About Kareem Heshmat

Kareem Heshmat took a few minutes after his presentation at the National Environmental Justice 
Conference to share a bit about who he is and what inspired his research. I'm Rachel Carr, a summer 
intern at the EPA, and I'm exploring what the Educate, Motivate, Innovate Initiative is and who the 
young leader involved are. You will hear excerpts from our conversation with Kareem about who he is 
and how he developed his project. 
In 2015, I graduated from Morehouse University in Atlanta, GA with a bachelors degree in Finance. 
After graduating, he changed directions and began studying climate change. Right now, Kareem is a 
graduate student studying urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University in 
Houston. He's focused his studies there on environmental justice.
I first became interested in this by living in different areas in Baltimore, West End in Atlanta, Phoenix, 
San Antonio, and Houston. I began to notice the same endemic indicators of poverty related to 
infrastructure like low quality housing, pollution, bulk dumping, lack of ownership in the community.  
studying the effect of climate change on people disproportionally. 
As Kareem pursues green infrastructure as a solution to these challenges, he has a vision for a more 
justice world. I want people to achieve unity through empathy. 
We are them and they are us.  Income level should not preclude a large segment of the population. 
Kareem shared his background and experience with us after presenting on a panel at the 2018 National 
Environmental Justice Conference. To see his presentation or to learn more about the conference or the 
Educate, Motivate, Innovate Initiative, please visit the epa.gov/environmentaljustice.