Wednesday, April 23, 2008





It's official: live in Memphis from April 4-6, Green For All is bringing together the practitioners, activists, and communities at the center of the emerging green-collar economy. Community activists and neighborhood leaders from South St. Pete will be there. We will be bringing you updates here on the blog and at the Bartlett Park Neighborhood Association meeting Thursday April 10th.

On Friday morning, Willeen Kelly and Chris Kelly are heading to Memphis for the 'Dream Reborn' conference, a three day commemoration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's premature passing, and a recasting of his dream for the 21st Century. The conference is organized to work for justice, opportunity and peace in urban America.

What's special about this weekend, is that the organizers have tied the push for Green Collar jobs to a vision of social justice. Their goal is to "build a green economy that is strong enough to lift people out of poverty. By organizing now, the movement will insure that the billions of dollars spent on green jobs in the next fifty years include low-income people. By training people now and organizing to insure capital moves to urban green job training, we'll insure that our neighborhoods will be able to take part in these new opportunities. There's no reason we can't fight poverty and pollution at the same time...

Chris writes "We'll be back Sunday night late, but I'll try to drop an email or two from the conference and look forward to sharing the experience and information Willeen and I gather."


This is the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. This historic event will celebrate his extraordinary life and present positive solutions from today's generation of visionary leaders. A bullet killed the dreamer, but not the dream. Together, we will create ecological solutions to heal the earth while bringing jobs, justice, wealth and health to all our communities.


Green For All is bringing organizations and leaders from communities across the nation together to produce The Dream Reborn. This racially just, green gathering will celebrate the life of Dr. King and present positive solutions for social and environmental equity from today's generation of visionary leaders.



Watch these videos to learn more:
Dream Reborn Attendees Share Their Dreams

Solar Richmond Success Story - The Dream Lives in Richmond!



Van Jones Opening Remarks at Green For All Conference


The Green Economy Is Coming

For more information on Dr. King's work toward a just economy go here and here.


Dr. Martin Luther King's last speech, "I've Been to the Mountain Top"

Photo: Van Jones is a civil rights lawyer and activist in Oakland and organizer of Green for All.

Update: Marchers honor King on anniversary of death

Leaders, everyday citizens converge on Memphis to reflect on his legacy

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