Lecture: Majora Carter

On October 18th, 2012, the University of Michigan’s Program in the Environment (PitE) will host Ms. Majora Carter, “Eco-Entrepreneur” and award-winning radio broadcaster. In her public presentation, she will tell her story of how she and her South Bronx neighbors are continuing to bring environmental and social change to their neighborhood. Majora currently hosts the Peabody Award winning public-radio series “The Promised Land,” and serves on the boards of the U.S. Green Building Council and The Wilderness Society.

In the late 1990s, Ms. Carter was instrumental in re-routing additional waste handling in the South Bronx are of New York City, and creating a policy towards green development in the neighborhood. In 2001, Ms. Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx), a non-profit which provided urban green-collar job training and placements in the South Bronx. She led this group through 2008, when few were talking about “sustainability”; and even fewer, in places like The South Bronx.

In 2008, Ms. Carter founded Majora Carter Group, LLC, and since then, her consulting company has exported climate adaptation, urban Micro-agribusiness, and leadership development strategies for business, government, foundations, universities, and economically under-performing communities.

Ms. Carter leverages both an understanding of economics and public speaking skills to not only advocate for communities that shoulder a disproportionate number of municipal waste facilities, but also mobilize people to initiate restoration of natural environments in their own communities. Ms. Carter’s consulting organizations also strengthen communities by hiring community members to take part in the restoration and teaching specialized eco-skills (e.g. green roof installation, urban farming, etc.).

Ms. Carter’s list of distinguished awards and honors since 2002 spans across broadcasting, conservation, business, design and policy disciplines. Her latest Peabody Award (2011) attests to her accomplishments as a radio broadcaster, consultant, and environmental advocate.

Ms. Carter was selected as the Goldring Family Foundation Distinguished Visiting Lecturer for not only her knowledge and experience in bringing about environmental change, but also for her demonstrated ability to inspire and mobilize others to create change in their own communities.

For more information on Majora Carter, please visit: http://www.majoracartergroup.com/our-story/

The public talk will take place in Hill Auditorium, staring at 5:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

This event is sponsored by the Program in the Environment, the Goldring Family Foundation and Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning