Survivors of the first atomic test in New Mexico are demanding recognition and justice as a new documentary sheds light on their long-ignored suffering.
Susan Montoya Bryan reports for the Associated Press.
In short:
- The documentary, "First We Bombed New Mexico," spotlights the overlooked suffering of communities near the 1945 Trinity Test, where radioactive fallout devastated lives.
- The film’s director, Lois Lipman, aims to raise awareness and push for the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include more affected individuals.
- Despite recent progress in Congress, efforts to provide compensation to downwinders have stalled due to concerns over costs.
Key quote:
"They counted on us to be unsophisticated, uneducated and unable to speak up for ourselves. We’re not those people any more."
— Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium
Why this matters:
Downwinders are speaking out, demanding acknowledgment and justice. This isn’t just about revisiting history; it’s about reckoning with the long-term health and environmental impacts that still haunt these communities. Read more: US environmental sacrifice zones.
