Arab Americans Represented at "Green the Block" Launch at White House August 4th

posted on: Aug 6, 2009

The Obama Administration joined major national minority organizations led by Green For All and Hip Hop Caucus to announce a “Green the Block” Campaign at a White House briefing on August 4th.

Leaders of diverse organizations representing ethnic and racial communities nationwide were invited to the White House yesterday to underscore the need for our country to transition to a clean-energy economy and to ensure that access and opportunity are created for communities of color and low-income communities. Representing Arab Americans at the table was AAI Executive Director Helen Samhan, and the “Green Muslim” movement was represented by advocate and author Ibrahim Abdul-Matin of Transportation Alternatives (transalt.org) in New York.

The briefing was opened by Tina Tchen and Michael Blake of the White House Office of Public Engagement and featured remarks by Van Jones, Special Advisor on Green Jobs at the Council for Environmental Quality. After opening comments by Green for All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins and Hip Hop Caucus CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood, we heard from HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and Under Secretary of Energy Kristina Johnson, each of whom spoke about the role of clean jobs in their agencies priorities, especially with funds available from the Recovery Act. Department of Energy officials announced several initiatives aimed at small business, including $38 million for small business innovative research. DOE is hosting a Small Business Conference August 12-14 in California which will also be web cast; for more information visit http://www.smallbusiness-outreach.doe.gov/.

“Green the Block” is a national campaign to engage, educate, and activate communities of color and low-income communities to create a strong clean-energy economy that lifts people out of poverty and creates opportunity for all Americans. The campaign includes a call to action for “Green the Block” projects for National Service Day, September 11th. The four pillars of the Green the Block campaign are: education and awareness, legislative advocacy, youth activism, and private-sector development.

You can find out more about National Service Day on September 11 and United We Serve at www.serve.gov. You can also contact Ken Maxey, National Outreach Coordinator for “Green for All” at kenmaxey@hotmail.com.