Justice Comes of Age - TCTAC Event Photobook

BIG JUSTICE TCTAC CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATIONS

SUB-AWARDEES

Garfield Park Community Council, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Green Umbrella, and Environmental Transformation Movement of Flint

LAUNCH EVENT VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS

Future Energy Enterprises

Illinois Tech

Northwestern University

NuAge Medical Solutions Group

University of Michigan

BIG JUSTICE TCTAC PARTNERS

EPA REGION 5 includes 35 tribal lands, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Our work is advanced through this partnership team

SeMia Bray Black Environmental Leaders

Serap Erdal University of Illinois/School of Public Health

Devin Day University of Illinois/Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

Vanessa Farley Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Assn

David Yocca BIG

Nuri Madina BIG

Wendy Moore Environmental Health Watch

Kim Foreman Environmental Health Watch

Menu of Services

I. Grant seeking and writing

a) Searchingforfunding(fund raising, grant awareness)

b) Grantwritingsupport

c) ResearchforRFPnarrativedevelopment

d) Grantwritingtraining

II. Community engagement assistance (empowering the community)

a) Communityengagementtraining

b) Communitytraining/forumaroundanenvironmentaland/orenergyjustice concern

c) ClimateActionPlanDevelopmentTraining

d) QualityofLifePlanningDevelopmentAssistance

e) Assistindevelopinglegislativepoliciesaroundenvironmentalandenergy justiceissues

f) Partnershipandcollaborationdevelopmenttraining(Public/Private Partnerships)

g) Partnershipengagementassistance

III. Capacity building

a) Organizationaldevelopmentsupport(State entity designation, applying for 501 (c) 3, etc.)

b) Infrastructuredevelopmentsupport

c) Projectmanagementsupport

d) Financial/grantmanagement

e) Marketingplandevelopmentassistance

5 PARTNERS

5 SUB-AWARDEES

6 STATES & 35 TRIBAL TERRITORIES

5 YEARS

❖ EHW Environmental Health Watch

❖ BEL Black Environmental Leaders

❖ MTERA Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Assn

❖ UIC/SPH University of Illinois School of Public Health

❖ UIC/SEDAC University of Illinois SEDAC –Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

❖ Green Umbrella

❖ Center For Neighborhood Technology

❖ JUSTICE40

f) BoarddevelopmentAssistance

❖ SUSTAINABLE SQUARE MILE

❖ ENERGY JUSTICE ❖

BLACKS IN GREEN

8 PRINCIPLES OF GREEN VILLAGE BUILDING FOR A SUSTAINABLE SQUARE MILE

THEORY OF CHANGE

Orange lanyards signified our solidarity with Mayor Johnson in his stand for “PEOPLE OF THE ORANGE CORD” – families struggling to pay their electric bill and their gracious neighbors sharing power across the ‘fence line’.

GRACE WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Dean of the School of Public Health

at the University of Illinois

Wayne H. Giles, MD, MS –

‘First-In’ Event Donor

AND POWER WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Illinois Attorney General

Kwame Raoul, our arm of justice

TRIUMPH WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Cook County President since 2010, first woman elected to the office –Toni Preckwinkle

SOUL WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson our ‘Patron Saint of People of the Orange Cord’…soul is wisdom

MAYOR JOHNSON and young activist…

What will we tell our children we did with our inheritance from ancestors who died for our right to vote and other future freedoms?

And of course, Mayor Johnson steps to the Green Carpet for a thank you pic with our Blacks in Green production team. As our Opening Keynote and first dignitary confirmation, he set the bar and our spirits high!

OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES – non-profits, small businesses, developers, educators, and technical experts – received free services, information, and access to free next-step consultations on grants, capacity building, outreach, and coaching, mentoring, and ‘open source’ access to our Sustainable Square Mile system and Energy Justice portfolio.

BLACK HISTORY WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Bronzeville The Musical – “bound for Broadway” performed vignettes both days…

OUR GREAT MIGRATION WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Bronzeville The Musical celebrated our courage, creativity, genius, strength, and love…

PASTOR HISTORIAN ACTIVIST

Rev. Dr. Edward Morris…Dr. Christopher R. Reed…and Sister Afrika Porter

PRAYERS… THEN … AND NOW!

GENERATIONS OF LEADERSHIP WERE IN THE HOUSE!

IL State Rep. Kim DuBuclet (center) moderated first-term U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (right), Congressman Danny Davis

and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, both serving since 1997.

