2023, A Year of Impact
Our year of programming in review, from our Climate Equity Series to our CELA awards, community tree plantings and more.
As the holiday season is upon us, we wanted to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to you for your incredible support throughout the year. Your generosity has not only made a significant impact on our organization, but has also brought joy and positive change to the lives of those we serve.
As we look forward to the coming year with hope and optimism, we wanted to reflect on the amazing accomplishments from this past year that YOU made possible.
2023 Programming Highlights
Our programs align with the 3 key areas of our mission: environmental education, urban revitalization and green economics advocacy. Individual programs may focus on just one of these areas, or may have elements of all three – depending on the specific project. Here is a look at our 2023 programming recap.
Environmental Education
Providing curriculum, resources and tools to instruct youth and adults on environmental best practices, innovations and other important topics.
- 2023 Climate Equity Series: Climate Equity means ensuring that all communities have the opportunity to benefit from resources that promote sustainable living, such as renewable energy, employment and adaptation solutions. In October, we hosted our Climate Equity Forum series at Stoneview Nature Center featuring US Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove. The event attracted a nationwide audience of 75+ individuals.
- Sustainable Holiday Boutique and Crafting: As a way to promote sustainable gifting, we hosted our first Sustainable Holiday Boutique and Crafting earlier this month at the Stoneview Nature Center in Culver City. All vendors at the event were selling sustainable, ethically sourced crafts and gifts to allow the community to complete holiday shopping with earth-friendly gifts.
- G.W. Carver Environmental Legacy Awards (CELA): As our biggest fundraiser and event of the year, the event honors the legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver and his well-documented past, as an inventor, educator, scientist, painter, botanist and conservationist. While also honoring the accomplishments of members in the community who have made extraordinary accomplishments within the environmental movement. Our 2023 event featured some amazing guest speakers including; Los Angeles City Councilmember, Curren Price, California Senator,Sydney Kamlager, and Comedian and Actor/ Comedian, Kente Scott. Our 2023 honorees included; First African American Astronaut Candidate and renowned sculpture, Ed Dwight, Director of STEM Education Synergy Academies,Barbara Shannon, EdD, Executive Director of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy, David McNeil, and Chief Sustainability and Economic Development Officer, Nancy Sutley.
Revitalizing Urban Open Space
Planting trees, developing green space, creating green space on school grounds, adding parks and implementing projects to protect the environment in underserved, ignored areas.
- Tree Plantings: In 2023, we hosted two tree planting events in Edward Vincent Park and HACLA and planted a total of 35 trees in the Los Angeles area.
- MLK Day of Service: On January 14, 2023, we hosted a Community Cleanup day at Hyde Park and partnered with LADWP volunteers.
- Blackwelder Community Greenbelt: California Greenworks is currently working to restore the loss of habitat in the Blackwelder Tract of lower Ballona Creek. We seek to create a green infrastructure network along the boundaries of Culver City and Los Angeles. Stormwater gardens, bike trails, and walking paths can unite this portion of the Lower Ballona Creek while increasing opportunities for the pollination of the native flora. In 2023, we expanded our partnership with Baldwin Hills and Urban Watershed Conservancy to move the needle forward on the project. Here are a few renderings for the project.
Green Economics Advocacy
We promote youth to explore careers in the green economy, providing tools to enter the workforce. We also engage adults and provide opportunities for furthering education in the green industry.
- High School Education: In 2023, we hosted a number of educational programs for high school students. Through each program, we aim to educate and inspire young people to pursue lifestyles and careers that support a green economy.
- Intro to Green Jobs: This class helps students build their resumes, practice interviewing skills, and develop a cover letter in a way that will attract careers in the green economy.
- Environmental Literacy/Green Book Club: Students have the opportunity to choose from a selection of environmental books. On a regular basis, we meet with the students and discuss themes and concepts of the books. Once we finish a book, we take the students on a “field trip” that reinforces concepts we learned from the book.
- Primary Education Programming:
- Green Art: From Kindergarten to high school seniors, California Greenworks will host sustainable and upcycled art projects in classrooms. An example of a green art project could be setting up recycling containers, teaching the students about the recycling process, and completing an art project together.
- Greening School/Site: Designed for middle and high school students, we educate how students can make their school more “green”. The students then research and design a green project that could be implemented in their school. Students learn how to conduct such a larger project, how to analyze data collected, and at the end students present their findings to school/site administrators.
- Ocean Explorers: This is a 4-week program for middle and high school aged students to learn about marine science, environmental science and conservation principles. Students have the opportunity to participate in science experiments and field trips to ocean and marine centers.
Looking to 2024
In the new year, we will continue to expand and develop our Blackwelder Community Greenbelt project, design and implement more educational curriculum, and host our EJ Conference.
We look forward to the coming year with hope and optimism, and we are excited to continue our journey together. Thank you for being a vital part of our community, and for making a positive impact that extends far beyond the holiday season.
Be a part of our impact
There are a number of ways you can join us in 2024 from joining our email list, adopting a tree, hosting one of our educational programs, attending one of our events, volunteering your time, or telling a friend about us.
If you have any questions about how you can join, send us a message, we would love to hear from you.