Taking the Green Jobs Movement to the Next Level

Alli Chagi-Starr, Business Partners & Events Manager, writes about Green For All's role in the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference next week.

On Feb 4-6th, Green For All will participate in a national conference, Good Jobs, Green Jobs in Washington DC. This historic gathering will bring together leaders from labor, environment, workforce development, student groups, the policy sectors, community advocates, green businesses, government, and more.

The conference is almost sold out as of today, with over 2000 people registered. Green For All is honored to play a key role at the gathering by contributing our own track. The Green For All track, we have just learned is also sold out, and features a plenary with Van Jones; Teamster Robert Morales; Steelworker Fred Redmond; and Honor the Earth's Winona LaDuke. We are also offering four workshops covering the following topics: apprenticeship programs with models that work; how to make green jobs cool for young people; pathways for the formerly incarcerated; and climate equity opportunities and challenges.

In our commitment to making sure that all voices are represented in this movement, Green For All and our supporters, have created a scholarship fund for those of modest means to attend. Dozens of young and older leaders working to make big changes in disadvantaged communities from Oakland, CA to Atlanta, GA will be joining us to learn and lend their expertise. 15 of our staff and 30 Green For All Academy Fellows will also participate. And through our outreach efforts more than 100 others from our networks will be coming to DC for the Green For All track.

Green For All will be hosting a reception for business leaders with Van Jones and Senior Business Strategist, Melissa Bradley Burns. We have also put together a reception for our Academy Fellows and a separate training night to prepare them to participate in Green For All's lobby day. In our mission to bring culture and creativity to the movement, we are producing a Hip Hop show for the over 400 high schoolers who are coming, and will present the DC Labor Chorus to open up our plenary.

At the end of next month we will be joining our friends at PowerShift 09, a climate gathering of over 10,000 youth and students. 2008 was a heady year for our little organization-that-could, going from 3 to 30 staff in a matter of months. 2009 is starting off with a bang, and will really make an impact for our communities at all levels of our society. We look forward to being with you for the ride!