West Farms students say they remain vulnerable to future Cross Bronx Expressway plans
Students from Fannie Lou Hamer High School are celebrating a small win, as reconstruction plans are being halted at Cross Bronx Expressway. They say their work is far from over.
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Reconstruction plans were stopped on the Cross Bronx Expressway, but West Farm students say they are still left vulnerable to future development plans.
Students from Fannie Lou Hamer High School told News 12 on Tuesday their advocacy work is far from over.
"That’s what the youth is here for, to talk about the city and stuff, because we live through it, because we live in this community," said student David Gomez.
Gomez was speaking out about the effects of the Cross Bronx Expressway earlier this month at a #StudentsOverHighways rally.
As plans to widen the expressway still remain a possibility, Gomez said he and his classmates should be considered in future decisions.
"Our community is very much surrounded by factories, and it's surrounded still by highways, noise issues and all these other things still affect us," he said.
Other students who have openly spoken about the redevelopment plans say their priority is environmental justice.
"I feel like a lot of people should know about it because it's not only affecting one person, it's affecting everyone, whether we have asthma or whether we don't," said Brihanna Gary, another student.
The highway has been linked as a cause of poor air quality affecting surrounding neighborhoods.
"There’s more to the Bronx than just the people, and there’s still suffering that needs to be brought to light," said Enrique Rivas, a senior at the high school.
The students told News 12 that many of their pathways to becoming advocates in their community began through social justice courses offered at the high school.
