As we come to the end of Black History Month, it is important to honor the legacy of the leadership within the civil rights movement and reflect on the convergence of civil rights and environmental justice. From Resilience Hubs to Community Solar Projects to SharePower™ — Groundswell works to amplify voices from the communities we serve and address injustice and center the needs of the community.
This month, we held a Roundtable Discussion with the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. The conversation at that roundtable centered on the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program from the Inflation Reduction Act and the chosen location further highlighted the importance of initiatives that support communities in building the clean energy futures they hope to see. The event took place at the headquarters of an Atlanta-based nonprofit, Quest CDC, focused on creating resilient communities. We joined leaders in the energy field, local government, community development, and more for this pivotal discussion, and we were honored to listen to the insight civil rights pioneer and former Atlanta mayor Ambassador Andrew Young shared during the discussion. The Roundtable Discussion provided information on how the ‘Direct Pay’ option can be a helpful resource for nonprofit organizations, churches, and community-based organizations to have ownership in solar projects and benefit the residents of their communities.
In honor of Black History Month, we are releasing our first podcast for The Groundswell. This first episode takes place at Empowerment Temple AME Church, which hosts one of our Baltimore City Community Resiliency Hubs. In the podcast, we share interviews with Pastor Robert Turner, Brother Mike Simmons, and Anthony Robinson about the equity-environmental justice connection. Robert Turner, the pastor of Empowerment Temple has a deep legacy in the civil rights movement and faith-based advocacy. Before coming to Empowerment Temple he was the pastor at Vernon AME — the only AME church left standing after the Tulsa Massacre on Black Wall Street.
Brother Mike Simmons is a leader in the church in addition to the Economic Empowerment Coalition, and he continues to play a vital role in the development and implementation of the Resiliency Hub at Empowerment Temple in Baltimore. Anthony Robinson is the Chairman of The Economic Empowerment Coalition, which empowers and equips members of the congregation with business and entrepreneurship development. Robinson is a key mentor to Supreme Solutions Founder and President Bret Jones. He is also a hero for Black business development.
The podcast discusses the importance of legacy in the movement, economic empowerment, and how the resilience hub is a vital resource for energy equity in the community. Check out the podcast on our SoundCloud page, here.
While we celebrate Black History Month every year, it is important to continue to honor the legacy of Black leaders in environmentalism in the work we do every day. We work to advance energy equity for all — one community at a time.