 
Educating and Empowering through a Solar Energy Transition
WHY IT MATTERS
In February of 2019 the Tallahassee City Commission unanimously passed the Clean Energy Resolution, taking the bold step of moving Tallahassee to a 100% clean, renewable energy future by 2050. This goal continues the city’s shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner, renewable energy sources like solar.Â
Solar can provide:
- long-term financial benefits to families that struggle with high and unpredictable energy cost.
- living-wage jobs in one of the fastest growing industries.
- a source of clean renewable energy in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.
While solar adoption has seen an increase in some of Tallahassee’s wealthier neighborhoods, there is a great disparity in solar adoption in local low to moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods. Research shows solar energy inequalities exist by race/income in LMI neighborhoods nationwide. As Tallahassee continues to move toward clean energy, we seek to better understand local LMI-solar-adoption needs and barriers. The growing solar industry provides a great opportunity to address some of the greatest challenges faced by LMI neighborhoods including energy inequities, the high cost of housing, unemployment, and environmental issues.
WHAT WE DO
The SEED project will focus on three Tallahassee neighborhoods:
- Greater Bond Neighborhood
- Greater Frenchtown Neighborhood
- Griffin Heights Neighborhood
In working with the community and neighbors collaboratively, SEED will:
- Foster education and resource sharing and gather information about the target neighborhoods and residents.
- Hire local businesses as vendors when possible.
- Train neighbors to implement the project where possible.
- Educate about rebates and financial resources that are available to residents with light bills with energy efficiency and solar.
- work to reduce solar installation costs for participating homeowners where possible.
- Identify 25-50 potential solar ready homes and include pathways for residents to upgrade their homes.
- Create a model that can be replicated in other communities.
WHO WE ARE
Click on the labeled bar to see a list of our staff and partners. Hover over their photos to read their bios.
Lachanthia Hall: Neighborhood Leader
Lachanthia Hall is a Pastor at Fresh Wind Ministry, disability advocate for families here in Florida, and a Medicaid provider with over 10 years of experience. She has worked in the healthcare field for over twenty years in various roles including as a CNA, HHA, Patient Care Tech, School Health Nurse, Medicaid Provider, Lab Technician and Senior Clerk with our Local Health Department.
Talethia O. Edwards: Neighborhood Leader
Talethia O. Edwards is a grassroots organizer, advocate, coalition builder and speaker. She is the Founder and President of the Greater Bond Neighborhood Association. Talethia strongly believes in giving a voice to those that have yet to discover their own voice, strategizing ways to empower and educate in order to change the patterns of poverty and low achievement.Â
Talethia is executive director of The H.A.N.D, Up Project, an anti-poverty and resource organization. She is also CEO of her own Community Development consulting firm, where she believes the only way to revitalize a community is by uplifting both the people and place simultaneously. Recipient of many community awards and accolades, Talethia served as lead on a resident led planning process called the Neighborhood First plan and received a $6.4M investment from her local government and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the largest investment made in the history of Tallahassee in the community of color.Â
Te’Rel Bowman: Project Manager
Te’Rel Bowman is well known in Tallahassee after attending FAMU, working for twenty years at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, and currently serving as Operations Manager for Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, Inc. “I welcome the opportunity to learn how to best communicate that living greener and cleaner can reduce energy costs and carbon footprints in our most vulnerable neighborhoods,” Bowman said. “Tallahassee has long been committed to a clean and sustainable energy future and to do so, every part of our community must be engaged.”
Korbin Miles: Marketing Consultant
Korbin Miles has over 12 years of experience in environmental justice and sustainability work in Tallahassee, Los Angeles and New York City. Miles has worked for NYC Department of Small Business Services as a program manager and Florida A&M University. He has served as an educator in sustainability and STEM for Grow NYC Composting Program, Grow NYC GreenMarket classes and Operation Progress Los Angeles.
Joining the SEED team has been a delight for Miles who has deep roots within the Griffith Heights and Frenchtown communities. His grandfather, Moses General Miles, founded Miracle Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Griffith Heights and pastored Philadelphia Church in Frenchtown for 47 years
Miles has a master’s degree from Milano The New School in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management and a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University in public relations with a minor in environmental science.
In his free time, he enjoys learning about permaculture, climate regeneration, vegan cuisine, and traveling to immerse himself with indigenous communities.
Deb Swim
Deb Swim has over 20 years of experience as a Clean Energy Attorney and Consultant serving numerous. non-profits and local governments. Deb has previously provided legal services to the Legal Aid Society, the Governor of Florida, the Florida Senate, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF) and Florida Public Service Commission. Her law degree is from Case Western University and her batchelors degree is from Florida State University.
Richard Gragg
Patrick Love
Tallahassee Food Network
The Tallahassee Food Network is a regional coalition of the global movement working to grow community-based good food systems. Tallahassee Food Network’s vision is an educated world that has access to food that is healthy, green, fair, accessible, and affordable, so their mission is to grow community-based good food systems that will provide healthy, affordable food for all.
City of Tallahassee
In 2019, the Tallahassee City Commission took the bold and visionary step of committing to transition Tallahassee to a 100% clean, renewable energy future by 2050, with continued reductions in greenhouse gas emissions along the way, thanks to the unanimous passage of the Clean Energy Resolution. Tallahassee is now one of over 160 cities in the U.S., and one of only 10 cities in Florida, to set this ambitious and important goal.
Greater Bond Neighborhood Association
Greater Bond Neighborhood Association (GBNA) builds relationships, and represents residents to the City of Tallahassee. In 2018, the Greater Bond Neighborhood Association adopted an action plan to address the community’s most pressing concerns.
SOLAR MYTHS VS FACTS
Click on the “Myth” bars to discover the facts.
