Green Team Featured in Flatland Magazine

Groundwork NRG’s Green Team was recently featured in Flatland KC—Kansas City PBS’ digital magazine—for their work in the Douglass-Sumner Neighborhood. Here’s an excerpt from the accompanying article:

“Northeast KCK is an area that has experienced structural racism, discriminatory practices and policies like redlining,” said Groundwork Executive Director Rachel Jefferson, “We center the community in actionable projects that hopefully lead to better policy.”

Historically redlined communities tend to be at the forefront of the climate crisis, experiencing the intensifying effects of a warming climate first. In fact, a recent study on the Urban Heat Island effect across US cities concluded that formerly redlined neighborhoods were significantly hotter than other parts of the metro, some by as much as 7º C.

Green spaces in formerly redlined neighborhoods are still lacking. But they could combat this heating effect if expanded on a large scale.

“We need to encourage people to either move here or to stay here,” said Green Team member and Douglas-Sumner resident Salvador Estrada. “I really want to see this neighborhood thrive.”

Check out the full article and read more from Flatland KC on their website.