjgG

[Mother Jones @MotherJones]

Earlier this year, the Trump administration shut down a program to clean up raw sewage in the Deep South.

Why? It was deemed illegal DEI.

On this week's More To The Story, activist @CathFlowers examines how these rollbacks could supercharge the movement to protect the planet: https://t.co/HOL3evM3Sn

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I recently sat down with @Al_Letson for @reveal "More To The Story” to discuss the crisis of sanitation injustice in America. From Lowndes County to Detroit, the Bronx, and even affluent Florida neighborhoods, I have seen raw sewage in yards, children exposed to health risks, and communities blamed for failed infrastructure and policy.

This isn’t just a rural issue. When infrastructure fails and environmental protections are rolled back, the consequences reach us all. This work is about dignity, respect, and valuing every community. I’m inspired by the resilience of the communities I serve and remain hopeful that by raising our voices, we can turn justice from a promise to reality. https://t.co/P56FSlyDGo

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

My heart is full after the Raising Hope Conference in the Vatican, organized by @LaudatoSiMvmt. Being with so many passionate leaders and advocates reminded me why I wrote Holy Ground—faith and environmental justice are inseparable, and hope grows when we lift up those most impacted. The journey continues, and I am grateful to walk it with so many passionate allies.

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m truly honored to be selected for the Sierra Club’s 2025 Environmental Justice Award. This recognition belongs to the communities that shared their stories, every neighbor who stood up against injustice, and everyone who has believed we could do better. I’m grateful to the Sierra Club for honoring this work and for shining a light on the communities that have shaped my path.
https://t.co/eKSItGkv85

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I’m excited to share that I’ve joined the Broadway Green Alliance’s first advisory council. BGA has spent years helping the theater industry move toward sustainability, and I’m honored to work alongside artists, producers, stage managers, and climate advocates who are committed to meaningful change. I look forward to supporting BGA’s efforts and deepening the connection between climate action and the arts.
https://t.co/YavsKbDZSE

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

I had a wonderful time at @TheAtlantic Festival’s Climate Summit, where the conversation went far beyond the headlines and focused on the stories of communities most affected by climate change—stories that are too often overlooked. Listening to Vann R. Newkirk II and Alisa Payne, and sharing my own experiences, reinforced how crucial it is to center the voices of those who face these challenges every day. I’m honored to have been part of this panel, grateful to have connected with so many passionate advocates, and leave with renewed hope for what we can accomplish when we come together and continue to push for solutions rooted in justice and equity.
https://t.co/wj9hlZJ0w5

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

To inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice. https://t.co/o30Q22EDxD

[Catherine Coleman Flowers @CathFlowers]

Holy Ground: Catherine Coleman Flowers speaks on environmental activism https://t.co/xncFlEhUXb