ABOUT US
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Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that advances racial, economic, and climate justice to build communities that are more equitable, economically just, and sustainable. Headquartered in Washington, DC, ECC implements replicable place-based strategies in community and worker powerbuilding, economic inclusion, and equitable implementation, in five regions (Northwest, Northern California, Southern California, Northeast, and DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) and select cities throughout the US. Additionally, ECC’s national Civic Infrastructure and Strategic Initiatives provide a broad range of policy capacity, program leadership, coalition building, and technical assistance to community-based organizations, government, and more.
Purpose
Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) centers and collaborates with frontline communities, especially communities of color, to ensure that they are at the forefront of decision making, that they benefit from the economic opportunities of the transition to clean energy, and to drive climate investments back to those communities.
Mission
Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) advances racial, economic, and climate justice to build communities that are more equitable, economically just, and sustainable through replicable strategies in community and worker powerbuilding, economic inclusion, and equitable implementation.
Vision
We envision healthy, sustainable, powerful, and thriving communities, especially communities of color.
History
The broad goals of the “emerald cities” were to have the greenest and most equitable cities possible that give particular attention to more efficient or restorative use of nature, particularly energy. ECC hoped to build off of the citizen mobilization that helped to catapult Barack Obama to the Presidency in 2008 to engage labor and community to join forces to increase demand for clean energy work. From the outset, ECC advocated for transparency and equal opportunity for labor markets, restoration for individuals of overburdened communities, and tools to implement clean energy projects where they are needed most.
In many ways, the vision of ECC was ahead of its time with its focus on not just climate mitigation but greater equity and democracy. Nevertheless, over the years, ECC has built a movement of change agents who’ve demonstrated that an equitable, high-road approach is the best path to a sustainable, just future.
Today, ECC is a well-respected national nonprofit organization working to advance a sustainable environment while creating sustainable, just, and inclusive economies with opportunities for all — our founding “high road” approach. ECC employs a place-based approach via five regional offices (Northeast, Northwest, Northern California, Southern California, and DMV (D.C./ Maryland/Virginia) that are supported by a national office of Civic Infrastructure and Strategic Initiatives, as well as ECC’s administrative headquarters in Washington, DC.
“In a world where we’re running out of climate much faster than we’re running out of fossil fuels, we need to get serious about climate and reduce waste.”
-Eye on the Prize,
Ecc’s Founding Document
Executive Team
Meishka L Mitchell
President & Chief Executive Officer
Meishka L. Mitchell, AICP, PP, is President & CEO of Emerald Cities Collaborative, a national nonprofit network of organizations working together to advance a sustainable environment while creating sustainable, just and inclusive economies with opportunities for all. Meishka has over 18 years of visionary leadership experience in climate justice and equitable and inclusive neighborhood development. Before joining Emerald Cities Collaborative, Meishka served as Vice President of Camden Community Partnership, a nonprofit community and economic development organization in her hometown of Camden, New Jersey. At Camden Community Partnership, Meishka cultivated a resident-driven approach to neighborhood planning and development of parks and open spaces, historic preservation, and placemaking.
Adetola Shabi
Chief Financial & Administrative Officer
Adetola Shabi is a highly accomplished, results-driven senior accountant, corporate strategy analyst, and financial management executive with experience in finance and operations management within start-ups and multi-million-dollar organizations. His capabilities include streamlining business operations that drive growth and increase efficiency and bottom-line profit.
Dr. Shabi has significant experience in affordable housing, workforce development, and community development. He holds a bachelor’s in Economics and an MBA from the University of the District of Columbia.
Our Team
Executive & Program Directors
Administrative Directors
Program & Project Managers
Marketing / HR / Finance
Economic Inclusion Managers
Northeast
Northwest
Northern California
Southern California
Strategic Initiatives
Civic & Policy Infrastructure
DMV
Board Of Directors
Joel Rogers, Co-Chair
Director
Donald Gillian, Secretary/Treasurer
Retired NAESCO
Gerry Hudson, Co-Chair
Retired SEIU
Dr. J. Phillip Thompson
Avni Jamdar
Regional Director
Cliff Majersik
Senior Advisor
Dave Ribeiro
Director of Local Policy
Donnel Baird
Founder
Eric Mackres
Senior Manager, Data and Tools
Gary Cohen
Founder
Gloria Carney Shealey, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Hilari Varnadore
Vice President, Cities
Funders
