This year’s gathering at The Original Collard Greens Cultural Festival was nothing short of amazing! Our community came together to celebrate our African American roots through food, culture, wellness, and sustainability. From enjoying traditional Southern collard greens to experiencing the unexpected delight of collard green ice cream, there was something for everyone to enjoy! Meanwhile, at the Sustainability Pavilion, we learned, laughed, and celebrated all things Black an

A recap from the Black Sustainability, Inc. team! How We Showed Up at Atlanta Climate Week! The first-ever Atlanta Climate Week was an AMAZING WEEK for All Things Black AND Green!!! We spent the week with community-based organizations, local leaders and longtime friends of the work. We also met plenty of new faces. Our conversations reached from Fulton County to DeKalb County and all the way to Ghana, West Africa. We left with stronger relationships, new opportunities and a l

This map of U.S. rivers and streams are showing the areas contaminated with harmful levels of the pesticide atrazine. This hormone-disrupting, cancer-linked chemical is the United States’ most widespread pesticide water pollutant. Its so dangerous its been banned in more than 60 countries. Yet, the EPA wants to reapprove its use — without legally required water-quality standards — for another TWENTY YEARS Join the Center for Biodiversity petition to make the Trump administrat

Connecting ancestral farming wisdom with modern agricultural support should be accessible, and community-centered. The AfroEcology Lunch and Learn Technical Assistance Series are designed as interactive, learning sessions, bringing together urban growers, farmers, cooperatives, and community advocates to demystify federal conservation resources, streamline application processes, and build land resilience. What Is the Lunch and Learn Series About? Navigating government assista

At the intersection of ancestral stewardship, ecological science, and community empowerment lies a powerful movement, one that is reshaping how we care for the land and our community. The recent AfroEcology Intensive Program brought together a passionate cohort of land stewards, educators, and community leaders dedicated to deepening their knowledge of sustainable agriculture and conservation practice standards. More than just a training series, this intensive served as a spa

Every day, millions of people step onto a train or a bus without thinking about who decided where it would go, who it would serve, or who would be left waiting at the curb. Dr. Beverly Scott has spent forty years thinking about exactly that. As the former CEO and General Manager of four of the nation's major transit systems (Boston's MBTA, Sacramento Regional Transit, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, and our own MARTA here in Atlanta), Dr. Scott has held the levers

ATLANTA, GA — Black Sustainability, Inc. (BSI) will join Atlanta's FIRST Climate Week, running October 10-15, 2026. How do culture, climate, and artificial intelligence shape the futures we’re building? We invite Atlanta Climate Week attendees to join Black Sustainability on October 14 at 10:00am for a virtual conversation about AfroEcology and why the climate issue is cultural. 2030 is not just a year — it’s a climate deadline. ​Together, we’ll explore the critical need for

Some people find their calling early. Cosco Jones found his at age three, building with Legos and sketching houses in a neighborhood that was often overlooked but never short on potential. That early fascination with building things and helping people never left him, it just grew up alongside him into a career built on energy justice, sustainable building science, and making sure low-income communities aren't left paying the price for inefficient homes. Jones's path toward su

This fall, Black Sustainability, Inc. is doubling down on hands-on land education. Whether you've got two hours over lunch or three full days to invest, there's a way to step deeper into AfroIndigenous and NRCS-rooted land practices this season. Here's everything coming up, and why it matters. Why These Trainings Are Needed Black and Afro-Indigenous growers have carried land wisdom for generations, but access to the technical resources, certifications, and funding pathways th

Discover how ancestral knowledge, hands-on seed saving, and community advocacy come together to advance AfroIndigenous farming. Seed saving with intention and purpose!

This month we're shining our spotlight on Sister Barbara LaRonde, cannabis consultant and educator, community activist, entertainment manager and producer, radio personality, and one of the most persistent voices behind the Virgin Islands' hemp and cannabis movement. Her mission is simple to state and hard to execute: make sure local people aren't shut out of an industry that's about to change the territory's economy. Sister B spent a decade campaigning for the legislation th

August 8, 2026 By Anaya Martin The day began beneath soft clouds, with a gentle breeze whispering through the trees. There was no sign of rain in the forecast or in the sky. It felt like the perfect morning to gather outdoors, slow down, and reconnect with nature. Our event began with a screening of MAMA’S SICK, the latest film from Anaya the EcoArtist. This short experimental film shines a light on the unnecessary destruction of trees along Georgia’s highway exits and the im

There are moments when the work you've been quietly building suddenly steps into the spotlight. For Black Sustainability, Inc., this is one of them. Our CoFounder and Executive Director Raina Turner-Greenlea, has just been confirmed to sit on the Board of the Georgia Solar Energy Association (GA Solar), a recognition of years spent championing equitable access to the green economy in Atlanta and beyond. It's a milestone that carries weight far past a title. It signals that t

July 27, 2026 Atlanta, GA Picture a room full of Atlanta residents on graduation day, not in caps and gowns, but in the safety vests and hard hats they've spent weeks learning to wear on real job sites. They've spent evenings and weekends studying panel wattage and racking systems, sitting through First Aid/CPR/AED + OSHA 10 certification, and picturing what a solar career could look like for their families. On July 31, this room will fill again -- for the second time! The Co

Zieair Clinton isn't waiting for permission to build something big. At 22, he's already a co-owner, an independent contractor, and now a solar trainee and he sees all three as pieces of the same long game. Born and raised on Atlanta's Westside, Zieair co-owns Sweet Sol, a cooperative that makes and sells hot sauce, and works as an independent contractor with Eco-PARADIGM. Music, community, and pushing past his comfort zone are what drive him and it was Eco-PARADIGM that firs

For JoAnna M. Powell, solar training is the newest tool in a toolbox she's been building for years on Atlanta's Westside. A native Atlanta resident and proud resident of "the BEST side, the Westside," JoAnna serves as President of the Lincoln Homes Neighborhood Association and Program Manager for NPU-G. Her life's work centers on environmental stewardship, equitable community development, and building the kind of long-term neighborhood resilience that means families never hav

Kenneth Stewart isn't waiting for the clean energy boom to arrive in the South. He's training to build it! A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Stewart has had a career that took him north for awhile before returning to Georgia with his family. After attending a few Black Sustainability programs and events, he learned of this solar opportunity and he applied. He joined our GRID Alternatives training with a resume built on sales, marketing, and customer service, not solar panels

We recently wrapped up our virtual learning series on AfroIndigenous Farming and NRCS Practices which concluded on July 16. This series was an incredible opportunity to connect ancestral agricultural wisdom with modern conservation programs. Over the course of the sessions we explored how traditional land care matches up with formal federal conservation standards. The goal was to give growers the knowledge needed to access resources while staying true to ecological traditions

July 17-18, 2026 Atlanta, GA This past Saturday was a fantastic experience for our team. We were honored to participate in the 4th Annual Southeast Environmental Justice Summit held at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. It was a privilege to co-host the WERiSE Workshop as a featured part of this year's summit. The workshop focused heavily on the power of community led solutions for environmental justice. During the session, critical topics like home weatherization, showing how energ

Our core team recently wrapped up an incredible trip to the USVI and St. Croix was one of our stops. This visit was deeply personal for us, having a direct connection to the island makes the work mean so much more. We traveled to the US Virgin Islands with a clear mission: to see the current state of local farming, share information on NRCS practices and resources, talk about how to get more value out of native fruits and vegetables, and build partnerships that help the commu