Feed aggregator

A Timeline of Events Leading Up to The “Revitalization” of Barry Farm

Grassroots DC - Fri, 02/15/2019 - 14:57

With the deconstruction and rebuilding of Barry Farm (most commonly referenced as Barry Farms to residents and longtime D.C citizens) under way, it is important to understand some of the key factors of this process, what led up to it and how it has been affecting the existing community. Here is a somewhat concise timeline of events to provide context and stay updated on the fast-changing neighborhood.

 

        

 

 

 

 

 


Image credits: Joy Sharon Yi

 

HOPE VI:

  • The HOPE VI program was created in 1992 by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development to redevelop public housing across the U.S into mixed-income housing. The goal of HOPE VI was to renovate and revitalize public housing to reduce crime and diversify living conditions. The intention was to create less dense living environments.
  • Many residents across the U.S that were affected by the reconstruction found problems with HOPE VI, seeing it as a process of gentrification. According to “The Urban Institute”, less than 12% of existing residents were able to move back into the renovated homes. Because HOPE VI did not require a 1 to 1 replacement for lower income residents, the program did eventually end up weeding out a lot of those residents altogether.
  • Through HOPE VI over 96,000 public housing complexes were destroyed and a little more than 107,000 were created; only 56,800 of those being affordable housing.
  • Arthur Capper and Carrollsburg Gardens were among the affordable housing in DC (formerly located in Navy Yard) that were lost as a result of HOPE VI.

New Communities Initiative (NCI):  

  • NCI was brought forth in 2005 as a response to budget cuts directly impacting D.C.’s public housing complexes and the maintenance of them.
    • Resident pushback was one of the many reasons that this process was delayed until 2014.
  • NCI was meant to be a revamped and more effective version of HOPE VI with a promise of 1 for 1 replacement for affordable housing tenants and units; an effort to make sure current residents could stay in their neighborhoods and have priority for the newly developed units.
  • Much like HOPE VI, NCI was created to redevelop public housing in D.C., to decrease crime, reduce concentrated poverty and eliminate economic segregation in neighborhoods in an effort to reintroduce the idea of mixed-income communities.
    • There is a common theory that concentrated poverty is why public housing is not as effective as it should be (as opposed to lack of funding being put towards the housing properties and overall negligence).
  • In addition to the idea of having a diverse community in terms of population, NCI plans on the new buildings looking diverse; ranging in size and style.
  • The initiative is specific to four DC neighborhoods; Barry Farm (located in Anacostia), Lincoln Heights (located in N.E), Northwest One (located in N.W in ward 6) and Park Morton (located in N.W in ward 1).

Barry Farm:

  • Barry Farm is a historic landmark in D.C, it started off as a settlement area for newly freed Black people after the Civil War in 1867. Barry Farm became the first public housing during WWII.
  • Barry Farm is located in Anacostia and (before deconstruction) had about 432 public housing units
  • The application for the first stages of the Barry Farm redevelopment were approved by the zoning commission in October 2014.
    • The plan would tear down any existing properties in Barry Farm and create 1,400 new housing (from low/mid rise buildings, townhouses and retail spaces).
  • In December of 2014 the Barry Farm aquatic center was opened (a part of NCI). This was the first stage of a larger process to renovate the Barry Farm recreational center (an estimated $26 million project). Many Barry Farm residents were unsettled by the renovated rec center as it is only available to residents with an ID which requires certain documents and resources that some families no longer have access (or easy access) to.
  • March 2016 the DC Housing Authority passed Resolution 16-06 “right to return”, which was meant to protect existing residents and their places within the community. This would make sure there was no confusion about the residents’ eligibility status and protect their entry into the newly renovated developments.
  • June 2017 “Resident Design Workshop” held by DCHA and DCMPED. Intended to get community feedback and input about plans regarding development features and layout.
  • August 2017 residents from Barry Farm filed a class action lawsuit against DCHA. The lawsuit was created in a pursuit to stall the redevelopment process and ensure that there would be enough housing for all of the current residents of Barry Farm. The lawsuit also mentions the horrid conditions of Barry Farm currently.
  • April 2018 Barry Farm is nominated to become an Opportunity Zone which would allow “tax incentives for investments in new businesses and commercial projects in low income communities” with the goal to help promote investments in new public infrastructure, affordable housing, businesses and capital improvement”
    • Many Barry Farm residents have talked about the need for prioritizing grocery stores (as there are VERY few in wards 7 and 8) over opening luxury retail stores.
  • In May 2018 residents push to preserve the beauty of their neighborhoods, as a response NCI commissioned art pieces to be made that represent the Barry Farm neighborhoods.

**Since news broke of the redevelopment of Barry Farm, over 70 residents have since relocated to Highland Dwellings and Sheridan station. The specific location of the other residents who have relocated have been unaccounted for.

 


The post A Timeline of Events Leading Up to The “Revitalization” of Barry Farm appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Initiative 77 & The Crisis of The Tipped Minimum Wage

Grassroots DC - Wed, 01/23/2019 - 11:43

The current minimum wage for most hourly workers in the District of Columbia is $13.25, which is set to increase to $15 come 2020. Tipped workers, however, receive a fraction of that amount per hour.  As of July 1, 2018, tipped workers (which can include servers, valets, and bartenders) receive $3.89 per hour, with an anticipated increase to $5.00 by 2020. The justification for this low hourly wage is the understanding that, in the case that an employee is unable to meet DC’s minimum wage with their tips, the employer will cover the difference. Therefore, a tipped worker who is unable to make $13.25 per hour in tips will have their wage supplemented by their employer under the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2016. However, restaurants in the DC area have been under fire for charges of wage theft, putting into question workers’ lived experience of this law.

Research done by the United States Department of Labor reveals that, nationally, the US food service industry has had higher rates of wage violation than any other low wage industry since 2008. In fiscal year 2018 alone, over 41,000 food service workers reported nearly $43 million in thefted wages.

Research done in 2011 by the Washington, DC chapter of the Restaurant Opportunities Center (also known as ROC), a non-profit based in Manhattan whose stated mission is to “improve wages and working conditions for the nation’s restaurant workforce.”, gives us a local perspective on wage violations in the restaurant industry. Following a year’s worth of research, ROC’s DC chapter released a 76 page report on DC’s restaurant industry. Table 7 (which can be found on page 25) of the report reveals that 33.5% of restaurant workers in DC report having experienced overtime wage violations and 11.4% report having experienced minimum wage violations.

As further detailed  in ROC’s report:

 

  • 11.4% of the workers spoken with reported earning less than $8.25 per hour, which violated DC’s 2011 minimum wage laws
  • Only 18.5% of tipped workers were able to correctly recall the correct minimum wage and only 9.7% knew the amount of the tipped minimum wage, even though it is the employer’s responsibility to post bilingual signs in the workplace detailing this information

A briefer report published by the Economic Policy Institute further reveals that:

 

  • Tipped workers in DC are largely people of color (70% of the tipped workforce while only 55% of the general workforce)
  • The median annual wage for servers and bartenders in DC is $22,763.
  • 13.7% of tipped workers live below the poverty line

Of course, given the unsavory conditions tipped workers were experiencing in the restaurant industry, movement to make change was inevitable.

In the spring of 2018, a campaign promoting Initiative 77 began. Initiative 77 was a ballot initiative (meaning that an adequate number of registered voters signed a petition to get a statute or amendment voted on publicly) that would rework DC’s minimum wage laws for tipped workers. Under Initiative 77, the tipped minimum wage would increase each year so that, by 2026, tipped workers would be making $15 an hour, the same as other workers in DC receiving an hourly wage. It seems that, in the frenzied coverage of the Initiative, many people assumed that tipped workers would begin receiving the minimum wage immediately, not understanding that employers would have 8 years to pay their employees the eventual $15 minimum wage.

The Washington, DC chapter of ROC became the primary driving force in support of Initiative 77 in DC. Faced with opposition from, both, restaurant owners and tipped workers themselves, Initiative 77 became one of the most discussed and controversial political topics in DC during the 2018 local election season. The proposal of Initiative 77 left the city cleaved into two camps; those in support of the initiative and those against it. A cursory glance through a DC area resident’s Facebook or Twitter feed from that period of time would very likely contain at least one charged debate over the initiative.  

Alongside the business owners and tipped workers opposing Initiative 77, Mayor Muriel Bowser and various members of the DC Council publicly opposed the Initiative as well. It must be stated, however, that many of the politicians in opposition to Initiative 77 have, at various points, received money from restaurants for their campaigns.

After being passed by voters by a more than 10% margin, Initiative 77 was repealed by eight members of the DC Council on Oct. 2nd, 2018.

I find myself clearly seeing the concerns raised by both parties regarding the pros and cons of Initiative 77; working as a cashier in an independent restaurant, I reap the benefits of the current minimum wage as well as tips. As a cashier, my job is far less complex than that of a server, however, I have far more security and ease regarding my wage. This level of security regarding pay is something I desire for each of my fellow restaurant workers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. As stated by the anonymous author of this Vox article “Living on tips does not guarantee me a sufficient income or economic security. Tipped workers experience a poverty rate nearly twice that of other workers. Currently, the median hourly wage for servers in DC is only $11.89… Relying on customer tips results in unpredictable income and makes workers more vulnerable to being sexually harassed or discriminated against by the very customers on whose tips we depend.”

