By Edwin Freeman for Black Star News
Photos: Edwin Freeman
As Earth Day 2025 brings renewed attention to environmental concerns, Queens City Council District 28 candidate Latoya LeGrand is highlighting the urgent environmental challenges facing her community and outlining her vision for a greener, more equitable future.
“This Earth Day, we’re speaking truth to power,” LeGrand declared at a recent community event in Southeast Queens. “District 28 has long carried the weight of environmental racism.”
LeGrand, the only woman in the race and a lifelong community activist, points to several pressing environmental issues plaguing the district: persistent air pollution from nearby highways, tractor trailers, and industrial zones; a critical lack of green spaces and reliable public transit; and decades of disinvestment and under-resourced infrastructure.
“Our neighborhoods are in an uphill fight for clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment—basic rights that have too often been denied to us,” she emphasized.
With the primary election scheduled for June 24, 2025, LeGrand is positioning environmental justice as a cornerstone of her campaign. Her platform prioritizes solutions that “put people before pollution” and focuses on protecting the district’s most vulnerable residents: children, elders, and working families.
LeGrand’s environmental agenda includes several key initiatives:
• Securing green infrastructure investments, including floodwalls, improved drainage systems, and climate-resilient buildings
• Developing a community resiliency plan created collaboratively with residents to support one another during climate emergencies
• Expanding access to weatherization programs for small homeowners and implementing building retrofits
• Creating sustainable schools by retrofitting buildings to reduce emissions and advocating for comprehensive sustainability education in classrooms
“Let’s make Earth Day more than a hashtag—let’s make it a call to action,” LeGrand urged supporters.
The candidate’s environmental justice platform reflects her broader campaign message of community empowerment and equitable development in District 28, which includes neighborhoods like Jamaica, South Jamaica, Richmond Hill, and Rochdale Village.
LeGrand faces several opponents in the upcoming Democratic primary, but her campaign has gained momentum through grassroots organizing and a focus on issues that directly impact the daily lives of District 28 residents.
“The environmental challenges we face require bold leadership and community-driven solutions,” LeGrand told Black Star News. “I’m committed to bringing both to the City Council and ensuring our district finally receives the environmental justice it deserves.”
For more information about Latoya LeGrand’s campaign and upcoming events, visit her campaign website or follow her on social media platforms.
Edwin Freeman is a contributor to Black Star News covering local politics and community issues in New York City.