(left)

STATE REP

Kimberly DuBuclet (left)

MWRD President Kari Steele (center)

MWRD Commissioner Eira Corral Sepulveda (podium)

Jonathan Jackson, Dick Durbin, Danny Davis

OPERATION PUSH WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Together we remembered the sacrifices of our ancestors, who gave us power and wisdom to know who our friends are and vote for them

ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS WERE KEY –BIG JUSTICE TCTAC navigators were onsite to steward community dreams and action

EPA WAS DEFINITELY IN THE HOUSE!

Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore and Alan Walts, Region 5 Director of Tribal & Multi-Media Programs – both early supporters of BIG – spoke on justice!

AN INNOVATIVE EPA APPROACH TO FUNDING

made it possible for BIG to become the only community-based organization in the country to lead a Thriving Communities

TCTAC grant team

THE HISTORIC BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION grant and loan program has directed 4 trillion dollars to American problem-solving…more than President Roosevelt‘s breakthrough “New Deal” – more than the US bank bailout – more than Covid relief – and centering JUSTICE…now we must organize to spend it!

BIG’s “GREEN NEW DEAL EMPORIUM” hits the road with BIG’s “Michelle Museum” products, afro-centric art, and our branded line of eco-loving home & self-care products MADE IN WEST WOODLAWN™ ~ soaps, candles, bath salts, and BIG gear: tees, totes, hats…shop online!

THE GREEN NEW DEAL EMPORIUM operationalizes the Sustainable Square Mile system with the 8th Principle of Green-Village-Building: “Each village circulates its wealth through neighbor-owned businesses which invent, invest, manufacture, and merchandise locally.

EMPORIUM VISITORS FROM GRAND RAPIDS

chat with BIG Maker-in-Chief, Gwen Pruitt. Online earned income and revenues from tourism help strengthen the bottom line for businesses and non-profits.

EVERY EMPORIUM worth its salt also features a chill zone… here guests discover and enjoy a quiet corner of our vast forum floor. Communities can begin investing in pop-up sales with a social component and move to brick-and-mortar enterprises in phases:

“Make something and sell it!”

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

TAKES MANY FORMS…

BIG brings spiritual healing to the mobilization of people in our approach to “thriving communities” In partnership with Kevin Iega Jeff of Deeply Rooted Productions/Dance.

DEEPLY ROOTED PRODUCTIONS GOT US MOVING!

Iega leads the room in community dance. Communities that do fun things together build the connective tissue of kinship essential for long-game organizing. The whole-system problem of “self-hatred projected” is addressed in BIG’s Sustainable Square Mile system.

One danger can be having too much fun!

DEEPLY ROOTED PRODUCTIONS WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Our “Circle in the Square” booth featured long-term partner Kevin Iega

Jeff, whose “Fertile Ground” community performance process organizes neighbors to find love of self, neighbors, heritage, and the green lifestyle

By gathering neighbors to celebrate their journey in song and dance.

OUR BIG JUSTICE TCTAC TEACHES

THE ART OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

a free service fundamental to building the Sustainable Square Mile system for Black community economic development

BIG JUSTICE TCTAC – IN THE HOUSE!

Vanessa Farley – MTERA – Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Assn

Devin Day – SEDAC – University of Illinois/Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

Nuri Madina – BIG – Blacks in Green

Naomi Davis – BIG – Blacks in Green

David Yocca – BIG – Blacks in Green

SeMia Bray – Black Environmental Leaders Association

Serap Erdal – University of Illinois/School of Public Health

[left to right]

Kim Foreman – EHW – Environmental Health Watch

Patrice Davis of Grants Works helps orgs be compliant to complicated federal regulations

GET YOUR PAPERWORK TOGETHER!

Our top subject matter experts keepin’ it real so dreams come true

- prepare your docs

- find your resource

- write your grants

- manage your grants

- negotiate your deals

- implement your plans

[left to right]

Michelle Jackson – Sustainable Community Farms

Patrice Davis – Grants Works

Naomi Davis – Blacks in Green

James Mosely – US Department of Energy

Aaron Rome – Writing For Green

Anne Evens – Elevate/Justice40

WE

EMPOWERED

RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING WITH KEY FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE DOE

James Mosely of the US Department of Energy shared how to do business with his complex agency

WE SHARED OUR ‘SECRET SAUCE’ STRATEGIES

BIG’s workforce development guru, Dennis Walker, unpacks one strategy from our substantial Energy Justice Portfolio – our Set For Life™ program in which we train an army of energy auditors and hire and deploy them within our Sustainable Square Mile walkable-village system.

CHICAGO’S NEW DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Naomi and panel beam with joy at the recent achievements of this small but mighty team.