 

This said, my very strong relationship with my employer in the restaurant I work in makes me consider concerns raised by restaurant owners about keeping their establishments open as well. While I don’t want to disregard the reality of greed our culture intentionally cultivates in each of us, I would like to believe that most business owners would choose to give generously to their employees if the resources were available.

Compass Coffee, a local coffee shop with a number of locations throughout DC, pays its starting baristas $13.25 an hour, and, once they’re passed the apprenticeship stage, they go on to receive a 25¢ raise. This pay is received alongside tips, which, based on information in this article from the dcist, averages around $5.71 an hour.

More prominently, in the same article, the author discusses changes Dolcezza Gelato has had to make to their payment structure in order, according to their owner, to continue to do business in DC. Now categorizing their hourly employees as tipped workers, Dolcezza’s baristas receive $10.50 an hour while the company’s gelato scoopers make $9.75 an hour, these wages being supplemented by tips.  

Robb Duncan is reported as saying “It totally, totally sucks. If I could pay my employees twice the minimum wage and give them health benefits, I would do it in two seconds. But for any small business, especially in D.C. right now, one needs to make adjustments. We’re doing what we feel is necessary to stay strong in D.C.”

Sips of Seattle, a family owned coffee shop located in downtown DC, shut down its business on on the 14th of December due to increases in rent, after 22 years of being a favorite of many DC residents. One of the co-owners of Sips of Seattle has a Spanish last name; Escobar. While I do not know the racial or ethnic origins of this particular business owner, I would like to use this information to highlight the reality that the businesses that are most vulnerable to increases of rents and wages are those owned by people of color. Even though Initiative 77 hasn’t passed, I’d be concerned about the ability of business owners of color to stay afloat amidst rising rent and labor costs.

Rents for businesses are based upon the square feet of the establishment multiplied by a dollar amount that averages somewhere between $50 – $80. The annual rent of a space of 800 square foot, priced at $55 per square foot, would be $44,000 a year, requiring monthly payments of $3,666 to maintain usage of the space.

Ultimately, I find myself disappointed by this entire debate. When this issue over whether a minimum wage or a lowered tipped wage is best for DC’s restaurants is boiled down, we are, essentially, choosing one group of people’s livelihoods over another. Another point of contention for me is the responsibility of this decision placed into the hands of DC residents, many of whom have never worked in restaurants and know little-to-nothing about the industry. In an act of compromise, Mary Cheh, Councilmember of Ward 3, suggests that the the increase in tipped servers’ minimum wage take place over a 15 year period; increasing the tipped minimum wage by 66¢ per year as a way to safely gauge any burdens the increased wage would bring upon restaurant owners.

While I am appreciative of Councilmember Cheh’s attempt to consider the needs of all parties involved, I believe that this compromise fails to consider the reality of rising rents, nor does it center the experiences/demands of restaurant workers. The issue of Initiative 77 ties into much larger issues regarding affordable housing and living wages that are affecting every major city across the country.

In the long run, tipped workers on both sides of the Initiative and restaurant workers must understand that if they’re going to remain in a city with increasingly high rent prices, than they’d do well to band together with organizers working on affordable housing initiatives in their neighborhoods. Some organizations working on affordable housing campaigns across the city are Empower DC, One DC, and Keep DC 4 Me. Alongside participating in political action in the city, tipped workers should also rally together to ensure their employers comply with DC’s minimum wage laws.  As individuals, tipped workers can also contact the District’s Restaurant Opportunities Center if they have questions about their rights or join them on the third Thursday of every month for their Legal Clinic for Restaurant Workers.

Recently, new energy has begun to surge around Initiative 77; upset with the DC Council’s decision to repeal the Initiative, a DC bartender filed a lawsuit intending to delay the execution of the proposed repeal. Senior pastor of DC’s Plymouth United Church of Christ, Rev. Graylan Hagler, a supporter of this recent push, is reported to say “The restaurant industry filed a petition challenge at the eleventh hour. It’s their latest effort to thwart the democratic process. We will fight this delaying tactic in court, and will prevail in the end. We are not the kind of people to give up on D.C. workers who need a raise.”

Shockingly, on December 12th, DC judge Neal E. Kravitz ruled that efforts to place Initiative 77 on the spring ballot were invalid as a result of a mishap on the DC government’s part. As writer Gabe Hiatt states in the Eater article “Despite the work of petitioners to gather more than 25,000 signatures in a week, judge Neal E. Kravitz cited a procedural mistake by the D.C. Board of Elections… The elections board did not post public notice for a hearing on the referendum far enough in advance, Kravitz found, dooming the signature-gathering process from the start.” Meaning, essentially, that due to a procedural error on the part of the DC Board of Elections, the petitioners’ work was futile from the start.  

We shall see how pro-77 organizers will rally against Judge Kravitz’s ruling, however, the debate of whether Initiative 77, and the larger socio-economic contexts surrounding the debate, is far from over.


The post Initiative 77 & The Crisis of The Tipped Minimum Wage appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Barry Farms: The Destruction of a Historic Landmark

Grassroots DC - Wed, 01/09/2019 - 12:42
Racism is the result of historic actions, thoughts, and laws that still impact society. Racism is embedded in the traditions and institutions of the United States. It is especially tragic when racism shows up in spaces that were built to be havens against it. Barry Farms has a rich history in which these instances occur.

Barry Farms, also known as Hillsdale, began as a settlement established after the Civil War in 1867 for free blacks and formerly enslaved African Americans. Abolition created labor problems, loss of productivity, and efforts to restore the plantation system.  In many plantation societies, governments sought to force former slaves back to work with strict vagrancy laws, coercive labor contracts and regressive taxes. Ultimately, the abolishment of slavery did not produce many changes. Former slaves continued to do their former slave work of tobacco farming, breeding and whatever was asked of them. Because the 14th amendment was not properly enforced, Reconstruction brought about Black Codes and the Ku Klux Klan. It was difficult for the formerly enslaved blacks to adjust to being free around whites and for whites to adjust to being around free blacks.

The Origins Of Barry Farms

The Freedmen’s Bureau was created by Congress in order to help former slaves adjust to society after the abolishment of slavery. The Bureau enlisted Oliver O. Howard as the commissioner whose job was to ensure the well-being of blacks, both free-born and formerly enslaved. Hillsdale was built by Oliver O. Howard whose mission was to advance the rights of blacks. The name originated from the landowner James Barry who was an incorporator of the Washington Canal Company.  After the property was purchased, African Americans squatted on it until arrangements could be made for them to build homes for themselves. Free black people were offered $215 – $300 to buy an acre of land to build a house and $76 for lumber to construct a house from the Freedman Bureau. Slaves wages varied but they received from $100 a year for unskilled work and up to $500 for skilled work. Freedman and refugees of the war worked every day for plantations in and around the District of Columbia and came home in the evenings to build their modest 14 ft x 24ft two-room houses, using the light of bonfires or lanterns candlelight.

The neighborhood was home to activists such as Frederick Douglass Patterson, Garnet C. Wilkinson, and Dr. Georgiana R. Simpson. Many historical accounts do not acknowledge the relationship the Douglass’s have with the resident and often “whitewash” the history. Charles Douglass, the son of Frederick Douglass was a teacher in the community and advocated for the District of Columbia Emancipation Act.  If the Douglass family’s connection to Barry Farm were better known, it’s possible that the future of the community would not now be in jeopardy.

 

The Deterioration of the Site

By 1900 Barry Farm’s original landscape began to be separated for construction. The Alexandria Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad separated the community from Popular Point. Half of its original land was turned into military bases after WW2, which displaced a few of the descendants of the first tenants. The 20th century required a better means of transportation and more modern renovations, which led to many of the original homes being razed. Railroad tracks that had been laid for the construction of the Suitland Parkway, isolated Barry Farm between two traffic arteries: Suitland Parkway and Interstate 295.

Today the District of Columbia government plans to demolish and redevelop the historic site. The District’s Council wants to turn housing, that was at one time affordable, into retail space and market-rate units. These new upscale designs attract new residents while displacing the former tenants. When you observe the urban and modern surroundings of the neighborhood, non-residents view Hillsdale as the eyesore of Ward 8. But the D.C. City Council redevelopment plan, which puts the desires of new residents ahead of the needs of natives and long-term residents, is flawed. The area has been under development for over a decade as part of the New Communities Initiative to renovate dilapidated public housing. The Housing Authority has already begun to demolish the site while leaving residents with the option to relocate until the development is finished or move using a Section 8 voucher.

The citizens have had their fair share of injustice since the construction of the neighborhood. Over the years, the citizens have watched their community decrease in size. Today many health codes are violated on the property. They are often displaced only to later deal with gentrification or lack of affordable housing. Given the current health conditions, residents have experienced so much turmoil that they will fight to continue to live in horrendous conditions. The families of Barry Farms want their neighborhoods remodeled but they do not want to be displaced. The issue and fear are not to stop change, but to make sure that change benefits the people of the neighborhood. Demolishing this site will add fuel to the fire of racism and disregard the preservation of African-American heritage.


The post Barry Farms: The Destruction of a Historic Landmark appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Is It Time to End Stop and Frisk?

