The world has lost a remarkable voice in feminist literature and social activism. On Wednesday, December 14, 2021, Gloria Jean Watkins, known by her pen name bell hooks (stylized in lowercase to emphasize the substance of her work over her identity), passed away. A celebrated scholar and activist, bell hooks authored numerous influential books, including Feminism is For Everybody and Communion. Her writings resonated deeply with Black women writers and readers worldwide, offering profound insights into the intersections of race, gender, and social justice.

In addition to her groundbreaking work on feminism and equality, bell hooks also wrote compellingly about the environment and its interconnectedness with social and racial justice. Her reflections on environmentalism are especially noteworthy, urging us to broaden our understanding of ecological concerns and integrate them more deeply with social justice efforts.

“I think we are obsessed in the U.S. with the personal, in ways that blind us to more important issues of life,” hooks once stated in an interview with the Black Rose Anarchist Federation. She emphasized the need to shift our focus from personal obsessions and judgments to larger, more pressing concerns, such as the environment. “If we could take all the obsession with the personal and have people be concerned about the environment, what a different world we would live in,” she added.

Touching the Earth: A Deep Connection with Nature

One of her most profound essays on this topic, “Touching the Earth,” appears in her book Belonging. In this essay, hooks explore her connection to nature, reflecting on Black people’s deep historical and cultural ties with the land.

“When we love the Earth, we can love ourselves more fully. I believe this. The ancestors taught me it was so,” hooks begins. She delves into her family history, describing how she descends from generations of Southern farmers. This narrative forms the basis for discussing the profound relationship between Black people and the land, emphasizing how this connection has served as a sustenance and spiritual nourishment source.

“Living in modern society, without a sense of history, it has been easy for folks to forget that Black people were first and foremost a people of the land, farmers,” hooks writes. She reminds readers that, in the early 20th century, most Black people in the United States lived in the rural South. Living so close to nature, Black people cultivated a spirit of wonder and reverence for life. “Growing food to sustain life and flowers to please the soul, they connected with the ongoing and life-affirming Earth. They were witnesses to beauty,” she notes.

However, hooks also explore the psychological impact of the Great Migration, when many Black people moved north to urban areas, leaving behind the rural South. This migration often led to disconnection and despair, a theme she connects to Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. “For many years, and even now, generations of Black folks who migrated north to escape life in the South returned home in search of spiritual nourishment, a healing, that was fundamentally connected to reaffirming one’s connection to nature,” she observes.

The Need for Intersectional Environmentalism

hooks critically examines how mainstream environmental movements are often whitewashed, overlooking the unique challenges faced by Black and Indigenous communities. She argues for a more inclusive approach to environmentalism that acknowledges the intersecting impacts of race, class, and gender. In works like Ain’t I A Woman?: Black Women and Feminism and Feminist Theory: From Margin To Centre, hooks highlights how Black women have been marginalized across all societal structures. She emphasizes that true environmental justice must incorporate these intersectional perspectives to address the needs of the most vulnerable communities.

BIPOC communities regularly face environmental injustices, and as climate change progresses, these marginalized groups will likely continue to bear the brunt of its impact. Therefore, it is crucial to heed hooks’ call to decolonize our approach to environmental protection and integrate a more intersectional lens.

As we reflect on bell hooks’s legacy, we are reminded of her powerful voice and the many lives she touched. Her writings continue to inspire and challenge us to build a more just and inclusive world that truly values all people and the Earth we share.