Contact: Alyssa Cocchi
[email protected]
202-828-0940

OAKLAND – Today, Green For All released a new music video, “Ima Push” by Pocono, Pennsylvania-based hip-hop artist Gallo. The song is about resilience, and the video is dedicated to the survivors of recent disasters like the tornadoes in Oklahoma, storms in the Midwest, Superstorm Sandy, and wildfires in California and Colorado. “Ima Push” is the winner of Green For All’s 2013 Dream Reborn Song Competition.

“The song is about when you’re down to that last piece of energy you’ve got, and you reach deep inside and decide to keep going hard,” Gallo explained.

“Every day, more Americans are having to dig deep and find the strength to keep going,” said Green For All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins. “It’s not just disaster survivors. It’s all the folks feeling squeezed by shrinking paychecks, scarce jobs, health problems, and poverty. Our vision is of a world in which all of our neighborhoods are safe, healthy, and prosperous. And the green economy offers the best path to get there.”

Green For All is working to promote community resilience by expanding investment in green infrastructure, which minimizes the damage from floods and storms and, creates jobs. By promoting wind, solar, and energy efficiency, the organization is fighting back against climate change and protecting vulnerable communities from pollution-related health problems like asthma.

“As some leaders pretend like climate change isn’t real, those of us working for a healthier planet are having to dig deep, too,” Ellis-Lamkins said. “While President Obama’s recent climate plan includes real and effective solutions that will help fight climate change, we have to fight harder than ever to make sure that those most vulnerable are out of harm’s way. We have to push.”

To watch the “Ima Push” music video, click HERE.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Gordon “Gallo” Nance is a producer and songwriter from Pocono, Pennsylvania. As a father, he knows firsthand what it’s like to struggle to support a family in this economy. And as someone who suffers from asthma, he understands the importance of protecting clean air.

The direction for the song “Ima Push,” and his new album stems from what he calls PEM—Positive Energy Movement. “It’s a way of living, it’s about being positive, no matter what’s going on, even if the situation looks crazy, if it seems real negative, you feel like there is no way out. It’s about staying positive throughout all that.  It’s a mentality,” Gallo explains. WATCH the interview with Gallo to learn more.

ABOUT THE DREAM REBORN SONG COMPETITION: Green For All’s annual Dream Reborn Song Competition offers talented musicians from around the country a chance to create an inspiring soundtrack for our movement. Winners receive a professionally-produced music video. For more information about the contest, click HERE.

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Contact: Alyssa Cocchi
[email protected]
202-828-0940

OAKLAND, CA – As we mark the 50th Anniversary of National Small Business Week, Green For All is celebrating the gains of small green businesses—especially those owned by historically underrepresented Americans.

“Innovation and entrepreneurial spirit have always propelled our country forward, even in tough economic times,” said Green For All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins. “Today’s small green businesses play a key role in creating a healthier, more sustainable economy. Companies that provide services like wind and solar power, weatherization, and sustainable food do more than generate profits. They’re putting people to work and building a better future for our kids and grandkids.”

Green industries are growing faster than the rest of the economy. In the midst of the economic downturn, states with more green industry fared better. Sustainable businesses offer tremendous opportunity for communities who’ve often been left behind in the old economy, including women, people of color, and low-income Americans.

“From manufacturing solar panels, to weatherizing homes, and cleaning up environmental hazards—we’re seeing more and more underrepresented Americans play a leading role in building the new green economy,” Ellis-Lamkins said.

Green For All’s “I am the green economy” campaign features business owners who are creating jobs and cleaner air and water for all of us. You can read the profiles HERE.

In an effort to spur growth of small green businesses, one of Green For All’s focus areas is Business Engagement Strategies. The group’s Business Coaching and Mentoring program has helped hundreds of small businesses, supporting more than 1,000 jobs.

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Contact: Alyssa Cocchi
[email protected]
202-828-0940

Gardena, Calif., May 3, 2013 – Today, Green For All and University of Phoenix’s Los Angeles Green Business Academy (#LAGreenBizAcademy) brought skilled business professionals and green entrepreneurs together to help Los Angeles-area small businesses thrive.

