Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit gathers housing, transportation, and community development advocates and leaders to learn from one another and identify tools to advance racial equity through smart growth. The Summit will uplift strategies to advance racial equity in smart growth amidst growing political uncertainty in 2024 and beyond, as well as a shift away from explicit equity initiatives by elected officials, state agencies, and the private sector.
CCLR, in collaboration with Groundwork USA, will be participating at the Equity Summit on March 27th & 28th. Make sure to connect with Devyn Rainwater, Jalisa Gilmore, and Jean Hamerman and attend the workshop: Putting Equity in Action through Land Reuse!
Putting Equity in Action through Land Reuse | March 27, 4:00 p.m. ET
In nearly every instance, bringing equity to an area suffering from disinvestment requires the cleanup, redevelopment, and reuse of vacant, and/or underutilized properties called brownfields. Equitable land reuse projects empower marginalized communities in shaping how land is used and consider factors such as vulnerability to climate change, potential displacement, and access to critical infrastructure. In an effort to bring equity and EJ to the forefront of brownfield revitalization, the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) and Groundwork USA have developed Advancing Equity in Land Reuse: A Practical Guide. This resource details the tangible steps practitioners can take to ensure that equity actions inform every step of the land reuse process. Join the writers of the Equity Guide for a workshop on how to integrate the tools and principles of equity into the land reuse process.
Speakers
As Executive Director, Jean directs CCLR’s strategic and programmatic direction, while overseeing its fiscal management and Board relations. She is a passionate advocate for CCLR’s mission to transform communities through sustainable and equitable land reuse. In this role, she leverages 30 years of work experience in commercial and micro-lending, MWBE certification, energy efficiency, and business education to promote economic equity and environmental priorities.
Devyn Rainwater is a Senior Program Associate for CCLR and serves as a project lead for various programs including the USEPA R9 Vacant to Vibrant outreach effort and an equity-focused learning module with Groundwork USA. She supports CCLR’s land-reuse Technical Assistance delivery for EPA R9 both as a partner to EPA and the Center for Community Energy and Environmental Justice (CCEEJ). Devyn’s passion for environmental justice and equity began at UC Santa Cruz, where she studied environmental and social justice and co-founded the Global Environmental Justice Journal.
Genea Foster is Groundwork USA’s Director of Climate Resilience and Land Use. In this role, Genea is responsible for leading the Climate Safe Neighborhoods program and building the capacity of Groundwork Trusts to envision and implement local climate resilience projects that build community power to drive systemic change. Genea was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and their Afro-Caribbean ancestry has shaped their deep commitment to environmental and social justice. Genea has over 10 years of experience working with youth, communities of color, and municipalities towards climate resilience, health equity, and food sovereignty through urban planning, community organizing, and popular education.
