Heather McTeer Toney
The Catalyst
Ideas with a spark, energy, range and the ability to start things.
Heather McTeer Toney is a passionate advocate for environmental justice and community engagement, with a background as a former mayor. This interview highlights her commitment to mobilizing people around climate issues and her strategic approach to addressing the challenges faced by marginalized communities.
“I wasn't crazy all those years ago, even though I'm sure people thought, you know, okay, black women in Mississippi doing environment, really, but Lisa saw it, Lisa Jackson saw it, and she saw enough in me that she asked me to be the chair of the local government advisory committee for EPA. I was all excited.”
“Mom's was a wonderful way for me to do this work. I started off as a consultant. We came up with this program called Moms and Mayors. Perfect fit for me. And as a way to help moms engage with their local government on environmental issues. And I just stayed.”
“Work I was doing was not just for me and that whatever the difficulties were I would press through in a way that kept the door open for others. And that was hard. You know, that was not easy work for anyone to do.”
“It was so, yes, the night of the election was awesome. It was wonderful. I remember seeing my dad and just giving him a hug and we both just being in tears because there wasn't anything else we could say. It was just a powerful moment.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 445 — Heather McTeer Toney
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