Abstract
This study, guided by an intersectional environmental justice theoretical framework, examines how social identities affect social work students’ involvement in and preferences for environmental justice (EJ) advocacy. Pre- and post-program surveys were used to collect data from 146 BSW and MSW students from Adelphi University. Results show Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students tended to prioritize EJ topics that address systemic inequities, bringing attention to issues of social justice and equality in their advocacy efforts. White students demonstrated significant gains in their exposure to EJ concepts (M = 0.34, p < .05). There were increases in students’ comfort discussing EJ (M = 0.71, p < .001) and their exposure to EJ concepts in education (M = 0.32, p < .001). Female students experienced notable improvements, including their comfort discussing EJ (p < .001) and their involvement in university-based EJ activities (p < .001). Additionally, younger students reported higher levels of engagement in community activities (M = 0.39, p < .05). These findings underscore the role of identity in shaping students’ perspectives and involvement in EJ advocacy and highlight the importance of incorporating EJ advocacy into social work curricula to better prepare students to address systemic environmental inequities.