2C MISSISSIPPI TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE EDUCATED & EMPOWERED MISSISSIPPI

IN 2023, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED ON TWO MAJOR PROJECTS: (1) GOING GREEN FOR A COOL, HEALTHY JACKSON (HCJ) FUNDED BY THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION AND THE US FOREST SERVICE, AND (2) FLOOD MITIGATING INFRASTRUCTURE IN WEST JACKSON, FUNDED BY THE HILTON FOUNDATION AND THE EPA. THE US FOREST SERVICE AND EPA FUNDS WERE GRANTED TO 2C MISSISSIPPI IN 2023, BUT THE GRANT AWARD LETTERS WERE NOT USED UNTIL 2024.FLOOD MITIGATING INFRASTRUCTURE IN WEST JACKSON:- CONDUCTED A HYDROLOGICAL MODELING ANALYSIS ON 250 ABANDONED PROPERTIES IN WEST JACKSON TO IDENTIFY PARCELS MOST SUITED FOR RAINWATER INCEPTION, REDIRECTION AND FLOOD MITIGATION.- COLLECTED PHYSICAL FLOODING AND OTHER SITE DATA FROM THE 250 ABANDONED PROPERTIES TO SUPPLEMENT THE MODELING RESULTS.- SELECTED 5 PROPERTIES (SPANNING 1.5 ACRES) TO DEVELOP FLOOD CONTROLLING INFRASTRUCTURE IN A FORM OF A MICROPARKS SYSTEM.- HOSTED HILTON FOUNDATION REPRESENTATIVES VISITING PROJECT SITES IN JACKSON.- DEVELOPED INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH VOICE OF CALVARY MINISTRIES, ROSEMOUNT HUMAN SERVICES, JAYNE AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.GOING GREEN FOR A COOL, HEALTHY JACKSON NOW RENAMED AS GREEN COMMONS ON FARISH STREET:- ORGANIZED THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH AN AVERAGE OF TWENTY PARTICIPANTS.- DEVELOPED FULL DESIGN RENDERING FOR 3 PROJECT SITES IN THE FARISH STREET DISTRICT IN JACKSON AND PRESENTED THEM AT A COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS EVENT ATTENDED BY 50 PEOPLE.- PROMOTED PROJECT DESIGN DURING AN OUTDOOR JUNETEENTH EVENT ON FARISH STREET, ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 300 PEOPLE.- CONDUCTED PROJECT REDESIGN TO ACCOMMODATE NEW REQUESTS FROM THE SITES' OWNERS (JACKSON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY) AND DEVELOPED FULL RENDERINGS AND A 3D FLYOVER SIMULATION OF THE FINAL DESIGN.- ATTENDED 3-DAY LONG CONFERENCE IN PHILADELPHIA ORGANIZED BY RWJF WHERE THE PROJECT WAS FEATURED.- PARTICIPATED IN A C40 MASTER CLASS ON CLIMATE AND HEALTH WHERE THE PROJECT WAS FEATURED.- DEVELOPED INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH FARISH STREET COMMUNITIES OF SHALOM AND JACKSON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC WORK:- HOSTED EPA'S REPRESENTATIVE VISITING OUR PROJECTS' SITES.- PROVIDED SEVERAL IN-KIND LECTURES ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE TO LOCAL SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES.- PARTICIPATED IN A SOLAR COALITION SUPPORTING REDESIGN OF A NET METERING RULE IN MISSISSIPPI (8 MONTH LONG PRO BONO ENGAGEMENT).- COLLABORATED WITH BROWN UNIVERSITY'S NOISE LAB AND COORDINATED THEIR LOCAL WORK IN JACKSON.- SUBMITTED GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE EPA AND US FOREST SERVICE (WHICH RESULTED IN $2M IN PROJECTS' FUNDING).- ATTENDED A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE AND URBAN PLANNING IN ATLANTA, GA.