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About Us

established in 2009

against environmental injustice

First Generation for Environmental Health & Economic Development was founded with the mission to support low-income and marginalized communities in addressing critical health challenges linked to environmental injustices. Our organization recognizes that these communities often bear the brunt of environmental hazards, which disproportionately affect their health and well-being.

our Commitment

organizing engagement

We are dedicated to actively engaging with governmental agencies to advocate for the reform of policies that disadvantage frontline communities. Through our initiatives, we aim to highlight and address the systemic inequalities that hinder access to clean air, water, and safe living conditions. By promoting actionable and equitable environmental justice solutions, we seek to create a healthier environment for all.

our Mission

grassroots approach

Our commitment extends to empowering Bay Area communities by fortifying the work of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that are deeply invested in fighting against the intertwined issues of environmental, economic, and health injustices. Through grassroots action, education, and advocacy, we strive to amplify their voices and enhance their capacity to effect meaningful change. Together, we aim to foster a more just and sustainable future for all members of our community.

our History

beginnings

Jesse Mason
Jesse Mason, Founder

Founded by Jesse Mason, First Generation For Environmental Health & Economic Development grew from the depth and soil of the Bayview Hunters Point community in San Francisco California.

Our focus has always been on servicing disadvantaged communities through education and policy change when it comes to environmental injustice and health.

Today, our footprint has broadened from our humble beginnings at Bayview Hunters Point to include the Greater Bay Area. We continue to shine the light on practices and factors that negatively impact the environment and our health.

We envite you to join the first generation that can make a difference for those who come after.

our Team

lonnie mason - executive director

Jesse Mason
Jesse Mason, Founder

Lonnie was born and raised in the Bayview Hunters Point Community, a neighborhood that has faced numerous social and environmental health challenges over the years. Drawing from his deep roots in this community, he has dedicated over 30 years to community organizing and advocating for environmental justice, particularly on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged communities.

Throughout his career, Lonnie has actively engaged with individuals and communities affected by various environmental justice issues. He empowers these communities by equipping them with essential tools, knowledge, and skills, enabling them to advocate effectively for positive changes in local and state policies that directly impact their health and overall quality of life. His work aims not only to raise awareness but also to inspire confidence among community members, urging them to take an active role in the decision-making processes affecting their lives.

In his capacity as a leader and supporter of grassroots organizations throughout the Bay Area, Lonnie plays a vital role in addressing critical areas such as Environmental Health, Water Quality, Environmental Justice, and Workforce Development. He ensures that the voices of marginalized communities are not only heard but are integral to discussions and actions taken in these fields. By fostering strong partnerships and open communication, he helps bridge the gap between community needs and institutional responses.

An essential part of Lonnie’s advocacy journey has been his service as a former member of the Restoration Advisory Board (RAB). In this role, he collaborated with the U.S. Navy to voice community concerns and propose actionable solutions regarding environmental remediation efforts in the Bayview Hunters Point Neighborhood. His insights have been instrumental in shaping strategies that prioritize community health and safety.

Lonnie’s influence extends beyond this board, as he remains a respected figure across a variety of community-based organizations that address environmental justice and public health issues. His unwavering commitment to these causes has made him a go-to resource for both local activists and policymakers.

  • Restoration Advisory Board (RAB)
  • Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
  • Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
  • California Air Resources Board (CARB)
  • SECC (South East Community Coalition)
  • Community Fish and Health Advocacy Committee
  • San Francisco Estuary Partnership
  • Member of the Southeast Health Center Community Advisory Board

In addition to his grassroots work, Lonnie has successfully partnered with a range of organizations, including the California Department of Public Health, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the California Endowment, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the Southeast Community Coalition (SECC), The Air District and the San Francisco Estuary Project. These collaborations have led to the development of impactful communication and outreach materials aimed specifically at engaging low-income and minority communities in meaningful discussions about environmental hazards and public health concerns. He is currently a member of the Southeast Health Center Community Advisory Board in the BayView Hunters Point Community.

