In a bold stand against corporate power, activists from Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” have launched the “Toxic Billionaire Tour,” a nationwide initiative aimed at confronting the financial institutions and executives who fund destructive natural gas projects. This compelling movement brings the raw reality of environmental injustice directly to the boardrooms and homes of those making decisions that devastate vulnerable communities, highlighting the profound human cost of fossil fuel finance.
At the heart of this urgent campaign are individuals like Roishetta Ozane, founder of the environmental justice organization The Vessel Project, and her 12-year-old daughter, Kamea. Their lived experience in “Cancer Alley,” a stretch of Louisiana heavily polluted by petrochemical industries, underscores the tour’s critical message. Kamea, like many residents, battles asthma exacerbated by the toxic air and water, a stark reminder of the visible industries spewing harmful emissions near their homes.
The “Toxic Billionaire Tour” strategically targets major banks, including Barclays and Bank of America, alongside the private residences of executives. These actions directly challenge the decision-makers in New York and Washington D.C. who, from afar, sanction projects that poison the air, water, and lives within these communities. The protests gained heightened urgency following news that Venture Global secured $15 billion in financing for a new liquefied natural gas facility in Louisiana, intensifying the fight for corporate accountability.
During their impactful visit to New York, protesters engaged in a series of direct actions, including a notable demonstration outside the home of Frances Townsend, a former homeland security adviser now serving on the board of the insurance company Chubb. These targeted efforts underscore the activists’ determination to ensure that the individuals benefiting from environmental destruction cannot ignore the suffering they inflict.
Central to the tour’s focus is Citibank, identified as the second-largest financier of fossil fuels globally. Despite public declarations of improved environmental practices, Citibank has channeled billions into fossil fuel projects since the Paris Agreement. Activists argue that numbers do not lie, and their persistent funding of these industries continues to disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
The placement of polluting industries in predominantly small Black and Indigenous communities is a deliberate act, a form of environmental racism that exploits socio-economic vulnerabilities. This systemic injustice allows corporations to externalize their environmental costs onto those least equipped to fight back. The “Toxic Billionaire Tour” explicitly calls out this racist practice, demanding equitable solutions and an end to discriminatory industrial siting.
Kamea Ozane’s poignant account of her asthma, describing the sensation of an “elephant sitting on my chest,” powerfully illustrates the daily struggle faced by children and families in “Cancer Alley.” Her reliance on natural remedies to manage her condition is a testament to the community’s resilience in the face of overwhelming environmental challenges, further emphasizing the public health crisis at hand.
The activists’ resolve culminated in plans to protest directly outside the home of Jane Fraser, CEO of Citibank, after her refusal to meet with them. This direct approach signifies a commitment to holding top executives personally responsible for their corporations’ role in perpetuating environmental degradation and neglecting corporate social responsibility.