During the daylong workshop, business leaders, business support organizations, and capital providers discussed sustainable business resources, working with the government and finding business capital in a tight capital market.

The Los Angeles green business community is already booming, enjoying the largest cluster of green employment in the United States. According to a Californians For Clean Energy & Jobs Network study, green jobs accounted for approximately 178,500 of the roughly 4.5 million employed people in the Los Angeles region during 2010.

“As the Los Angeles green economy continues to develop, we need to not only provide small business owners with the resources to grow, but connect them with local organizations and community stakeholders,” said Green For All’s Senior Associate Business Engagement, Khary Dvorak-Ewell. “Since 2010, we’ve been working with University of Phoenix on a series of Business Academies to do just that.”

The Los Angeles Green Business Academy is Green For All and University of Phoenix’s 12th business academy event and first one in the Los Angeles region. The academies support green entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, especially businesses located in underserved communities.

“University of Phoenix is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen by serving communities and individuals across the country in the areas of education, workforce readiness and sustainability,” said Apollo Group’s Director of Sustainability Melissa Antone. “The movement towards local business is becoming more and more important. We’ve globalized. Now we need to localize. We are proud to work with Green For All on this event.”

Speakers and panelists that attended the event included: Khary Dvorak-Ewell, Senior Associate Business Engagement – Green For All; Melissa Antone, Director of Sustainability – Apollo Group (University of Phoenix); Rada Chanmugathas, Campus College Chair – Apollo Group (University of Phoenix); La Ronda Bowen, Ombudsman – California Air Resources Board; Elizabeth Topp, Co-Founder – shiftalliance; Kira Hudson, Go Green 4 Good; Clando Brownlee, President – Go Green 4 Good; Barbara Voss, Senior Regional Manager – Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation; Kecia Washington, Mayor’s Office of Contractor Relations, Office of Economic and Business Policy – Executive Director; Marcia Davalos, Small Business Majority – Southern California Outreach Manager; Yolanda Lewis, Black Economic Council – CEO/ President; Hassan Nicholas, Community Financial Resource Center (CFRC) – Senior Program Officer, Consumer Financial Services and Education; Jenny Kassan, Cutting Edge Capital – CEO.

About Green For All
Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org

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Contact: Alyssa Cocchi
[email protected]
202-828-0940

Oakland, CA – Today, Green For All and American Rivers released a new report, titled Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones.

The report shows that the operations and maintenance of green infrastructure represents a significant opportunity to create entry-level jobs for individuals from disadvantaged communities.

“We know these jobs in green infrastructure can help transform communities, and lives,” said Green For All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins. “Investing in projects that expand these opportunities will not only slash pollution. Done right, it can help fight poverty and inequity.”

The report reveals that green infrastructure operations and maintenance jobs are accessible, they provide a decent wage, and they offer career advancement opportunities, especially in the public sector.  At the same time, the report shows that there is a real threat that this work may take place in low-road work environments, represented by low wages and poor benefits.

“In the coming years, thousands of new green infrastructure projects will be installed throughout the country, requiring a workforce trained to maintain and monitor the projects,” Ellis-Lamkins said. “We need to make sure that we connect disadvantaged communities to these opportunities.”

The report recommends several strategies for maximizing the benefits of green infrastructure investments, including creating community benefits goals, partnering with workforce development programs, and requiring properly trained and certified workers and contractors.

American Rivers and Green for All collaborated to develop two companion reports exploring different elements of operations and maintenance of green infrastructure.  A companion report to this one titled, Staying Green: Strategies to Improve Operations and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed highlights existing information related to costs of green infrastructure maintenance, identifies the significant barriers to effective operations and maintenance of these practices, recommends strategies to improve operations and maintenance, and provides resources and case studies that local governments can use as models.  Both reports are available here.

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January 29, 2013

Contact:
Alyssa Cocchi
Green For All
[email protected]
202-828-0940

OAKLAND, Calif. – To fulfill President Obama’s inaugural address call to combat climate change by transitioning to technology that will power new jobs and new industries, Green For All will continue its thriving partnerships to host the 2013 Business Mentoring and Coaching Program for Green Entrepreneurs.