Lonnie’s vigilance has also been critical in monitoring local contractors tasked with hazardous waste removal in the Bayview Hunters Point Community. His oversight ensures compliance with safety standards and regulations, protecting the community from potential health risks.

Furthermore, Lonnie played a pivotal role in organizing the Community Fish and Health Advocacy Committee, which consists of key stakeholders from affected environmental justice communities. This committee is dedicated to analyzing and addressing the specific needs and challenges that low-income communities face. By facilitating open dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders, Lonnie helps to create actionable recommendations that guide efforts to serve these communities effectively and equitably.

Educating the Community
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Dredging Contaminated Soil
Escavator

Around the corner in this Daly City community, bulldozers cast diesel fumes into the air as workers clad in hazardous-materials jumpsuits rip up her once neatly groomed neighborhood park, now festooned with dozens of warning signs: CAUTION. NO TRESPASSING. HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS.

  • Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and state officials concede that toxic substances seeped into the earth during the early 1900s via a gas manufacturing plant, which was taken over by PG&E and is now the company's Martin Service Center.
  • During World War II, Navy builds Midway Village housing complex next to site of the shut-down gas plant.
  • PG&E finds contaminated soil at its Martin Service Center. PG&E and the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control haul away affected soil.
  • Later, PG&E's Martin Service Center is placed on the Superfund list of most- contaminated industrial sites in California.
  • Later, The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry releases a document showing high levels of genetic abnormalities among Midway Village.
PM2.5 Hazards
Homeless Shelter

Environmental justice advocate Ray Tompkins says homeless shelter residents are forced to breathe air filled with tiny particles that can become embedded deep in the lungs due to placement near cement factories.

  • Scientists have said that there is a clear link between the particles and health problems while questioning the safety of the homeless shelter site.
  • A 2020 draft study by the city’s health and planning departments noted that aggregate handling near Islais Creek, not far from the shelter site, contributed to elevated PM 2.5 levels nearby.
  • Masks and filters only afford so much protection against the particles swirling everywhere.
  • "Just because they’re homeless, doesn’t mean they’re not deserving a clean breath of air.” - Ray Tompkins, Retired Chemistry Teacher
  • "This the worst place for a human being, in terms of air quality. It’s in the middle of a gravel pit, which is used for making cement.” ~ Ray Tompkins, African American Community Health Equity Council
Sewage Plant
Waste Water

The impoverished, isolated and largely African American neighborhoods didn’t always have the dubious distinction of being San Francisco’s outhouse. Until a revamping of the city’s sewer system in the 1970s, only 20 percent of the city’s sewage went to the area’s Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant. Since the revamp, residents there have beseeched the city to do something about the plant’s odor and the unfair sewage burden placed on them with more sewage to come.

  • 27- acre sewage plant just southwest of the corner of Evans Avenue and Third Street — the intersection serving as the portal to the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood
  • 10 digesters — tanks that give off a rotten egg-like stench — and two flare stacks that spew odors when the systems aren't working right.
  • 67 million gallons of sewage flow to the plant, get treated through a biological-chemical process for about 10 hours
NRDL Facility
Radioactive Sign

The United States Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) was an early military lab created to study the effects of radiation and nuclear weapons. The facility was based at the Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, California. Activities of the facility led to:

  • Oversaw the dumping of huge amounts of contaminated sand and acid into San Francisco Bay after they were used in attempts to clean irradiated ships.
  • Spread radioactive material on- and off-base, as if it were fertilizer, to practice decontamination.
  • Burned radioactive fuel oil in a boiler, discharging the smoke into the atmosphere.
  • Sold radioactive ships as scrap metal to a private company in Alameda.
  • Hung a source of cobalt-60, a nuclear isotope that emits high-energy electromagnetic radiation similar to X-rays, in San Francisco Bay for two weeks, apparently just to see what would happen
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