Grassroots DC - Thu, 01/03/2019 - 13:45

The Supreme Court ruled in 1968 that police must have objective evidence providing “reasonable suspicion” of criminal activity before they can forcibly stop a citizen, and they must have an independent basis for fearing the person is armed before they frisk him.  Reasonable suspicion is when a police officer believes that an individual has a weapon which poses a danger to the officer, the officer may stop that individual to search or frisk the individual for a weapon.

Reasonable suspicion requires objective evidence.  A reasonable suspicion is not a Black person doing things that a bigot thinks they shouldn’t be doing.  Reasonable suspicion is not an unwillingness to comply with an “unlawful” police order.  The police can’t say, he didn’t want to be searched, and therefore I came to the reasonable conclusion that he probably has a weapon, which allows me to search him against his will.  It’s this kind or circular logic that makes understanding what is and what isn’t a lawful police order difficult to determine.

Anyone, but especially Black people, risks their safety if they refuse to comply with a police order, lawful or not.  So, chances are when a police officer or several police officers stop you in the street, you’ll likely comply. Understanding your rights, as they are laid out in the really excellent video below, can help keep you safe.

If the police behave professionally, they’ll let you know why they’re stopping you.  They should say something like, we’re looking for someone who just robbed the convenience store wearing those same sneakers that you have on.  Or something like that.   In other words, what is the reasonable suspicion they have that you have or intend to commit a crime.  If they don’t give you that information and then they demand that you comply with a physical search or “frisk,” what do you do?

To be sure, if the police do not have reason to believe that an individual is armed, above and beyond their suspicion that they have or might commit a crime, then an order from the police to comply with a frisk is illegal because it violates your constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure.   They can ask you to give up your constitutional rights, but they can’t order you to do it.  At least, they can’t legally order you to give up your constitutional rights.

But it’s just a frisk, right?  The word itself sounds benign enough.  But having a heavily armed stranger ask you to put your arms on a car or a wall and spread your legs while he or she checks your pockets and runs their hands over your body in search of a weapon, isn’t benign.  I don’t want a stranger putting their hand in my pocket, sliding their hand between my buttocks or beneath my breasts, do you?  I certainly wouldn’t want a police officer doing that to any child of mine, as they did to the children in the video below.  The entire encounter is recorded in this Facebook post.

Stop Police Terror Project-DC, one of the many groups within the DC Movement for Black Lives Coalition, has been working to end abusive stop and frisk policies for years.  They have pushed for the passage and funding of the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results (NEAR) Act.  The main goal of the NEAR Act is to reduce violence in the District of Columbia by using a community-based public health approach to violence prevention and intervention instead of perpetuating broken and ineffective “war on drugs”-style methods like stop and frisk.

One of the key provisions of the NEAR Act is data collection.  It mandates that D.C. police officers maintain records on each stop and frisk by filling out 16 data points after each instance, including the race or ethnicity of the individual and reason for the stop.  Despite the fact that the D.C. Council has provided the DC Metropolitan Police Department with $150,000 to ensure that this data collection happens, the police department has to date failed to comply.

81.6 percent of police stops in the District of Columbia between 2010 and 2016 involved Black people.

What we do know from the limited stop-and-frisk data that the police have provided is that from 2010 to 2016, 81.6 percent of police stops involved Black people.   In addition, a report from the Office of Police Complaints, an independent body that reviews and investigates resident complaints, found that 89 percent of use-of-force incidents by police involved a Black individual from Oct. 1, 2016 through Sept. 30, 2017.  Office of Police Complaints numbers are useful, but they can only record those incidents that lead to a civilian complaint.  One has to wonder what the numbers would look like if the DC Metropolitan Police Department were actively compiling them as each incident occurred.

89 percent of use-of-force incidents by police involved a Black individuals from Oct. 1, 2016 through Sept. 30, 2017.

And then there’s the question of the policy’s effectiveness.   According to research done by Stop Police Terror Project-DC, Stop-and-Frisk does not keep people safe and is rapidly becoming the most discredited policing practice in the United States. Studies of the tactic in a wide variety of cities have revealed clear racial bias and extremely low “effectiveness” as the overwhelming majority of people stopped hadn’t committed any crimes. Almost 90% of the 5 million people stopped in New York City since 2002 have been completely innocent. Each of those years, at least 80% of those stops were of Black or Brown people. In Baltimore, police conducted several hundred thousand stops a year from 2010-2015, almost exclusively in lower-income Black neighborhoods.  But only 3.7% of these stops resulted in any sort of criminal citation or arrest.

As a result of the DC Metropolitan Police Department’s failure to comply with the data collection provision of the NEAR Act and because of the ineffectiveness of the policy itself, Stop Police Terror Project-DC,  in conjunction with the ACLU-DC, BLM-DC and other Movement for Black Lives organizations, have launched the No More Stop and Frisk Campaign.

No More Stop-and-Frisk: Panel & Workshop Campaign Launch
Saturday, January 5, 2019
6:30 – 9:30 PM
Anacostia Arts Center
1231 Good Hope Road SE

Originally, Stop and Frisk was meant to interrupt crime.  But because it is so often used illegally, instead of stopping crime it is far more often the only crime being committed during an encounter with the police.  For more information about the No More Stop and Frisk Campaign, contact sptdc@gmail.com


The post Is It Time to End Stop and Frisk? appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Texas Solar Energy News – November Edition

DC Media Group - Tue, 11/27/2018 - 22:17

Latest News Stories About Solar Power In Texas The following article contains important news updates about solar energy in Texas from November 2018. Contact Alba Energy – the leading solar company in Texas – to learn about saving money by powering your home or business with clean, unlimited solar energy. Texas Solar Energy News November 2018 PV Magazine USA: Alba Energy Helps IDEA Public Schools ‘Green’ Their Headquarters In Weslaco, Texas A new solar roof is helping IDEA Public Schools go green and save money in Weslaco. The Pre-K-12 public charter school recently installed a solar project that covers the roof of their educational facility.

Click to learn more about IDEA School’s solar roof in Weslaco. Community Impact:  Georgetown, Texas wins $1 million to capture and store solar energy

Georgetown, the suburb north of Austin that gets all of its energy from renewable sources, was among nine winning cities announced in November under the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2018 Mayors Challenge aimed at tackling climate change and promoting sustainability.

Georgetown will receive $1 million and a huge shot of publicity; it was the only city in Texas among the nine winners.

Contact Alba Energy of Round Rock to get a quote for going solar if you live in Georgetown. Government Technology: Luminant to develop $1M solar battery next to West Texas solar farm

Irving-based Luminant announced in November that Texas environmental regulators awarded the company a $1 million grant to build the state’s largest electricity storage facility of its kind. To be located adjacent to Luminant’s 180-megawatt Upton 2 solar power plant in West Texas, this 10-megawatt battery would be the seventh largest in the U.S., according to Luminant.

Related Reading: The BIGGEST Solar Farms in Texas Houston Chronicle: Sunnova brings SunSafe solar-plus-storage system to Texas

Sunnova Energy Corporation, a Houston-based solar energy company, said in November that it is introducing a solar-plus-storage system that will allow homeowners to store solar energy for use during nighttime. Sunnova’s residential solar-plus-storage system, SunSafe, debuted in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria caused the longest blackout in U.S. history. The service provides a 25-year performance guarantee.

Sunnova is one of Alba Energy’s local finance partners.  Wind Solar Alliance: Renewables reduced wholesale power costs by $5.7 billion in Texas

A recent report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows just how cost-competitive wind and solar are becoming. The modeling found that wind and solar have reduced wholesale power prices by an average of between $1 and $2.50 per megawatt-hour each year from 2010 through 2017, resulting in prices that were between 2.8% and 8.2% lower than they would have been without these resources. Save Money With Solar Panels In Texas!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the premier solar installers in Texas with offices throughout the state. Alba’s services include residential solar for homeowners as well as commercial solar for business owners.

And by the way, Alba’s SMART Solar Financing means you can POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. Request a FREE solar consultation today! Request A Free Solar Quote!

[contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

Alba Energy Locations

Austin  |  Dallas Houston  |  McAllen  | San Antonio

KEEP IN TOUCH

800-238-3112

         

SHOW ME MY SOLAR SAVINGS!

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Customer Interview: Going Solar In Pharr Texas

DC Media Group - Tue, 11/20/2018 - 10:25
Saving With Solar Panels In Pharr, Texas

The following interview was conducted with Ralph F., an Alba Energy residential solar customer from Pharr, Texas. Find out how much lower your power bills could be by requesting a free solar savings analysis from Alba Energy of McAllen today!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live in Pharr, Texas. I was born a town over in McAllen but grew up most of my life in the Pharr area. Once I got married my wife Marti and decided this would be where we would continue to call home.

Why did you decide to switch to solar energy?

We decided to go solar because it just made sense. Our sales representative Trae Sepulveda did a great job selling it as well. We loved the fact that we could own our own electricity. The buyback from Green Mountain if we under-used energy sounded good also. And the one year free electricity promotion was pretty amazing.

How much did you know about solar energy?

I had heard about solar before but I thought it would be too complicated to switch. However, i was wrong. Alba made it very easy. 