For the third consecutive year, the competitive program will match green entrepreneurs with experienced mentors to problem-solve business challenges, reach company milestones, and provide valuable professional insights.

The program also pairs skilled business coaches, certified by the International Coach Federation (ICF), with early-stage green entrepreneurs looking to develop cohesive plans for growth, create sustainable motivation, and boost clarity and definition in their company ventures.

“More and more green entrepreneurs are looking to grow their businesses and create sustainable jobs,” said Green For All’s Senior Associate of Business Engagement, Khary Dvorak-Ewell. “We are excited to continue to provide entrepreneurs an opportunity to address fundamental concerns like strategic business planning and financial operations with seasoned executives. Through the program, they can reach their company milestones and build successful green businesses.”

Entrepreneurs aiming to excel in the 2013 green economy, especially those located in or serving vulnerable communities, are encouraged to apply to the program no later than 5:00 pm (EST) Friday, February 1st at http://bit.ly/GreenMentoring. Green entrepreneurs selected for the 2013 cohort will be notified by Friday, February 15^th. For more information, visit the Mentoring and Coaching webpages at www.greenforall.org.

About Green For All

The post Green For All Responds to President’s Call to Lead Sustainable Energy Transition with 2013 Mentoring and Coaching Program for Green Entrepreneurs appeared first on Green For All.

January 22, 2013

Contact:

Alyssa Cocchi
[email protected]
202-828-0940

OAKLAND, Calif. – Green for All (GFA) is kicking off The Dream Reborn Song Competition today to honor the legacy and call to service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The contest lifts up the voices of young artists calling for economic, social and environmental justice.

Artists will submit their songs through the GFA website and the three songs with the most “likes” will be among the finalists considered for the grand prize – $1,000 and the opportunity for GFA’s award winning video production team to produce and pay for the song’s music video.

The Ludacris Foundation will work with GFA to judge the three finalists. Judges will evaluate the songs based on how well they tap into the themes of community power, self-determination and making a change.

“Music has been and always will be a critical part of our movement for justice,” said Green for All Campaign and Partnerships Manager Julian McQueen. “The competition allows us to give aspiring musicians the chance to use their voices for social justice, like Dr. King, and to shoot a clean music video without cleaning out their bank accounts.”

In the past, GFA shot music videos for “The Dream Reborn” by Markese, “A Change is Needed” by the Climate Change Crew, and “7 Billion” by last year’s Dream Reborn Contest winners, Silent C and Invest. These inspirational videos can also be found on the GFA contest page.

“We should all have access to living wage jobs, healthy food, and clean air and water,” said last year’s Dream Reborn Contest winner, Invest.  “Since I grew up without any of these things, Green For All’s mission resonated with me and I wanted to plug into the movement in the best way I could. The Dream Reborn contest presented that opportunity.”

To hear more about Invest and the “7 Billion” video that showcases his family’s struggles, click on the blog link here.

The Dream Reborn Song Competition webpage can be found here.

Cash prizes are also available for second and third place finalists.

About Green For All

Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org.

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Kansas City, Mo. – Today, Green For All partnered with University of Phoenix to hold a workshop designed to help small businesses grow and succeed in the green economy. During the event, Kansas City-area small business owners and entrepreneurs learned about sustainable business resources, working with the government, financing options and participated in networking activities.

“As businesses in the Kansas City area and cities across the country look for growth in new sectors and industries of the future, they see diverse, new opportunities in the green economy,” said Kimberly Freeman-Brown, the Interim Executive Director of Green For All. “We want to do our part to encourage more businesses to join the movement. We believe with the know-how and the right tools, they can succeed and most importantly create jobs in these growing industries.

As the green economy across the country continues to grow, Kansas City is 17^th out of 100 U.S. cities for job opportunities in green industries. Studies show that these are well paying jobs, with workers in green-collar jobs earning an average of 13% more than the average wage in the U.S.

This event was the 10^th in a series of business academy events that Green For All and University of Phoenix have hosted across the country to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and prosper in the green economy, with a focus on businesses in underserved communities.

“We are excited to give businesses a greater chance to succeed in growing green industries of the future,” said Pat Gottfried, vice president of corporate social responsibility for University of Phoenix. “Today’s workshop and the others that we’ve held across the country are demonstrating tangible results as small businesses continue to join the green economy.”

