Activist faith leaders will join former Vice President Al Gore this week in Southeast Louisiana for “Cancer Alley United: Rise for Our Lives Before We Die,” an event advocating for ecological justice in a region plagued by factory pollution.
The information fair and revival service, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27, in St. James, Louisiana, is being organized by RISE St. James, the faith-based nonprofit led by Black Catholic activist Sharon Lavigne.
“I’m asking you, come stand with us. This is our time to rise up, to fight for our health, to fight for our children, and to fight for the future God promised us. We cannot afford to sit this one out,” said Lavigne in a statement. “I hope to see you there.”
✨ 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 ✨
— Hip Hop Caucus 🏁 (@HipHopCaucus) August 21, 2025
On Wednesday, Aug 27th, communities from across the River Parishes will gather in St. James for “Cancer Alley United: Rise For Our Lives Before We Die.”
Join us for an evening of singing, dancing, healing, and inspiration as we honor…
The event will take place at ground zero of “Cancer Alley,” a string of predominantly Black communities in Acadiana affected by adverse health outcomes related to toxic emissions. The culprits? More than 200 oil refineries and petrochemical plants, the former representing a sixth of all American oil refining and latter roughly a quarter of the nation’s petrochemical output.
Research published this year shows that the area’s air quality is worse than previously thought, regularly exceeding the threshold for cancer risk noted by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has recently come under fire from the Trump administration, which sees the agency’s work as overly expensive and anti-business.
The Cancer Alley rally also follows a recent decision from the St. James civil parish council to award permits for new petrochemical facilities. Earlier this year, the council approved tax exemptions and a note of support for Formosa, a Taiwanese corporation that has repeatedly attempted to build in the region. The company was previously blocked by a lawsuit from RISE St. James that triumphed in court in 2022, though the decision was later reversed on appeal.
“Last week, our council once again voted against the public interest by giving away industrial permits like candy,” said RSJ chief operating officer Shamell Lavigne this month, ahead of the “Cancer Alley United” event.
“We believe this once-in-a-lifetime gathering can be a turning point for Cancer Alley. Industry may be doubling down, but we are doubling down fourfold to defend our people and the place we call home.”
Gore was announced Sunday as a featured speaker for the event, which will also include Sharon Lavigne, Rev. Dr. Samuel Jones of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in St. James, and Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus.
The rally is planned to coincide with weeklong commemorations of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the region and killed over 1,800 people. RSJ says that climate pollution has caused an increase in the intensity of hurricanes, with a fivefold increase recorded by researchers in the last seven years.
Wednesday’s event will begin at Shekinah Glory Christian Fellowship Church in St. James at 5pm CT with a community fair, followed by a revival service at 6pm. The organizers ask interested parties to RSVP online.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