Angela Tovar Commissioner Lindy Wordlaw Kyra Woods Jared Policicchio

CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS ARE NATIONAL LEADERS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Cumulative impact policy, citywide decarbonization + Climate Action Planning and much more. Collaborating with municipalities large and small is a critically important TCTAC strategy for “tapping into the trillions” ~ writing infrastructure grants AT SCALE –solving large, longstanding disinvestment problems in certain communities.

[left to right]

Karen Lusson – National Consumer Law Center

Dr. Karen DeGannes – DeGannes Consulting Group

Sandra Henry – Slipstream

Annette Beitel – Future Energy Enterprises

Dr. Kyle Whyte – University of Michigan

Yessenia Balcazar – Southeast Environmental Task Force

Abe Scarr – Public Interest Research Group

Dr. Serap Urdal – University of Illinois School of Public Health

Dr. Sacoby Wilson – University of Maryland School of Public Health

THE FUTURE OF ENERGY

Leading policy- and market-makers share insights on the changing dynamics for this ‘life essential service’

[left to right]

Karen Weigert – Director, Loyola Uinversity Baumhart Center

JC Kibbey – Climate Advisor, State of Illinois

Doug Scott – Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission

Vincent Davis – Preparedness Matters Consulting

Christina Negri – Argonne National Labs

Toni Preckwinkle – President, Cook County Illinois

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS!

Ryan Strode – Builders Initiative

Elizabeth Irvin – Illinois Dept of Transportation

Chris Meister – Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank

Andrew Barbeau – The Accelerate Group

[left to right]

THE BOTTOM LINE

Capacity, ain’t nothin’ but a bunch more zeros. Give us more zeros and we’ll show you more capacity. Capacity and a few powerfully placed friends

SUSTAINABLE SQUARE MILE

BLACKS IN GREEN (BIG)

Authors of the Sustainable Square Mile

BIG JUSTICE TCTAC offers free coaching-mentoring-consulting to members of our cohort

Nuri Madina Director Sustainable Square Mile

Nuri Madina Director Green Infrastructure Naomi Davis – BIG Founder/CEO

THE LEARNING LABYRINTH

An interactive pathway covering 10 topics of crucial concern to communitybased orgs applying for government or philanthropic funding. Each topic featured a ‘Waystation’ with a Pillar of Key Topics [above and right], an entertaining teaching video on continuous loop, and a table staffed with 2 or more subject matter experts with handouts.

10 PILLARS

❖ BLACK HISTORY

❖ CLIMATE CRISIS

❖ POLLUTION

❖ CUMULATIVE IMPACT

❖ CEJA

❖ ACTIVISM

❖ JUSTICE40

❖ SUSTAINABLE SQUARE MILE

❖ ENERGY JUSTICE

❖ GET YOUR PAPERWORK TOGETHER

LEARNING LABYRINTH

Community education on complex, highly charged topics happening in a relaxed, interactive setting

Perfect to navigate in groups or alone, you build relations along the way…

NAOMI DAVIS captured at a Communities First Fund Region 5 TCTAC launch

Dynamic intersections of old problems and new solution; seasoned and new activists; science and spirit.

MYRNA ROMO of Chicago Environmental Justice Network, the power of truth can change everything

LEARNING LABYRINTH

Too many neighbors suffer effects without context, or ever being engaged, educated, or organized around the source of and solutions to the problems they’re facing.

LEARNING LABYRINTH

Activists learning to organize could take a Civics 101 lesson from Jen Walling of Illinois Environmental Council

LEARNING LABYRINTH

Following the leaves in the winding road was meant to help integrate mind, body, and spirit…while Pillars were meant to provoke to action.

LEARNING LABYRINTH

At Blacks in Green all roads lead to the Sustainable Square Mile… but whatever your idea of a “thriving community” the BIG JUSTICE TCTAC is here to connect you to the resources, experts, and best practices to help you fulfill your vision.

BLACKS IN GREEN is invited to bring our Sustainable Square Mile System™ to more than a dozen cities and neighborhoods nationwide…first official stop: Cleveland with EHW –ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WATCH!

TOO MANY PROBLEMS HAVE DEEPENED SINCE THE DAYS OF OUR HISTORIC CIVIL RIGHTS MOVMENT YET WE MOVE IN TRIUMPH IN THE TRADITION OF OUR GREAT MIGRATION ANCESTORS!

My Granny

Adelia Thompson Siggers

A Sharecropper’s Wife Minter City, Mississippi

FOOD WAS ON THE HOUSE!

THANK YOU!

THE BLACKS

IN

GREEN

PRODUCTION

TEAM WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR REGION 5 BIG JUSTICE TCTAC to get the word out, attract diverse applicants to our Technical Assistance Center, and deliver services that transform our underserved places into thriving communities.