About

Community Members for Environmental Justice (CMEJ) is a coalition committed to healing multiple environmental harms in pollution-burdened neighborhoods of the Twin Cities with a focus on North Minneapolis.

Meet The Core Team

CMEJ is a coalition that has many members and receives immense support from community! The people featured here are the core team members who help support the work CMEJ does full-time.

Roxxanne O’Brien

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Roxxanne O’Brien, Longtime Resident and Community Organizer in North Minneapolis. Roxxanne is a mother of three children who has been fighting for environmental justice in her neighborhood for over a decade. She is trusted among her fellow long-time residents of North Minneapolis and has worked tirelessly to bring issues of industrial pollution on the northside to the forefront, before many established organizations were engaged.

She was a key organizer around the elevation of Northern Metals facility for the past 7 years and for the purpose of pushing the city and state to face environmental injustice and racism in her community, she was on the Minneapolis Environmental Advisory Commission for four years. She also served on the city’s first official Green Zones Working Group and currently sits on the Northside Green Zone committee. Roxxanne OBrien co- founded Community Members for Environmental Justice in 2018.

Justice Jones

Associate Project Director  & Media Management

Justice Jones is a dynamic artist and educator, holding a Bachelor's degree in Art Education from Augsburg University. With a background rooted in community engagement and tactical urbanism, gained through a transformative five-year apprenticeship at Juxtaposition Arts, they have honed their skills in project management and social activism.

As an art teacher, they spent two fulfilling years guiding students in their creative pursuits, emphasizing inclusivity and critical thinking. As an interdisciplinary artist, Justice explores various mediums to create thought-provoking works that challenge societal norms and spark dialogue on pressing social issues. Through their dedication to education and artistic expression, they strive to foster positive change in their community and beyond.