Many know Erin Brockovich through Julia Roberts’ portrayal of her in the 2000 biopic of the same name, but her legacy as an environmental and human rights activist extends far beyond that.
Following a historic $333 million settlement in 1996 against PG&E for toxic levels of the carcinogen chromium-6 in the groundwater of Hinkley, California, Brockovich continued forging a path as an environmental activist.
In the three decades since, she has spearheaded multiple anti-pollution lawsuits across Missouri, Texas, and New York.
Her most recent advocacy work brought her to Wayne County, West Virginia, where thousands of gallons of oil spilled into a waterway, contaminating a massive source of drinking water.
“I want you to know that I am seeing your messages and hearing your concerns,” she posted online in early 2026. “I didn’t want anyone to think they were being ignored. What you’re dealing with is serious, and your voices matter.”
Throughout her career, Brockovich has amplified the voices of working-class heroes and low-income families. In 2010, she took a no-nonsense approach to corporate scandal in her novel, “Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It.”
“I want us to understand the importance of water,” Brockovich told People after the book’s release. “I don’t know that we understand the tipping point that we’re at, and what we can do in our own towns to empower ourselves so we have safer water.”
She added, “The hope is when people know better, they do better and they rise up. We can turn that tide. I'm going to believe that until the day I die.”
A version of this article originally appeared in the 2026 Environment Edition of the Goodnewspaper
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Header image via Jim Wallace / Smithsonian Institution and Erin Brockovich film