Related Reading: How Solar Works

What kind of system did Alba Energy install for your home?

Alba installed a 10.2 kW system on our home with 34 Trina Solar panels. It should give us at least 79% power offset each year.

What made you choose Alba Energy for your solar installation?

The one year free electricity promotion was awesome, and their customer service was even better. They were also the first solar company to contact me from the multiple bids I requested.

What was the process of going solar like?

“The process was simple. Alba provided all the steps and we just did what was needed.”

What was the most difficult part of the solar process for you?

The most difficult part was making the decision. Not knowing is difficult but I’m glad my wife and I made the decision.

What benefits have you seen from going solar?

“The greatest benefit is seeing a consistent power bill every month. And only paying $10-$20 if I happen to over use electricity in a given month.”

What would you say to someone who is skeptical about going solar?

It is less complicated than you think, and Alba makes going solar really simple.

Save Money With Solar Panels In Texas!!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the premier solar installers in Texas with offices throughout the state. Alba’s SMART Solar Financing means you can POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. Request a FREE solar consultation today! Request A Free Solar Quote!

[contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

This Is What Democracy Doesn’t Look Like: Banneker/Shaw Edition

Grassroots DC - Mon, 11/19/2018 - 13:25

Cross-Posted from Education DC
Written by Valerie Jablow

At last week’s November 15 council hearing, on the plan to build a new Banneker high school at the site of the closed Shaw Junior High, dozens of public witnesses testified, advocating for either Banneker or a Shaw middle school of right on the site.

But after more than four hours of their testimony, it took less than 10 minutes for the two government witnesses to outline DC’s newest educational initiative–which would be doing whatever someone in power wants.

The opening 5-minute salvo came during acting DME Paul Kihn’s opening testimony, in which he presented a rationale for not putting a Shaw middle school of right in Shaw–as called for in multiple capital plans as well as the 2014 boundaries study.

Cautioning about “using data” to determine a need for a Shaw middle school, Kihn recited population forecasts from the office of planning as well as current and expected enrollments, the “average boundary participation rate” in DCPS (24%), and available capacity at Cardozo.

After blithely concluding that all that “data” show that there is no need at all for a Shaw middle school of right, Kihn amazingly floated the idea of a citywide middle school at the Shaw site because, uh, no boundaries!

It’s hard to imagine that Kihn really does not know that the lottery works for schools of right as well as for schools of choice.

As it is, boundary participation rates are not indicative of enrollment–as the staff in his own office know very well because by using their own data, I can see that DCPS’s Sousa middle school has a 68% in boundary participation rate–and is underenrolled. While Stuart-Hobson, fully enrolled for the last several decades, has a 25% in boundary participation rate.

Yeah.

The other seminal moment of testimony was this 2-minute clip of interim chancellor Amanda Alexander (who in that role is subordinate to the acting DME).

In it, Alexander responds to a question from education committee chair David Grosso, who asked her to explicate the meetings DCPS held with the Banneker and Shaw communities about the plan to locate Banneker at Shaw. While explaining (eventually) that the decision to locate Banneker at Shaw was made after the feasibility study was completed (August 15, 2018), the interim chancellor stated that the Shaw community was engaged on the subject starting in May 2018.

This sounds good until you realize that the idea of Banneker at Shaw had been raised months before, in February 2018 (see here for all the Banneker modernization plans), when the Banneker feasibility study was undertaken.

But the feasibility study strangely explored only two options: Banneker at its current building and Banneker at Shaw. As thorough as it is in its examination of those options, the study contains nothing about a Shaw middle school in Shaw nor any discussion about other sites for Banneker–or data to justify expanding it to almost twice its current size.

It appears that someone somewhere ruled all of that out well before February 2018–something no official at the hearing ever raised.

The sad truth behind all of this public obfuscation is that Banneker still needs a renovation and an appropriate facility.

More to the point, Banneker’s renovation has been deferred for so long that it falls in the same disturbing pattern of inequity that we have already seen in our city for school resourcing and modernizations. It was that pattern, in fact, that led the council to enact the PACE Act in the first place, to ensure political power was not the driver of modernized, adequate, and safe school spaces.

Yet, instead of focusing on that urgency and the fact that no one in his own office pursued a fulsome feasibility study examining all the “data” for Banneker around the city, the acting DME used his time at the hearing to admonish advocates for a Shaw middle school of right for not being “practical” and “fiscally responsible.”

This was pretty rich, given that later in the hearing the acting DME had no accurate cost estimate whatsoever to share with the council on the new Banneker at Shaw.

And it was also pretty rich given that Kihn spent time talking about how he thought some Shaw residents “feel excluded” from the planning and the importance of public officials not going into public meetings with a “predetermined outcome.”

Now, it is possible that hundreds of people complaining for weeks before the hearing–and testifying in droves during the hearing–about the lack of public engagement in Shaw on this subject suffer from mass hallucination. (See their apparently non-hallucinatory petition here.)

Nonetheless, the fact remains that the acting DME used his time at that hearing to characterize the actual disenfranchisement of actual DC residents in the alteration of an actual plan for an actual school in their own neighborhood as one of mere hurt feelings–and politely promised to do better and engage well going forward.

There were other disturbing notes as well.

For instance, no city leader even mentioned the new Bard high school, whose plan is publicly amorphous: we don’t know what it will be or even where it will be and whether its creation (in conjunction with an expanded Banneker) will necessitate closing one or more DCPS high schools. For all anyone in the public knows, that is the intended outcome of both projects. Data, schmata!

Also, when asked about keeping Banneker at its current building, Alexander noted that the building is “not fit pedagogically” to suit high school students because it was built as a middle school. (Thank goodness no DCPS high school is in, say, a repurposed elementary! Oh, wait.)

Then, when asked if she considered St. Elizabeth’s as a location for a new Banneker, Alexander responded that it would be “disruptive” to the Banneker community, since many of Banneker’s students come from wards 4 and 5.

Having heard public witnesses at the same hearing opine about what they considered the silliness of Shaw parents not wanting their middle school students to travel far from home, I can only think that there is no way that this hearing was ever intended to question the decision made by someone, somewhere, that Banneker will go at Shaw.

After all, only two council members were present for most of the hearing (Grosso, there the entire time, and Ward 6’s Charles Allen for most of it), despite the fact that the Banneker at Shaw proposal is at least roundly estimated to cost $143 million–a significant sum completely outside the planning process that the council itself enacted.

More to the point, Grosso himself supports Banneker locating at Shaw and doesn’t want to pause the plans–in agreement with acting DME Kihn, who noted (without offering evidence–oh, that pesky data again!) that pausing the plan was not in the city’s or community’s interests.

And yet, while Kihn went out of his way to note that many DCPS schools of right have excess capacity, what he didn’t say was that expanding Banneker thusly might not be good for any school, even Banneker itself–and especially at Shaw, where it would be in close proximity to two under-enrolled DCPS high schools of right.

(Data on the effect of creating new schools was not the only thing happily unexamined by those in charge: Charles Allen noted that Kihn’s population analysis in the clip above was the first time he had heard those numbers, and he worried about their veracity.)

In the end, the driving interest of both Kihn and Alexander at that hearing was not doing right by this process or even examining its effect. Rather, their interest was rooted in a decision that had already been made, no matter the consequences. The public, late to the party, was left to fight it out amongst themselves.

(Not coincidentally, I heard neither Kihn nor Alexander mention “rights” with respect to schools–only “access.”)

So here is where we stand:

–No accurate cost analysis for building Banneker at the Shaw site except that it will cost at least $143 million;
–No apparent consideration of other sites for Banneker;
–No plan for a middle school of right for Shaw;
–Misleading data used to discredit a Shaw middle school of right;
–Misleading statements about public engagement on the subject;
–No analysis of the effect of the expansion and/or move of Banneker;
–Complete flaunting of the PACE Act;
–No explanation of what the existing Banneker building would be used for, much less Garnet-Patterson;
–Plenty of people in Shaw attesting to not being engaged whatsoever, while the interim chancellor says they were engaged and the acting DME says they just “feel excluded” and
–Neither David Grosso nor our education leaders wanting to even pause and ask how this fits in with the plan for Bard or a plan for the city at large to invest in its own schools.

Hmm: what was that bit about a “predetermined outcome”?


The post This Is What Democracy Doesn’t Look Like: Banneker/Shaw Edition appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Solar Unveiling Tonight in Weslaco, Texas

DC Media Group - Thu, 11/15/2018 - 06:00
A special flip-the-switch solar unveiling event has been scheduled for Thursday, November 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Local residents and members of the press are invited to join Alba Energy, IDEA Public Schools and Green Mountain Energy as they “flip the switch” to turn the system ‘on’ and begin energizing the school with solar power. 

Who

Public event held by Alba Energy, IDEA Public Schools and Green Mountain Energy Sun Club

What

Solar unveiling and ‘flip-the-switch’ event to turn the solar power system ‘on.’

When

Thursday, November 15th 5:30 – 7:30 PM

Where

IDEA Public Schools Weslaco Branch

2931 E Sugar Cane Dr, Weslaco, TX 78599

Why

To commemorate a 1,000+ solar panel roof recently installed atop the IDEA location in Weslaco. The new solar roof will produce over 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year — the equivalent to nearly 75% of the school’s needs. The system was funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. This is the 6th successful project Alba Energy has completed in partnership with the Sun Club in the past 3 years.

