From six whole years, the Rise St. James collective, led by the inspirational activist Sharon Lavigne, has fighting a peaceful battle to stop the fossil fuel industry in the southern United States and the serious health and pollution problems it causes.
We talk about a virtuous example of how the power of people and communication can achieve great goals in favour of the environment and beyond.
It all started in 2018, when Sharon Lavigne left her work as a teacher to turn into an environmental justice advocate in her country, St. James Parish, Louisiana.
Drawing on her experience in the field of education and teaching, and with good charisma, Sharon informed the members of her community about the environmental disaster unfolding on the banks of the Mississippi River, raising awareness and sparking their interest in a common goal.
The citizens therefore joined together in a peaceful protest. From here was born Rise St. James, an organisation faith-based, active in the defence of civil rights and the territory, against racial discrimination and pollution.
The situation in St. James Parish, a county between the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge where Sharon lives alongside a large African American community, is truly catastrophic. In just 80 miles, there are 200 petrochemical plants, including factories, pipelines and fuel depots, so much so that over time it has acquired the name Cancer Alley.
This frightening picture clearly illustrates the levels of pollution and concentration of toxic substances present. According to a study by the EPA and the University Network of Human Rights, this results in a cancer risk 50 times higher than the national average.
Despite the unbreathable air, poor environmental conditions, frequent deaths and the exploitation of many workers, the state of Louisiana does not seem willing to slow down the expansion of this environmentally and health-harming industrial hub.
Frustration, faith, determination, optimism: contrasting characteristics that have shaped Sharon Lavigne’s commitment as an environmental and human rights activist.
Thanks to the work of the Rise St. James collective, she has had a huge impact in just a few years, bringing the difficult situation her community faces every day into the spotlight through her communication skills.
Thanks to her commitment to raising awareness, she has become an inspirational figure and a true leader in the field of environmental justice.
All of this has attracted the attention of the media and press, as well as cultural events and prestigious awards such as the Goldman Environmental Prize, which she received in 2021.
Also the Tikkun Olam Productions, a non-profit collective of filmmakers who use multimedia content to tell real-life stories, dedicated to the activist an episode of their VS GOLIATH project. This is a collection of documentary-style stories about prominent figures who have emerged from society to tackle the Goliath giants afflicting our planet, such as the fossil fuel industry and the pollution it causes,.
Then, in 2024, Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to defending human rights, published an online dossier on Cancer Alley.
The dossier included photos and first-hand accounts from residents, including Sharon Lavigne. By gathering evidence, the organisation was able to highlight the government’s failure to curb the use of fossil fuels — the real cause of the health crisis.
In September 2025, Sharon Lavigne and her daughter Shamyra — joint spokespersons for the cause — visited Rome. They shared their story at the Relazioni Inseparabili and TERRA! festivals, and gave interviews to major national newspapers.
This is an excellent example of environmental communication. The commitment to improving conditions for people and the planet is expressed so clearly that it becomes a shared, desired goal.
It is hoped that the world’s largest companies will pay attention to these grassroots struggles and recognise the power generated by constant daily commitment.