Congratulations to United Parents Against Lead (represented by EJAAA Treasurer Queen Zakia Shabazz and Steve Shabazz) and the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative on the opening of the Petersburg Community Resiliency Hub in Petersburg, Virginia! The Hub is of historical significance, the building was built on the design of the US Army Quartermaster and operated as a United Service Organization (USO) facility for ‘Colored troops’ during military segregation. On December 10, 2020, and on March 17, 2022, respectively, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources held meetings to determine the building’s inclusion in state and national registries based on historic relevance.
The Community Resiliency Hub will offer training and certifications in CPR Basic First Aid and AED, Lead, Mold, Healthy Homes Programs, DMV Driver Improvement Clinics, and Escort Vehicle classes. The Hub also offers certifications in Crane Operation and Solar Panel installation.
Virginias first solar+storage powered resiliency hub will have its newly installed resilient power system commissioned in 2024. Spearheaded by United Parents Against Lead (UPAL) and Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative (VEJC), the Petersburg Resiliency Hub will serve as a community center during regular operations and power critical community services in the event of an outage.
"Since 2014, Clean Energy Group’s Technical Assistance Fund (TAF) has provided vital pre-development support to community-based organizations, critical service providers, municipalities, and affordable housing providers in their efforts to build local resilient power resources in and for the most vulnerable communities. In total, 175 organizations have received over $1.5 million in funding for solar+storage assessments through the TAF – even more have received one-on-one support from CEG in understanding their resilient power needs and how solar+storage could best serve their facility and community.
Through the rest of 2024, follow the “Celebrating 10 Years of Technical Assistance” series that will include blogs and webinars featuring CEG and partners speaking to a variety of topics including, developing resilience across different sectors, solar+storage to support public health, equitable distribution of resources, and more. The first in these resources, the webinar Prioritizing Equity in Program Development: How to Build a Technical Assistance Fund for Resilient Power, is overviewed in “Upcoming Webinars” below.
As we celebrate 10 years, CEG would like to thank our partners and the foundations that support equitable resilient power development."
“The climate events are getting more intense. We can’t wait for another Katrina, with people left standing on the rooftops. So do what you can to save yourself and those in your community.”
- Queen Shabazz, Executive Director of UPAL and Coordinator of the VEJC
Gwendylon P. Smith Watson
Executive Director and Founder, Community Health Aligning Revitalization Resilience & Sustainability, Inc. (CHARRS)
Gwen founded CHARRS in 2016, as a non-profit community organization committed to Environmental Justice, environmental and economic health, education equity, and citizen science. CHARRS is concerned with Social Determinants of Health, their impact on African American and underserved communities, and implementing solutions to the inequities and injustices associated with them. In 2017, CHARR launched the Collier Heights Environmental Health Outdoor Classroom which was funded by the Emory's Center for Children's Health, the Environmental, the Microbiome and Metabolomics. Prior to CHARRS,Gwen worked for Southface Institute;the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Section in the Chemical Hazards Program, the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, the Healthy Homes Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program,theLead Hazard Control Program; and the U.S. EPA Region IV’s Regional Administrators Officeas an intern.She is an alumna of the inaugural classes for the Partnership for Southern Equity’s Just Equity Academy and the U.S. EPA, Region IV’s Environmental Justice Academy,and isa former president of the Environmental Justice Academy Alumni Association. In 2020, shewas selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leader Fellow and is a member of Team ATL. Gwen graduated from Agnes Scott College with a B.A. degree in Sociology/Anthropologyin 2011. She is a member of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Gwen is married, has two children and atwelve-year-old granddaughter, Stellar.
Chet Kibble:
Hello Colleagues,
Some of you are aware, I recently had a visit from COVID-19, and I was sent on a spiritual journey during the battle for my life. My classmates and maybe some of you I have had the pleasure of talking to, know my goal was to become the Michael Jordan of the environmental field.
I have been in the environmental field for over 40 years, in 1999, I resigned/retired from MLGW because I refused to take part in an illegal clean up in the company along with refusing to ignore poisoning of the community from their poor work practices.
In 2015, I was contacted by Region 4 EPA/EJ and informed of a special course they were considering me for along with many other applicants. I was at the SIXTY THIRD consecutive WEBB family reunion and everybody noticed I was not myself, while awaiting my acceptance to the course which was the most important thing in my life at the time.
I had received extreme criticism from family and friends for quitting such a high paying job at the largest three service utility company in the United States. I was labeled crazy and much more. I had been writing the EPA/EJ as far back as 2002, sharing with them how sick our community was. Because of my background in water, being the first cross connection representative for our city, I was concerned about lead. I received that job because of a class action lawsuit for discrimination.
When I was told of my acceptance, my life changed forever. Because of [politics at the time, we were told] we might have to cover our own expenses should the budget be cut. Like all my classmates, the need of the communities justified the sacrifice.
We were exposed to some of the most knowledgeable people in the environmental world. I have selected two things to talk about from the training that affected me most. I remember there was a presenter who grew up in Harlem or near that area, after returning home she realized that Harlem had one of the highest levels of asthma, noticing many of the treatment plants where in that area, she went back to school and trained to get an understanding how these plants should operate, it seems some of the safety protection was not done to save money. What I took from that was that I needed to continue to learn all I could about various types of Environmental exposure.
A discussion that we held about an individual identifying a real concern and then trying to help other areas before the problem in your own community has been solved. Because Memphis had such a serious problem and being in the deep south which many of you can relate it has been a long-term fight. So, I have been reluctant to spread myself to other communities.
Over the last 15 years we have developed a very strong community based citizen group, encouraging them to understand that they had to become knowledge able of what was being allowed to happen to our community, we have a large number of citizen scientist groups that took the time to look for the truth, the hidden information about the COVID Virus is not the first time citizens are not told the truth, many safety standards like exposure to lead is not based on what really causes harm, the standard was set on what was believed cities or the government could afford.
Because of the citizen groups Memphis lead issues are being discussed openly and changes are being made, many programs have been brought to our city because citizens demanded it. We must demand the implementation of the defense production act and mandate KN95 and N95 mask are made available Immediately to poor communities, these mask protect against Lead and COVID 19. People must know the truth about the level of protection needed depending on exposure.
Memphis has been blessed that one of our own has returned home. LaTricea Adams, Founder & President of the Black Millennials for Flint has been a very vocal, active, and supportive member of this community. What she and her team accomplished in Flint makes me proud. Her presence is a breath of fresh air as we truly needed the support and push from millennials.
During my COVID journey, I prayed for several miracles. COVID was brought into my home and I was the carrier. Me, Michael Jordan? My mother lives with me and on her 89th birthday she was informed of her positive COVID results (I could not breathe).
I was granted those miracles; my mother will be home soon, and everyone has recovered. My personal encounter allows me a front row seat to what many families are experiencing during this pandemic. I am eager to work with this team of great people to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to strengthen and restore the health of communities affected by this pandemic and more.
It is with great pleasure I accept the position of Vice president of the Environmental Justice Academy Association; I need your help to protect communities all over the United States. ( Now is the time )
Chet A. Kibble, Sr.,
Director & Founder, Memphis & Shelby Co. Lead Safe Collaborative Inc.
EPA Region IV EJ Academy Class 2016 Salutatorian
Lead Project Designer and Assessor
Master Home Environmentalist (Trainer)