About Alba Energy

Alba Energy is proud to be a leading solar company in Texas, with offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, McAllen, and San Antonio. Alba’s SMART Solar Financing Programs allow you to POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. For more information visit www.albaenergy.com. Request A Free Solar Quote!

[contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

IDEA Public Schools Powers Up on Sunshine with Alba Energy

DC Media Group - Tue, 11/13/2018 - 06:11
Alba Energy Helps IDEA Public Schools ‘Green’ Their Headquarters In Weslaco, Texas

 A new solar roof is helping IDEA Public Schools go green and save money in Weslaco.

The Pre-K-12 public charter school recently installed a solar project that covers the roof of their educational facility.

The solar installation will provide the IDEA Public Schools headquarters with electricity from sunlight and save the company tens of thousands of dollars on power bills.

Alba Energy’s McAllen, Texas office designed and installed a 1,072-panel, 364.48-kilowatt solar array on the rooftop of IDEA Public Schools’ campus in South Texas.

The new solar roof will produce over 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year — the equivalent to nearly 75% of the school’s needs.

The system was funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. This is the 6th successful project Alba Energy has completed in partnership with the Sun Club in the past 3 years.

“In early 2018, Sun Club approved a $100,000 donation towards the installation of a 1,072 panel solar system, saving the school money and reducing its carbon footprint. That’s money that will instead be used to continue providing the high quality educational experience that students at IDEA Public Schools are accustomed to receiving.” – Stacy Mehlhoff, Program and Marketing Manager of the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club

“Alba Energy is honored to be selected as the solar design, engineering, and installation firm for yet another project in partnership with Green Mountain Energy and the Sun Club. This system is one of the largest in the Valley, and will provide IDEA Public Schools with 25+ years of savings and carbon reduction.” – Graeme Walker, Founder and CEO of Alba Energy

A special flip-the-switch solar unveiling event has been scheduled for Thursday, November 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Local residents and members of the press are invited to join Alba Energy, IDEA Public Schools and Green Mountain Energy as they “flip the switch” to turn the system ‘on’ and begin energizing the school with solar power. 

About IDEA Public Schools

IDEA Public Schools  believes that each and every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school with 150 students to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States. Currently, the network serves 45,000 college-bound students in 79 schools across Texas and Louisiana. IDEA has been recognized as a “Great Place to Work” and received national rankings on The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report’s Top High Schools lists. IDEA remains on-track to uphold its legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college.

About Alba Energy

Alba Energy is proud to be a leading solar company in Texas, with offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, McAllen, and San Antonio. Alba’s SMART Solar Financing Programs allow you to POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. For more information visit www.albaenergy.com. Request A Free Solar Quote! [contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

Solar In Your Community – Alamo Solar Farms

DC Media Group - Thu, 11/08/2018 - 10:06

Alamo Solar Farms Produce MASSIVE Amounts Of Clean Energy For San Antonio Electric rates in San Antonio are among the lowest in the nation’s largest U.S. cities. And it’s no coincidence that CPS Energy, the local power utility, ranks first in the state and seventh in the nation for solar generation. CPS recently built out 400 megawatts (MW) of new solar power plants, while solar leasing and community solar power programs in San Antonio are underway to help more people and businesses benefit directly from solar installations. The Alamo Solar Project: San Antonio’s HUGE Solar Power Plant

Map view of San Antonio’s Alamo Solar locations.

Constructed from 2012 to 2016, the Alamo Solar Project will produce approximately 400 MW-ac of clean electricity to serve approximately 90,000 San Antonio, Texas homes in the CPS Energy service territory. Scroll down to learn more about the 7 sites making up the Alamo Solar project.

Alamo 1 – 39.2 MW Solar Power Plant

Aerial view of the Alamo-1 Solar Farm. Image credit: CPS Energy

The 40 MW Alamo-1 solar farm was officially completed in December 2013.  Alamo-1 is made up of 167,680 modules on 2,260 single-axis and 1,932 dual-axis tracker rows, serving approximately 8,820 homes. Alamo 2 – 4.4 MW

View of the Alamo-2 Solar Farm. Image credit: CPS Energy

The 4.4 MW Alamo-2 solar farm was officially completed in March 2014.  Alamo-2 is located northeast of downtown San Antonio on 45 acres of land. It uses  17,920 modules sitting on 448 dual-axis tracker rows. Power for approximately 900 homes.

Alamo 3 – 5.5 MW

View of the Alamo-3 Solar Farm. Image credit: OCI

The 5.5 MW Alamo-3 solar farm was officially completed in January 2015.  Alamo-3 is located on 60 acres of land and uses 21,420 modules on 510 dual-axis trackers. Power for approximately 1,200 homes. Alamo 4 – 39.6 MW

View of the Alamo-4 Solar Farm in Brackettville, Texas. Image credit: OCI

The 39.6 MW Alamo-4 solar farm was officially completed in August 2014.  Alamo-4 is located on 600 acres of land in Brackettville, TX and uses 161,280 modules on 4,032 dual-axis tracker rows. Power for approximately 8,500 homes.

Alamo 5 – 95 MW

View of the Alamo-5 Solar Farm in Uvalde, Texas. Image credit: Mortenson

The 95 MW Alamo-5 solar farm was completed in December 2015.  Alamo-5 is located on 1,000 acres of land in Uvalde, TX and uses 378,000 modules on 9,000 dual-axis trackers. Power for approximately 21,375 homes.

Alamo 6 – 110 MW

View of the Alamo-6 Solar Farm in Iraan, Texas. Image credit: OCI

The 110 MW Alamo-6 solar farm was completed in March 2017.  Alamo-6 is located on 1,250 acres of land in Iraan, TX and uses 438,480 modules on 10,440 dual-axis trackers, the largest dual-axis tracking solar project in the U.S. Power for approximately 24,795 homes. Alamo 7 – 106 MW

View of the Alamo-7 Solar Farm in Haskell, Texas. Image credit: OCI

The 106 MW Alamo-7 solar farm was completed in September 2016.  Alamo-7 is located on 1,230 acres of land in Haskell, TX and uses 423,360 modules on 10,080 dual-axis trackers. Power for approximately 24,000 homes. 

As you can see from above, San Antonians derive a relatively large amount of power needs from solar energy (and you probably never knew it)!

What’s better, CPS Energy is offering one of the best solar rebate programs currently available in Texas – Up to $25,000 in rebates for going solar! Find out how much your CPS Energy Solar Rebate is worth by contacting us below!  Join the solar movement happening in San Antonio, Texas!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the top solar panel installers in San Antonio, Texas. Our in-house team of NABCEP certified solar experts are trained to design beautiful solar energy systems that can produce as much power from the sun as your home requires, and at a cost that will allow you to save money from day one!

With SMART Solar Financing from Alba Energy you can POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. Request a FREE solar consultation today! Request A Free Solar Quote! [contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”] Alba Energy Locations

Austin  |  Dallas Houston  |  McAllen  | San Antonio

KEEP IN TOUCH

800-238-3112

         

SHOW ME MY SOLAR SAVINGS!

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

How Much Power Can A Solar Panel Generate?

DC Media Group - Mon, 11/05/2018 - 16:00

How many solar panels are needed to power a home? Installing solar panels on your roof is a smart decision for both saving money on power bills and contributing toward a clean energy future. The amount of savings you’ll see each month is determined by a few factors, one of which is how much power is generated by each solar panel. Below is a brief explanation of generating power or electricity with solar. Solar Panel Wattage Rating Solar panels are rated based on the amount of power they can generate, expressed in watts (W). Modern solar panels being installed today have power ratings that range from 250 to 350 watts. What this means is that, under ideal circumstances, an average solar panel will produce 250 watts or more for every hour of direct sunlight it receives. You can view Alba Energy’s Portfolio of Solar Panel Installs in Texas to get a better idea of the solar panel wattages that are commonly used today for residential projects. Solar Panel Efficiency Another key factor that plays a role in answering the above question is solar efficiency, or the amount of sunlight that gets converted into electricity. The good news for you is that both wattage and efficiency ratings of solar panels have increased over time, which is great because it means going solar today will produce more power (and savings) versus years ago.

Image credit: Solar Power Rocks

The earliest solar panels that were used back in the 1950’s converted sunlight at around 6% efficiency. Fast forward to today, and solar efficiency ranges from 15% to 22%.

Example of Solar Panels Wattage and Efficiency

Image credit: EnergySage

Solar panels rated at 15% efficiency are compared in the above example. You can see that with higher wattage panels (300W), just 16 300W panels will produce the same amount of power as 20 250W panels.

Other Factors 

There are a few other factors that play a role in determining how much power can be generated by solar panels, like climate, shading, and orientation. You can learn more about the benefits of adding solar panels to your home by reading more Solar Power FAQs below:

Solar Power FAQs: Will The Electricity Meter Run Backwards When I Go Solar?

Solar Power FAQs: Do Solar Panels Work On Cloudy Days?

Solar Power FAQs: Is Going Solar Worth It In Texas?

Solar Power FAQs: What’s The Best Solar Warranty?

