The Green Tea - October 2022
What's new with the Green For All Team?
For years, Dream.Org has been warning that while climate change impacts us all, it is felt most by those with the least. Now, Americans are seeing this painful truth for themselves in daily headlines.
In Jackson, Mississippi, a storm left this city – which is over 80% Black – without access to clean water for weeks. In Puerto Rico, another Hurricane devastated the island as it was still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Maria. And in Florida, entire communities remain underwater from Hurricane Ian. And we know this is only going to get worse, with worse damage happening in the poorest communities where people have long suffered from gaps in wealth, health, and quality of life.
That’s why the Dream.Org Green for All Team is working to create a world beyond poverty and pollution, where everyone has equitable access to clean air and water, affordable energy, and good jobs. From uplifting diverse talent in the green sector to developing strategies to guide climate investments, our commitment to the communities we serve only grows deeper. Here are some highlights of our latest efforts.
Uplifting minority-owned businesses
On September 8th, local business leaders, elected officials, and advocates gathered in Denver for the Green For All Colorado Solutions Tour to uplift the importance of new funding for climate solutions while highlighting the work of Black & Brown entrepreneurs in the green economy. The event featured the Green For All Business Council, a group of seven Black and Brown CEOs of green tech companies, which includes Denver-based engineering firm SynEnergy – run by CEO and engineer Mina McCullom.
By specifically promoting green technologies from Black and Brown businesses, we can help end climate change while creating new opportunities in communities that have suffered from a lack of investment. Gemini Energy Solutions, led by Green For All Business Council member Anthony Kinslow, is just one example of a Black-owned business working to ensure climate solutions benefit those who have been historically underserved. Gemini was recently selected as the only U.S.-based solution to win the MIT Solve Global Climate Challenge.
These entrepreneurs – and the communities they represent – deserve equitable access to the lucrative opportunities that are increasingly abundant in the green economy.
Building an inclusive green economy
This summer, we launched the Green For All Clean Energy Scholarship program to help Black and Brown job seekers start or advance their careers in the clean energy sector. In partnership with Google.Org and Google Nest, Green For All awarded 50 scholarships of $3,500 to help diverse talent from across the country pursue education, training, or technical certifications to help them achieve their green dreams.
We recently announced our partnership with Amazon, which will expand our scholarship program to invest in 20 more recipients in the coming months!
Accelerating climate equity investments
In September, Dream.Org leaders went to the White House to celebrate the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will invest $369 Billion to address climate change. This is the largest climate investment in U.S. history, and will put us on the path to reducing emissions by 40% by 2040.
This is a historic investment, but we need to make sure it goes to the places that need it most. We aim to work with the Administration to ensure funding goes to projects benefiting communities of color. That doesn’t just mean projects in those communities to undo years of neglect; it also means contracts going to minority-owned businesses so that the solutions to climate change become opportunities to invest in the communities most impacted by it.
Helping communities find common ground
In September, we hosted the first-ever Dream.Org Day of Dialogue. Attendees gathered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and online to engage in meaningful conversation with people of different backgrounds and perspectives. Through one-on-one interactions and small group discussions, participants shared their stories and co-created solutions to some of our nation’s toughest challenges – like mass incarceration and climate change.
To facilitate these conversations, Dream.Org created a public toolkit to guide conversation across differences. If you’re interested in finding common ground with someone you disagree with, we invite you to use this resource to turn conflict into constructive conversation.
Upcoming Events
Celebrating Latinx Climate Champions
Thursday, October 13th at 1pm PT / 4pm ET
In this webinar, we’ll highlight Latinx climate activists from across the country who are building a more sustainable, equitable future for all. We’ll explore what Latinx Heritage Month is, why it’s important to the environmental movement and how communities in Arizona, Florida, and Nevada are responding to the impacts of climate change.
Dialogues 101 Workshop
Wednesday, October 12th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET
Join us to build on the meaningful conversations that were started during Dream.Org’s Day of Dialogue. You’ll learn how to build bridges with unlikely allies to find common ground.
