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African-Americans need to ‘raise hell’ about climate change

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

Yesterday, President Obama spoke before world leaders at the United Nations about the ongoing global climate change debate. The president acknowledged that the over the last century, the industrialized world has “caused much of the damage to our climate” and now has the responsibility to lead.

For the most part this week, this issue will be discussed from an international context, leading up to the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen later this year. Developing countries have suffered most from global carbon emissions, and they are now seeking 1 percent of the world’s GDP to help them adapt to the climate crisis. While I support this notion of international benevolence, climate change also has to be viewed from a domestic perspective as well.

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Service day spurs ‘green’ moves for Rox residents

Elsie Brown, a resident of the Madison Park Village housing complex in Roxbury, installs a compact fluorescent light bulb on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts helped install energy-efficient light bulbs in Madison Park and at St. John St. James Episcopal Church. Photo By Talia Whyte

Elsie Brown, a resident of the Madison Park Village housing complex in Roxbury, installs a compact fluorescent light bulb on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts helped install energy-efficient light bulbs in Madison Park and at St. John St. James Episcopal Church. Photo By Talia Whyte

By Talia Whyte

Bay State Banner

Last Friday, President Barack Obama called upon Americans to participate in a National Day of Service and to give back to their communities on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Many of the goodwill efforts revolved around helping to make vulnerable neighborhoods more environmentally friendly.

Locally, members of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts gathered at St. John St. James Episcopal Church in Roxbury to “green” the church and residences in the nearby Madison Park Village housing complex by installing energy-efficient light bulbs.

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Kanye sparks an explosion of racism online

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

Kanye West’s latest outburst at the MTV Video Music Awards has drawn mostly negative reactions. After his unsavory diss of country singer Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the best female video, many people immediately went to their various online social media tools to share their thoughts about the hip-hop star.

I agree with the opinion that West’s blowup was horribly rude and childish. However, there were some Internet users who took their thoughts about him too far. This was particularly obvious on Twitter, which was awash in a flood of racism, with the so-called “post-racial” levees fully giving way.

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‘Something green is growing here’


Dorchester resident Vernell Jordan shows off some of the food she has grown on a small patch of land outside of Dudley Square owned by Lincoln, Mass.-based nonprofit The Food Project. Jordan is one of many community residents who have decided to take responsibility for bringing fresh, organic food into their urban neighborhoods. Photo By Talia Whyte

Dorchester resident Vernell Jordan shows off some of the food she has grown on a small patch of land outside of Dudley Square owned by Lincoln, Mass.-based nonprofit The Food Project. Jordan is one of many community residents who have decided to take responsibility for bringing fresh, organic food into their urban neighborhoods. Photo By Talia Whyte

In Dorchester, residents of color take urban farming to new heights

 

 

By Talia Whyte

Bay State Banner

According to the old medical adage, you are what you eat. But what if where you live determines what’s on the menu?

Dorchester resident Vernell Jordan was not satisfied with the food choices she had in her neighborhood, so she decided to take  matters into her own hands.

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