Solar Power FAQs: Are Solar Panels Hail Proof?

Solar Power FAQs: Where Do The Batteries Go?

Find out how many solar panels you need to power your house!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the premier solar installers in Texas, with offices across the state. Alba Energy has completed hundreds of solar panel installations on both homes and businesses, helping our customers save thousands of dollars on electricity costs. Thanks to our SMART Solar Finance Programs, there’s a good chance you can install solar panels and pay less for the system than you currently pay for electricity. Your monthly energy savings pays for the system!

Contact your local office to schedule a FREE solar consultation, and a representative will walk you through the available options in your zipcode and help you understand the plan that makes the best financial sense!

Request A Free Solar Quote!

[contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

Alba Energy Locations

Austin  |  Dallas Houston  |  McAllen  | San Antonio

KEEP IN TOUCH

800-238-3112

         

SHOW ME MY SOLAR SAVINGS!

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Texas Solar Energy News – October Edition

DC Media Group - Tue, 10/30/2018 - 09:10

Latest News Stories About Solar Power In Texas The following article contains important news updates about solar energy in Texas from October 2018. Contact Alba Energy – the leading solar company in Texas – to learn about saving money by powering your home or business with clean, unlimited solar energy. Texas Solar Energy News October 2018 PV Magazine USA: Alba Energy unveils SMART Solar PPAs in Texas Austin-based Alba Energy began offering solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Texas in October. Under the company’s new solar option, customers can lock-in 25 years of energy savings with a solar power system owned, operated, and maintained by Alba Energy.

Click to learn more about Alba Energy’s SMART Solar Power Purchase Agreements. Austin Monitor:  Austin Energy proposes new solar farm

According to an article posted on the Austin Monitor, Austin Energy is in the process of negotiating a deal with a developer to build a 144-megawatt solar farm. AE will not yet disclose the location of the proposed site, only saying that it’s in the Austin metro area. The proposed solar farm was submitted to AE in response to a request for proposal from the utility. The RFP did not specify the location or type of renewable energy. If it is approved by City Council, it should be in operation by 2020. San Marcos Corridor News: Austin To Install New Charging Stations For Electric Vehicles

Travis and Williamson counties have 5,313 registered electric vehicles, and the city is planning to accommodate the growing demand by adding 24 new charging stations around town. Both Austin Energy and the city plan to use the new technology of direct current (DC) fast charging stations, which will complete a charge in approximately 20 minutes. Houston Chronicle: Houston needs to lead on solar power, along with oil and gas

Houston’s leaders should embrace the fast-moving development of solar-powered electricity, says Sunnova CEO John Berger, who appeared on a recent panel on the future of electricity at the University of Houston. Solar-related technology is changing rapidly, especially as battery storage improves and smart technology does a better job controlling the flow of power on and off the grid. Solar energy is also less expensive than other fuel sources.

Sunnova is one of Alba Energy’s local finance partners.  Markets Insider: CPS Energy Launches Solar Energy And Battery Storage Project

CPS Energy held a groundbreaking ceremony in October for a new $16.3 million solar and #battery storage project. A 5-megawatt solar farm on 48 acres off West Commerce Street will feed four containers filled with 10 megawatts of lithium-ion batteries to meet local power demand.

The battery storage project is being touted as the first step down CPS Energy’s Flexible Path Plan, which calls for the city-owned utility company to rely less on power generation from fossil fuels and more on renewables, battery storage and other technologies to fill gaps in demand. Save Money With Solar Panels In Texas!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the premier solar installers in Texas with offices throughout the state. Alba’s services include residential solar for homeowners as well as commercial solar for business owners.

And by the way, Alba’s SMART Solar Financing means you can POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. Request a FREE solar consultation today! Request A Free Solar Quote! [contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”] Alba Energy Locations

Austin  |  Dallas Houston  |  McAllen  | San Antonio

KEEP IN TOUCH

800-238-3112

         

SHOW ME MY SOLAR SAVINGS!

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Screening and Discussion of BackBurner Dreams

Grassroots DC - Mon, 10/29/2018 - 15:57


https://www.tickettailor.com/events/socialconsciencepbc/195469

Over 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson ushered a bold proclamation in The Declaration of Independence when he wrote :

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equally that they are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

History has revealed that by “all” the Founding Founder meant only white, mostly-land-owning, and mostly Western-Europeans. Yet despite the erasure of legal rights to minorities, Blacks, Native Americans, and the Third World Majority, America has served as ground zero for the fight these marginalized groups’ wage to squarely place themselves as innately possessing those inalienable rights that the Founding Founders heralded as so hallowed.

The undergirding question of “Who deservers to pursue happiness”, is one that is explored in the 2006 critically acclaimed film The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith, as Chris Gardner – a father who although down on his luck is able to overcome his situation through grit, determination and exceptional skill. While a poignant and beautifully cinematic piece, the movie narrowly defines those who are worthy of pursuing and achieving their dreams.

In the beginning of the movie, Chris Gardner’s inability to financially provide, is rectified by his partner Lydia’s diligence. Lydia is the one that takes the double shift when money is tight, and she is the one that misses work to fulfill her parental duties when Gardner is unable to pick up their child Chris Jr.

The movie intimates that only the exceptional and those who can afford to have their lives supported by the others are allowed to pursue their dreams. Everyone else is expected to forfeit their own dreams to bear the brunt of the socio-economic burdens placed on them. Far too often, those burdens are placed squarely on the shoulders of women.

In her new documentary, Brenda Hayes sheds light on this silent societal erasure of marginalized women, by posing the following questions: What would it mean if three women, of color, three mothers, began to pursue the dreams that once invigorated them in their youth? What would it mean if they took hold of their birthright, and started to feed the dreams that fuel their souls. Through her 39-minute documentary, Hayes touches on the intersection of mental health, white vs black feminism, income inequality, and societal status.

As groups like Black Lives Matter, lay siege to the  systems and structures that insure that the bodies of Black and Brown peoples are not entitled to the same life and liberty as the “all” in Jefferson’s proclamation, artist-activists like Brenda Hayes, challenge the preconceptions of exactly “who” is entitled to pursue their own happiness through the pursuit of their dreams.  Ms. Hayes film posits that all people (including the often missed women of color and caretakers) should be entitled to their dreams and the pursuit of those dreams. According to Ms.Hayes, the purpose of her film is to, “encourage the audience to reflect and be inspired. To empower women to reflect and act and to examine the challenges with which we are faced.”

On November 3rd, Social Conscience PBC  will host a screening of Backburner Dreams where these issues will be further explored and discussed. A panel discussion with the director and members of the community will occur after the screening. To purchase tickets visit : https://www.tickettailor.com/events/socialconsciencepbc/195469

For questions, please email : events@sconscience.org.


The post Screening and Discussion of BackBurner Dreams appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Denton Texas Solar Rebate Program

DC Media Group - Fri, 10/26/2018 - 13:36

Earn Rebates for Going Solar in Denton, Texas – Up to $30,000 Dollars!

ACT FAST – City of Denton offers up to $30,000 rebate for going solar for a very limited time!

Denton Municipal Electric (DME) is paying local homeowners to install solar panels under their 2018 distributed generation program. Effective October 1, 2018, DME’s Solar Incentive has changed from being a flat rebate to a tiered rebate. Funding was increased to $500,000. Scroll down to learn more about rebates for going solar in Denton.

Request a FREE online analysis of how much money you could save with solar power in Denton!

[contact-form-7 id=”10123″ title=”Leads Contact Form 7 – Blog”]

Solar Panel Rebates in Denton, Texas – Top 5 Things To Know

 

  • Energy created from solar panels is energy that electric utilities do not have to create from their own power plants. Installing solar panels on your home helps you lower power bills, save money, benefit the environment, and also helps the utility during “peak demand” periods.
  • Denton, Texas homeowners in the DME service territory can receive up to $30,000 dollars worth of rebates toward the cost of installing solar panels on a residence. A rebate is available for residential customers in Denton who install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their homes.
  • Effective October 2018, a tiered rebate program is now in effect, with separate tiers for systems with and without energy storage (batteries). See below for incentive levels.
  • This rebate program is limited to $500,000 in total funding. Rebates WILL run out, so ACT FAST to secure yours before then!
  • Homeowners must use an approved solar contractor (like Alba Energy of Dallas).

Going Solar in Denton, Texas – How It Works

Under Denton Municipal ’s program residential customers are billed for their whole house energy consumption at standard residential rates and then credited for any excess solar energy sent back into the grid. In the diagram below (1) is solar panel absorption of sunlight in AC energy form. (2) an inverter changes the AC energy into DC form. (3) solar energy is sent into the home for immediate use when needed. any unused or excess solar energy goes through the power meter (4) where it is credited to your account and put into (5) the local power grid. 

Tiered Rebates for Denton Energy’s Solar Panel Incentive

The rebate is tiered, so the final dollar amount will depend on how large of a system you install:

For Solar ONLY Installs (No Batteries) The Rebate Is As Follows:
3.0 kW to 5.0 kW 80¢ per AC Watt 

5.1 kW to 10.0 kW 60¢ per AC Watt 

Above 10.1 kW 40¢ per AC Watt 

For Solar with Battery Storage:

3.0 kW to 5.0 kW $1.20 per AC Watt

5.1 kW to 10.0 kW 90¢ per AC Watt

Above 10.1 kW 60¢ per AC Watt

All incentives are to be an amount up to $30,000, not to exceed 50% of total project cost.

