WALLACE, La., Oct. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- British Vogue named Dr. Joy Banner and Jo Banner, twin sisters and co-founders of The Descendants Project, as 2024 Forces for Change for their work to protect the health and land of Black descendants of enslaved men and women in Louisiana's River Parishes-also known as Cancer Alley for its abundance of petrochemical refineries linked to higher cancer rates.   

'We are humbled by this recognition and grateful for the attention it brings to our efforts to preserve the heritage of Black communities in Cancer Alley, where for too long we've been told that living amid toxic heavy industry was the only way to have jobs,” said Dr. Joy Banner and Jo Banner. 'We invite others to join us in protecting the health of fenceline communities harmed by petrochemical pollution.”