Overview

The Community Coalition for Environmental Justice (CCEJ) is Seattle's first environmental justice group.
Convened by Black and Asian Pacific women in 1993 with support from a diverse group of organizations and individuals, CCEJ created a broad-based coalition that includes impacted residents, community activists, environmental groups, agencies and others to make environmental justice a major priority in Seattle. CCEJ is a multi-issue, grassroots, multiethnic, nonprofit, 501 © 3 whose mission is to achieve environmental and economic justice in low-income communities and communities of color. We know that a community with information and support can best protect itself from unwanted land uses, gentrification, environmental hazards and other disparate impacts.

Women of color tend to have a higher death rate for illnesses that can be linked to environmental factors.Women of color tend to have a higher death rate for illnesses that can be linked to environmental factors. CCEJ believes that it is important to address the environmental justice issues they face in their neighborhoods, it is important to conduct outreach to where women work, and it is important to conduct outreach where they utilize beauty services.Currently there is little outreach to women of color who work in or patronize nail salons. Currently there is little outreach to women of color who work in or patronize nail salons. Nail salons are a major public health hazard and environmental justice issue because many use toxic products and are frequented by women of color. CCEJ conducts outreach to nail salon patrons in order to improve environmental health and promote best practices for reducing exposure to toxic chemicals used in nail salon products.