**High resolution photographs from the workshop are available upon request**

About Green For All

Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning can help students pursue personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.phoenix.edu.

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Contact:
Natalie Munoz, Green For All, [email protected], 202-464-6601
Alanna Vitucci, University of Phoenix, [email protected], 602-639-1970

Washington, DC – This week, Green For All partnered with University of Phoenix to host a workshop to give DC-area small businesses the tools they need to grow and succeed in the green economy. During Wednesday’s event, Capital-area small business owners and entrepreneurs learned about funding for green businesses, ideas for working with the government, how to pitch their business and participated in networking activities.

“As our nation’s largest employers, small businesses play a critical role in growing our economy and getting more Americans back to work,” said Kimberly Freeman-Brown, the Interim Executive Director of Green For All. “The green economy presents a unique opportunity for growth for many small businesses and if given the right tools and resources they will have a better chance to succeed, and most importantly, create well-paying jobs in the industries of the future.”

As the green economy across the country continues to grow, Washington D.C. is a leader in the movement ranking fourth out of 100 U.S. cities for job opportunities in green industries. This event was the 9^th in a series of business academy events that Green For All and University of Phoenix have hosted across the country to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and prosper in the green economy, with a focus on businesses in underserved communities.

“Small businesses are at the forefront of the movement to transition to a cleaner way of doing things,” said Pat Gottfried, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Apollo Group and University of Phoenix. “We are pleased to partner with Green For All to do our part to help more businesses get involved in the green sector.”

“As a business that is continuously striving to succeed in the renewable energy field, we understand the challenges that many businesses out there are facing today as they try to get into the clean industries of the future,” said Gilbert Campbell, co-founder of Volt Energy, LLC. “I am pleased to partner with Green For All and University of Phoenix to help other businesses learn how to get involved in the green economy and thrive.”

About Green For All

Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning can help students pursue personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As the flagship university of Apollo Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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Oakland, CA – Today, Green For All launched a new action center for the green jobs movement and issued the following statement:

Green For All released a new interactive, multimedia website that includes information on the organization’s programs, focus areas, and key policy initiatives as well as numerous resources detailing the green jobs movement and how to get involved. Check out Green For All’s blog and videos, featuring community partners as well as hip hop artists.

“Green For All’s new website will serve as an action center for the green jobs movement and will leverage capacity and movement building around these core issues that are integral to the health and well-being of our community and environment,” said Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All.
About Green For All

Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org.

The post Statement from Green For All on New Action Center for Green Jobs Movement appeared first on Green For All.

As part of the global movement to end fossil fuel subsidies, Green For All released “Global WarNing”, starring Seasunz and J. Bless from Earth Amplified, feat. Stic.Man of Dead Prez. The song and video point to the world’s most profitable companies that are given billions of dollars in subsidies despite their record of polluting.

“We need to invest in creating jobs, not in making fossil fuel companies more profitable,” said Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All. “Fossil fuel companies are among the world’s worst polluters, and Americans that suffer the health consequences of pollution stand to benefit the most from ending these subsidies. This outpouring of support shows just how important energy is to Americans, and the need to change our policies so that we are investing more in creating jobs and keeping our environment clean.”

For 24 hours between June 18th and 19th, as world leaders gather at the G20 summit and prepare for Rio+20, hundreds of thousands of people around the world will tweet with the same hashtag — #EndFossilFuelSubsidies — at celebrities and politicians, flooding the popular social network with their demands and demonstrating to world leaders the need to change policy.

According to figures compiled by Oil Change International, countries are spending as much as $1 trillion USD combined annually on fossil fuel subsidies. The International Energy Agency estimates that by ending these subsidies, the world can cut global warming causing emissions in half and significantly contribute to preventing a 2 degree temperature rise, the limit most scientists say we need to stay under to prevent runaway climate change.


In May, leaders of the G20 again pledged to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. They first made the commitment in 2009 but have yet to implement the policy change at the country level. While global warming emissions rise and gas prices spike, fossil fuel companies continue to make massive profits, which brings into doubt the need for subsidies. ExxonMobil, for example, made $41.1 billion USD in profit in 2011.

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