Solar Rebate Example:

5 kW system size or 5,000 watts

$0.80 x 5,000 watts = $4,000 eligible rebate. *Note there is also a 30% Federal Tax Credit available on all solar panel installations through 12/31/2019.

SMART Solar Financing Available In Denton, Texas

With SMART Solar Financing from Alba Energy, going solar on your home is affordable for everyone, allowing you to save money INSTANTLY! That is, the cost of your new power bill + the monthly solar finance cost could be less than your current power bill! It’s a no-brainer! Installing solar panels in Denton, Texas lets you take ownership of your energy supply and costs. Let one of Alba Energy’s 5-star solar professionals show you how to save money with a solar panel installation. Contact Alba Energy of Dallas to request a free consultation about going solar TODAY! Alba Energy Locations

Austin  |  Dallas Houston  |  McAllen  | San Antonio

KEEP IN TOUCH

800-238-3112

         

SHOW ME MY SOLAR SAVINGS!

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Screening and Discussion of Incompatible Allies: BLM, March 4 Our Lives and the US Debate about Guns and Violence

Grassroots DC - Tue, 10/16/2018 - 08:13
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America present a film screening and discussion of the documentary Incompatible Allies: Black Lives Matter, March 4 Our Lives
Sunday, October 21
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church
301 A Street SE
Washington, DC 20003

In response to the enthusiasm generated by the March For Our Lives, the largest anti-gun violence demonstration in the nation’s history, Grassroots Media DC, produced a documentary that features Black student activists in the District of Columbia.  Working in conjunction with Black Lives Matter-DC, our aim was to capture the experiences Black youth have with gun violence and their perspectives on gun violence prevention and community safety.  The result was Incompatible Allies:  Black Lives Matter, March for Our Lives and the US Debate about Guns and Violence.  Below is the trailer.

The documentary includes interviews with students from schools across the District. The video offers a perspective often excluded from national conversations about gun control, highlighting the ways that violence in white communities is often seen as a national crisis, while violence in African-American communities is often ignored.

“I became frustrated with the fact that national attention and money was being thrown at white students, while black students – who experience gun violence at far higher rates – were being ignored and left out of the conversation,” said Dornethia Taylor, a Core Organizer with Black Lives Matter who conceived of the video project. “When I heard the March for Our Lives was coming to DC, without engaging with the ways that gun violence affects black folks in our city, I decided to get local black young people together to share their stories. This video project is the result.”

Students in the video speak to a variety of differences between the dominant narrative around gun control, and the lived experiences of Black students. “As a community disproportionately targeted by police, we are very skeptical of calls for increased funding for police in schools,” Taylor added. “Further, guns have poured into our communities unregulated for decades. Piecemeal approaches to gun control that don’t address root causes of violence will not make us safer.”

After the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the students from Parkland, Florida immediately became media darlings and hailed as the only force strong enough to move the United States to adopt gun reform.  To their credit, the Parkland students organized the largest anti-gun violence demonstration in the history of the nation.  Recognizing that media bias gave them a platform while others with similar goals were largely ignored, they invited young Black and Brown activists to share the stage with them.

But is the gun reform that the Parkland students call for in line with the demands of the Black Lives Matter Movement, with whom they claim to have an affinity?  Will March for Our Lives last beyond the mid-term elections?  What can Black Lives Matter activists teach the Parkland students and the vast numbers inspired by them about organizing and sustaining a movement.  Perhaps more to the point, should they even bother?

If the momentum behind the March For Our Lives turns out to be fleeting, where should those who are committed to ending gun violence direct their efforts? This documentary attempts to answer that question. At the very least, we hope to deepen the conversation about gun control, gun violence and violence in general within those communities who choose to screen the documentary.

For information about obtaining a DVD of the full documentary and/or scheduling a screening within the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area, please contact liane@grassrootsdc.org.


The post Screening and Discussion of Incompatible Allies: BLM, March 4 Our Lives and the US Debate about Guns and Violence appeared first on Grassroots DC.

How Colorism Subjugates Dark Skin Women Part 3

Grassroots DC - Fri, 10/12/2018 - 12:33
The Beauty Industry Marginalizing People of Color

Make-up is a huge aspect when dealing with colorism. Cosmetics are used as a mechanism to cover up dark spots. For dark-skinned individuals we are considered a dark spot. No matter your heritage there are issues with skin complexion.

When I was younger I used make-up as a highlighter and cover-up.   I used to wear make-up all the time but it became hard because I could not find one for my tone and always had to mix them. Most beauty stores in predominantly black neighborhoods have only selective shades of foundation that are aimed at those of a lighter complexion.

I did not feel pretty or acceptable without makeup. At one point I actually debated bleaching my skin when one of my schoolmates referred to me as a “dirty Jamaican.” Fenty Beauty by Rihanna has gotten so many praises and consistently sells out due to its range of foundation.  Her line is a make-up success for dark-skin girls and those with albinism. Many make-up companies do not offer varieties for darker complexions as they have centered around light-skinned women for so long. These companies buy large quantities of supplies in order to produce an abundance of supplies pertaining to its lighter skinned demographic. So despite being generally ignored or marginalized by mainstream magazines, black women spend billions of dollars on cosmetics, desperately searching for something that works.

Beauty expert Al-Nis Ward explains why there is such a variety shortage. According to Ward, “the only difference between a lighter shade and a darker shade is the ratio of pigmentation. All foundations contain the same four pigments.”   

This understanding is used to explain the main variations of “beige” foundation. According to Tasha Reiko Brown, a makeup artist in New York, there is no need for a variety of foundations; the real problem is the amount of blush used.  However, this does not make sense.  Foundation is a skin-colored application used to even out your skin tone, blur pores, hide imperfections and make your skin appear smoother.  Blush, on the other hand, is a cosmetic for coloring cheeks in a variety of shades. A body-painting cosmetic should have color variety since it is skin-color based. The use of color applied to your cheeks should not affect a beauty tool that is supposed to blend with your natural complexion. These foundations always appear too light or do not cover undertones.

Tasha also looks at the use of blush rather than foundation. She states that to pick the right foundation you should consider undertone, shade range and then the correct texture for skin tone. Blush is seen as lipstick that is a pretty color that becomes lighter on deeper skin tones that are more pigmented.  It is an issue when you have to buy multiple colors in order to make the perfect blend or when you must bring your own set of makeup while those of lighter skin do not.

African-American women spend $7.5 billion annually on beauty products, but shell out 80 percent more money on cosmetics and twice as much on skin care products than the general market, according to the research. This trial and error generates billions of dollars instead of marginalizing make-up for darker-skinned complexion. Black consumers define mainstream culture. According to the Atlantic, Black buying power is projected to reach $1.2 trillion this year and $1.4 trillion by 2020, according to a report from the University of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth. 24.3 million Black women are trendsetters and brand loyalists who play a vital role in influencing mainstream culture in fashion, beauty, television, music and civic engagement for women of all races. Realizing the large demographic dark-skinned individuals consist of questions why this market is ignored. This is when the issue becomes more than skin deep. Victims of colorism feel the need to cover up dark spots with three different types of foundation, they feel the need to sexualize themselves in order to appeal.

The Effects of Dating while being Dark-Skinned

As a victim of colorism, I realized that people of my own race and color prefer lighter variations of me. The borderline is when your personal preference is used to discriminate against another’s preference and glorify your own.

The other issue was finding a partner. Dating is hard because there is so many characteristics people want in their ideal partner. Comments about how individuals only date those of light complexion are a regular occurrence. These comments come from men or women and are often my complexion if not darker.  All this made me understand that there is a limit to my beauty and for me to not revert back to that dark place, I should just become ok with it.

An example is that my ideal partner is a woman with dreadlocks. This is my ideal type but I will not discriminate partners based on that preference. Meaning I don’t only date people with “locks” but I instead connect with a person. This level of singling out is a mild example of the self-hate that exists in every community. In India a bride refused to marry a groom because of his dark complexion. They also lighten the complexion of the bride in the marriage propasal ads. Pamela Bennett, an assistant professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, found that multiracial people — such as Black-White, Asian-White or Native American-White — fall between Blacks and Whites in the American social hierarchy. Aesha Adams Roberts gives research that economists explored how dark skin has been associated with being poor, evil, ratchet or ugly and how this consequently has impacted whether or not someone is seen as attractive and therefore, valuable as a life partner. The realization of being a particular color makes you seen or looked at a certain type of way.

My dealings with this turned into my outlet for writing. My pain and frustration made me see myself as just a voice. I never wanted to be picked on or the center of attention but I wanted people to hear what I had to say. Over the years, my voice grew stronger along with my desire to be heard. To have people of your nationality or origin discriminate against you hurts; Especially when they are your shade or darker. You just have to expect it.

