World of 7 Billion<\/a> video contest, an international competition that highlights global health and environmental issues. Her win is no small feat, considering the competition received submissions from over 3,000 students in middle and high school from 44 countries and 49 U.S. states.<\/p>\nIn Akinfolarin\u2019s one-minute video, she examines the disproportionate impact of climate change and industrialization on communities of color while also calling for solutions like stricter zoning laws and more green spaces in most affected neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been interested in things environmentally,\u201d she explained, but admitted she knew very little about environmental racism before she decided to enter the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoing research helped me to see the significance of the issue. How environmental justice has a big effect on the Black community and Hispanic communities. Background research really helped me see the severity of the situation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Though research took up the bulk of her time, the animation she created using Animaker, a DIY animation software, took about two weeks to complete. In the video, a cartoon depiction of Akinfolker guides the audience through the fundamentals of environmental racism while providing clear, data driven solutions. It\u2019s short, succinct and finely articulated.<\/p>\n