Summit attendees at our day 3 brunch and OANM during our 9th Annual Summit
The 9th Annual Black Sustainability Summit occurred October 11-13, 2024 and left its mark in the heart of Atlanta! Attendees from across the metro-Atlanta area and from around the globe gathered to form creative solutions that address many of our most pressing concerns related to sustainability initiatives. Black Sustainability, Inc.'s 12 Industry Houses were intertwined throughout the workshops, presentations, conversations, and celebrations in the space. This hybrid event was a unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders, innovators, and community advocates dedicated to advancing sustainability within Black communities. This summit featured insightful discussions, practical solutions, and inspiring stories that highlight the intersection of environmental justice, economic empowerment, and cultural resilience.
The 9th Annual Black Sustainability Summit opened up on October 11 with summit attendees joining our virtual presentations on Zoom. We had world-renowned summit speakers covering topics that span across multiple Industry Houses. Gratitude to our summit speakers below for sharing your wisdom:
LIBATION - Nobantu Ankoanda, PhD
Overview of SBSR (Share SBSR process and outcomes) - Speakers, in order: co-founder of Black Sustainability, Inc., Raina Turner-Greenlea, and BSI Student Researchers, Kandake Wallace, Omotola Oladapo, and Autumn Dancy
Timebanking and Alternative Economies: Community Resilience Through an Afrikan-Centered and Afrofuturist Lens - Mike Tekh Strode with the Kola Nut Collaborative
State of Black Sustainability: Alternative Energy - "Building Resilient Communities with Modular Microgrids and Energy Efficiency - Jordan Taylor with SynergyGrid, LLC
Emergency Preparedness SnapShot - Responding to Community Needs - A Live workshop with Dan Scott of Snap Corps and AgriTour
Embracing Non-Toxic Living: Conscious Consumerism and the BLK + GRN Movement - Dr. Kristian Edwards with BLK+GRN
PANEL DISCUSSION: Green Lifestyle - Tameka Peoples with Seed2Shirt and Tanjuria Willis from the Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week team
State of Black Sustainability PANEL: Sustainable Food Production/Agricultural Systems - Richard C. Campbell with the Geological Agriculture Institute and To Soil Less along with Joshua Forte from Red Diamond Compost
State of Black Sustainability presentation: Education & Cultural Preservation - The 13th Amendment for Black & Green Policy - Ogbonna Hagins with the Philadelphia Reparations Coalition-Freedmen Status
State of Black Sustainability presentation: Alternative Energy Accessibility - EV Noire & Freedmen's Green Bank - Dr. Shelley Francis with EV Noire and Dr. Reginald Parker with the Freedmen's Green Bank
ARRA to IRA: Audits for Affordability vs Energy Burden - Christopher Johnson and Cosco Jones from GridChain and Jones Sustainable Solutions Group, LLC respectively
State of Black Sustainability: Waste - Tanita Gray with Shoe Waste, LLC
Honoring Baba Clark Arrington
State of Black Sustainability: Wholistic Health - Iya Abiye Mawusi Ashshakir from The Mothership Institute
Honoring our Mothers - "Call Her Name" Memorial for sisters that transitioned during/shortly after childbirth, as well as honoring ritual or moments of silence/song for Mother Earth. We may want to make this the last presentation of the day since it reflects our collective
Summit Reflections with our co-founders Raina Turner-Greenlea & Yeamah Brewer
The BSI team rounded the day out on October 11 at the Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week Warehouse for our Sustainability on Dub mixer!
Summit attendees at our day 2 Garden Like A Boss Workshop led by Tenisio Seanima and Mother Dee
On October 12, summit attendees met in person at ArtsXchange for workshops and the Inaugural State of Black Sustainability Report and Industry House board displays. Atlanta attendees joined us for the release of the State of Black Sustainability Report as an immersive art exhibit, a zero-waste reception with vegan treats and healthy mocktails, workshops and presentations, youth activities with on-site childcare, plus networking, giveaways, and our Black & Green e-marketplace.
There were several workshops throughout the day including:
Garden Like A Boss Workshop: Anighotra Air Purification + Practical Growing - Tenisio Seanima with Nature's Candy Farms and Mother Dee
Ag Panel - Chris Lemons with Gratitude Botanical Farm, Charles Greenlea with EcoParadigm, Baba Anan with Toronto Food Sovereignty Alliance, and Ras Kofi with On Da Farm,
Upcycling/Reuse - Jonelle Dawkins from ScrapLanta
Eco-Building: Living in Waste - Warren Crawley with ADU Depot
Alt. Energy Roundtable Panel Discussion: H.E.L.P. (Home Electrification Leapfrog Program) is on the way! - Dr. Erica Hollman-Hill with Ayika Solutions
SBSR Roundtable Panel Discussions PT 2: Defining our Future: Shifting from Sad, Mad, Scared to Powerful, Peaceful, Joyful - Madelyn Collins, artivist
On day 3 our members met at the Atlanta Blockchain Center for our concluding workshops, member voting, and strategic planning
On October 13 the Black Sustainability Network (BSN) members met in person for brunch and an offers and needs market at the Black Achievement Fund's Khemet Club. BSN members in Atlanta or those who traveled here for the Summit joined us for brunch and a special Offers & Needs Market (OANM). During these sessions, BSN members met to participate in collective action planning sessions to determine, based on the insights of the State of Black Sustainability Report, which form of collective action would be most beneficial for them. The collective action planning will guide BSI and BSN initiatives throughout the coming year. After the OANM the BSI team went to the Atlanta Blockchain Center for Industry House sessions, including RBG Mutual Impact Fund nominations and voting on member projects to fund.
Sessions began at The Black Achievement Fund's Kemet Club where brunch was catered by Chef Zu with King's Apron and Black Sustainability Network members enjoyed The Offers and Needs Market (OANM) - hosted by Mike Tekh Strode with the Kola Nut Collaborative.
In the afternoon the summit attendees transitioned to the Atlanta Blockchain Center for final workshops and member voting initiatives.
Attendees learned about:
HBCU Justice 40 Funds Tracking Tool Workshop - led by Dr. David Padgett the director of the Geographic Information Sciences (GISc) Laboratory at Tennessee State University
Solution Spotlight Series Replay - BSN Members voted on the projects they want to fund
Action-Planning Session: BSN Industry House members created groups and discussed initiatives for the coming year - led by BSI Membership Coordinator, Kelyce Allen, and BSI Board Vice Chair, Dr. Erica Holloman-Hill, PhD
The Black Sustainability, Inc team is grateful for the IMPACT they created over the 3 days their summit took place and looks forward to what can be built in the next 365.
The 2024 Summit was excellent! Thank you to the BSI Team!