Not everyone is strong enough to handle these insults and strive. Many struggle with insecurities, commit suicide, feel the need to date outside their race as they are not accepted or don’t strive because they feel being the center of attention made them be ridiculed. Dr. Richard H. Seiden, professor of behavioral sciences at the University of California’s School of Public Health in Berkeley, states, “Blacks suicide is often a sign of the inner anger caused by the troubles of life, such as racism, that can take their toll – by suicide or even homicide.” In these same neighborhoods lies diversity that continues to cause ripples in today’s society.


The post How Colorism Subjugates Dark Skin Women Part 3 appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Remembering Standing Rock and Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Grassroots DC - Tue, 10/09/2018 - 11:44

About 525 years ago, Christopher Columbus brought white supremacy to the islands of the Caribbean.  It wouldn’t be long before it made its way to Turtle Island (aka North America) where it soon became the law of the land.  This extended the European tradition of enshrining every human right and beyond to white men who own property (and by property I mean land, people, wives, children, etc.) while denying those rights and privileges to everyone else.  End result, the worst and yet least talked about genocide in human history. Despite this, or perhaps perversely because of this, President Franklin Roosevelt designated the second Monday of October Christopher Columbus Day in 1937.

Fast forward to 2016 and the United States elects a president that completely embodies the principles of white supremacy that Columbus unleashed on the indigenous people of the Americas.  So, no surprise that the Treaty of Fort Laramie that the Sioux rely on to protect their reservation is being ignored by Energy Transfer Partners as they build the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline a stone’s through from their water supply.

While the electoral college has helped to keep the philosophical descendants of Columbus in power, the descendants of all those others tended to side with the Sioux.   In an effort to stop construction of the pipeline, Sioux Water Protectors, along with many Native Nations and non-Native allies staged months of continuous protest at the Standing Rock Reservation.  The pipeline might have been stopped had we elected someone other than Donald Trump.  On the other hand, maybe not.  President Sanders would have either halted construction or routed it away from the Missouri River, but President Clinton?

If elected officials consistently put the desires of corporations over the needs of their constituents, does that make them philosophical descendants of Christopher Columbus?  His atrocities were committed to enrich the Spanish crown?  The most that non-aristocrats could hope for was that some of that wealth would trickle down to them.  Shaking the legacy of Columbus and the white supremacists who followed him is the job of a lifetime not a single campaign.  No one knows that better than the indigenous people of the Americas.

So, we should not be surprised that the Sioux Nation not only continues to fight to protect their water, they also continue to fight for the many things they need on the reservation.  But they’re not just fighting to insure that their water doesn’t end up contaminated, they also continue to fight for the many things they need on the reservation.  The tenacity of the Sioux Nation, and indeed all of the Indigenous nations who survived the genocide following Columbus’ arrival, provide us all with excellent lessons in tenacity.  Those who are new to the fight against white supremacy should take heed.

The video below of the 2016 Columbus Day demonstration by the DC Standing Rock Coalition is a reminder that victories can be won on many levels.


The post Remembering Standing Rock and Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Fare Evasion Decriminalization

Grassroots DC - Fri, 09/28/2018 - 13:50
Fare evasion: the act of riding on public transport and avoiding payment for the required ticket of travel.

In July 2017, the Fare Evasion Decriminalization Act of 2017 was presented to the D.C. Council.  If passed, this act would make fare-dodging a civil act instead of a criminal act. The punishable fine would be no more than $100. The bill removes criminal penalties for fare evasion that currently subject violators to fines of up to $300, arrest, and imprisonment for up to 10 days.

Fare-dodging makes up 50% of all arrests in the metro system over a fare that could be as low as $2. Nearly 40 percent of the city’s commuters take some form of public transit. Many D.C. residents lack basic economic security and have been pushed away from jobs and schools; the increase in fares makes it harder for them to get to work.

The Save our System Coalition, a transit Union-funded activist group, is supporting Fare Evasion Decriminalization. Save Our System disputed WMATA’s characterization of fare evasion arrests, arguing that these policies disproportionately target low-income people of color.  Progressive activists and all but 4 D.C. council members state that the policy has a disproportionate racial impact. Studies show people of color are stopped more often than their white counterparts. Metro Police targeted metro stops heavily used by youth of color.  Fifteen percent of all stops in or around Gallery Place and 14% in or around the Anacostia station. Decriminalization will end this type of discriminatory action.

D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6)  even pointed out this racial discrimination as he himself stated being a white man in a business suit and avoiding to pay his fare has caused no penalties or discrimination.  “I  can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve tapped my card and it gave me the beep that said my balance had dropped below what the fare was,” said Allen, a daily bus rider. “And the driver just said, ‘Just fill it up when you get to the station.’ ” “I’ve never once thought, ‘I’m going to actually get a citation or have a criminal record for riding the bus,’ ” he said.

Another issue is homeless youth and their commute to school. Approximately one in every 24 students attending DC public schools and public charter schools is identified as homeless. The main barrier for homeless youth obtaining an education is transportation, which is important because if there isn’t a way to get to school then it becomes difficult to have an education.  Students between the ages 5-21 are offered free public transportation with a D.C. one card. If these students lose their cards then they do not have a reliable way to get to school unless they evade the fare. This moment can potentially result in a criminal record. The proceeds of such arrests go to the city where the incident took place and not to Metro. Since Metro is not being funded by such incidents, the argument about the amount of force necessary to make sure a payment is made is not persuasive.

Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld states people across demographic boundaries feel a sense of injustice that some people flout the rules and ride free, while others pay.  “It’s a fairness issue, across the entire community,” Wiedefeld said. “You have people in those same communities that they’re concerned about being targeted, who are paying their fares. And I think it’s right that everybody pay their fare.” Wiedefeld made a good point but ignored the bigger picture. Citations and arrests for fare jumping can severely impact low-income individuals and neighborhoods of color. No one knows another person’s financial situation but they may be dependent on the “free” bus trip for sanctuary. If all fare’s were free then the argument regarding how many individuals pay their fare would not matter.

WMATA’s recently completed Capital Needs Inventory (CNI) provides extensive detail of their infrastructure needs and the associated costs, which total approximately $25 billion, $15.5 billion of which are related to the safety and reliability of the system. Metro wants additional funding of $500 million each year that can be leveraged or used to issue bonds of high credit.

The D.C. Council has already raised the tax on ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. As reported by Faiz Siddiqui, of Washington Post, the goal being to raise 178.5 million in new funding for metro.    

Public transportation is free in Belgium, Thailand, Estonia, Brazil, Poland, Miami, Baltimore, Boston, etc.  As a public necessity, some believe it should be free in the District of Columbia as well. 

 

The District of Columbia is an expensive city to live in. The cost of living is ranked 21 out of 538 cities in the world.  The average salary is $71,081 but the cost of living is 39.3% higher than the national average.  Therefore, a D.C. resident needs to earn $80,273 to live comfortably.  Financial struggles over transportation add another burden on commutes to work or school. 

If public transportation were free then the economy will save money on gas, reduce asthma and other illnesses linked to automobile generated pollution.  If there were more travel options to urban areas it would generate more efficient labor markets and a rise in business opportunities by making it easier for poor people to get to jobs.  

In order for public transportation to be free we would need a systematic plan.  Erik Olin Wright, a professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin has one.  According to Wright, the key is to scale an already-subsidized industry with select free-fare groups into a system-wide program free to all.  “Of course public transportation has to be paid for,” writes Wright, “but it should not be paid for through the purchase of tickets by individual riders—it should be paid for by society as a whole through the one mechanism we have available for this, taxation.”  Public transportation shouldn’t be looked at just from an angle of reducing traffic and emissions. The right to public transit should not be seen as a behavioral mechanism, but instead a right available for all citizens.

 


The post Fare Evasion Decriminalization appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Black Activists Organize Counter-Protest to White Nationalist Presence In DC

Grassroots DC - Fri, 09/28/2018 - 12:50

During the summer of 2018, the National Park Service approved an application for a group of white nationalists who planned to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Led by prominent white supremacist Jason Kessler, lead organizer of the original Unite The Right rally, the gathering, known as Unite The Right 2, took place in Washington, DC. Starting the march from the Foggy Bottom Metro station, participants eventually made their way to Lafayette Square, the park across the street from the White House.

In outrage, a number of community members and activists banded together to organize a counter-protest of the far-right demonstration. With Black Lives Matter DC as the lead organizers, the Rise Up Fight Back Counter-Protest took place alongside the Unite The Right 2 rally.

With DC-based Black activists such as Black Lives Matter DC’s Makia Green,  Institute for Policy Studies Fellow Khury Peterson-Smith and Reverend Graylan Hagler from the Plymouth Congregational Church taking the stage to speak on the importance of community involvement and grass-tops accountability.

 


The post Black Activists Organize Counter-Protest to White Nationalist Presence In DC appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Huge Win For Congress Heights Tenants!

Grassroots DC - Wed, 09/26/2018 - 11:53

A story we’ve been covering about tenants in Congress Heights who have been rallying against slum conditions in their apartment untis for the past five years received a huge win in their campaign this past July when Judge John Mott ordered CityPartners, a real estate firm based in Adams Morgan, to pay nearly $900,000 to finance repairs to the dilapidated buildings.

Read the full article of the win on CityPaper here, and to receive more information about how to support their campaign follow Justice First’s newsletter here.


The post Huge Win For Congress Heights Tenants! appeared first on Grassroots DC.

Pages