Lois Gibbs

Lois Marie Gibbs is a retired environmental activist and founder of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. In the late 1970s Gibbs, with no prior activism experience, fought for the evacuation and cleanup of her community after discovering that her Niagara Falls, NY neighborhood sat upon chemical waste—now known as the Love Canal.  Her work during the Love Canal crisis brought national attention to toxic waste issues, efforts that were pivotal in shaping environmental activism and policy.