Sacrificed: Niagara Falls’ Polluted Legacy and the Lasting Scars

This reporting project, Sacrificed, focuses on the intersection of environmental injustices and mental health, revealing how generations of industrialization and pollution have shaped the psychological and emotional well-being of residents for generations.

Niagara Falls, New York, a city known by many as a wonder of the world, has a history rooted in environmental neglect. Factories that once drove economic growth left behind toxic legacies and have left residents with lasting health concerns. In recent years, pollution has been tied to mental health disorders.

Sacrificed tells the story of a community starting to acknowledge the hidden costs of living in a "sacrifice zone," defined by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice as "communities in proximity to pollution produced by intensive and concentrated industry."