It\’s Getting Hot In Here

Growing up as a child in East Oakland, CA, poverty and pollution were the backdrops of my day-to-day life. A major freeway poured exhaust fumes onto my elementary school grounds, and the creek in my backyard ran thick with waste. We were just kids, chasing tadpoles despite the stench. But I grew up fast. I lost my mother to the streets when I was only six. Soon after, I lost my father to prison.

Despite losing my mom, the draw of the money that I saw young men making selling drugs was strong. I decided I’d get mine too. In January of 2005, I was arrested for possession with intent to sell crack cocaine and marijuana.
It’s a familiar tale, right? My story, though, turns out differently than too many of the people I grew up with.
Given the choice of jail or school, I chose to enroll at a community college. While there, I learned about the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. I decided I needed to build something lasting for my community. I began the journey that would lead me to Dr. King’s alma mater, Morehouse College.

At Morehouse, I discovered Green For All and the movement for green-collar jobs. My calling to change my community became action. I started educating and organizing for a movement that Dr. King would be proud of: an inclusive green economy, one that lifts people out of poverty while making communities cleaner and streets safer.
But creating new opportunities in the hood while addressing climate change is not easy. As I began to learn more about Green For All and their efforts to partner with business, labor, and community organizations to create opportunities, I saw a void.

Who is telling the story not only of what’s going on in the hood, but what is possible given the chance? In other words, who is telling my story?

It was this question that led me to make, “The Dream Reborn (My President is Green)”. Working with the producer Ayo, grandson of the great Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji, “The Dream Reborn” shows how investing in green jobs can create real opportunity for low-income communities. It is a call to action for disadvantaged communities that suffer first and worst from the effects of climate change to stand up and lead the way to a green and prosperous future.
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, I released the music video for “The Dream Reborn.” Dr. King’s vision of economic justice inspired the song, and my belief that the struggle to create an inclusive green economy is an extension of that and what so many others have fought for.

These leaders paved the way for the leaders of today. It is their shoulders that we stand on. Now it is all hands on.
I hope this video inspires others to tell their stories and take action. This month, Green For All kicked off a month-long competition where anyone can share their story, their vision, their dream for a cleaner, healthier and more secure tomorrow. The grand prize winner will receive $1,000.

Through my work as a College Ambassador with Green For All, I am attempting to create real change in my community. Please join me in this effort by purchasing this song on iTunes. Proceeds from this song will support a social venture I started entitled, Fight for Light, which is dedicated to reducing energy usage in colleges, universities and communities serving minorities.

Watch the video and share it with your friends and families. Submit an entry to “The Dream Reborn Story Competition.” And visit Greenforall.org to bring the promises of a green economy to your community.

Markese “Doo-Dat” Bryant