Extreme weather events pose a deadly and disproportionate threat to Black communities across the United States. Federal data from 2004-2018 reveals that Black Americans face a 50% higher risk of dying from extreme heat compared to non-Hispanic whites, highlighting a stark racial health disparity linked to climate change.
Historical housing discrimination has created lasting vulnerabilities. Black and Brown neighborhoods that were denied investment through redlining practices are now hotter and more flood-prone than wealthier, predominantly white areas. These same communities often lack essential protections like air conditioning, which many residents couldn’t afford or didn’t need until recently.
The health impacts extend beyond heat exposure. Northeast Ohio exemplifies how climate vulnerabilities compound existing health disparities. Cleveland ranks among the 15 cities most affected by the urban heat island effect, where excessive concrete and insufficient green space trap dangerous heat. The region also struggles with some of the nation’s worst air pollution, contributing to elevated rates of heart disease and asthma in affected communities.
Climate change affects working-class communities and people of color first and worst because these impacts layer over pre-existing challenges like poverty, pollution, and systemic discrimination. Community-led resilience hubs are emerging as a response, providing cooling centers during heat waves, emergency supplies, and year-round community support in trusted neighborhood spaces.
These hubs represent more than emergency shelters. They address what experts increasingly recognize as a crucial environmental justice issue for the 21st century, where communities historically burdened by pollution now face disproportionate climate change impacts.
See: “How Resilience Hubs Protect Black People From Climate Disasters” (January 16, 2026)
