Keeping in line with our objective, we've highlighted another influential speaker to consider at the upcoming Chicago Ideas Week.
In this profile: Naomi Davis
Accolades: Naomi is an attorney, but much more: she's urban theorist, activist, and founder of Black in Green (BIG), which aims to encourage green communities and green education and trade development for communities of color across 13 economic sectors. She authored and teaches “The 8 Principles of Green Village Building/12 Propositions of Grannynomics” at the University of Chicago/Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, and lectures and consults on the BIG Village™ system for green economy/deep culture neighborhood revival.
Why you should care: Davis has a big job ahead of her and she’s working hard. Blacks in Green’s goals are to invent, invest, manufacture, and merchandise black communities into walkable, self-reliant, mixed-income villages. Its “green villages” are anchored by neighbor-owned businesses, which become the agents of jobs-driven development.
When small neighborhood businesses create jobs, it stabilizes neighborhoods by increasing local income of residents, avoiding forced or voluntary neighbor migration to other neighborhoods. In this way, resident money stays active locally supporting community self-interests, and the heritage of a place is preserved. BIG maintains the idea that sustainable community initiatives are especially important for black neighborhoods.
Davis also teaches a 10-week class: "Where Is Your Village? Sustainability One Square Mile at a Time" at the U of C.
When you can see her: October 15th, 2011, DuSable Museum, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
See the full list of speakers and events here.
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