About The Instructor/About BIG
Naomi Davis is one of Chicago’s most celebrated environmental activists. She is the founder of Blacks in Green™,
and has been awarded Governor Quinn’s 2007 Environmental Hero Award,Chicago Magazine’s 2008 Green Award,
Jewel-Osco’s 2009 Environmental Stewardship Award, Citizen Newspaper’s 2010 “10 Community Leaders To Watch,”
AND Ebony Magazine Power100. BIG’s goals are to invent, invest, manufacture, and merchandise, black communities
into walkable, self-reliant, mixed-income villages. BIG’s greenvillages are anchored by neighbor-owned businesses,
which become the agents of “jobs-driven development.” Only jobs-driven development stabilizes neighborhoods
through wealth enhancement of present residents, avoiding forced or voluntary neighbor migration to “better”
neighborhoods, or the influx of “better” neighbors – benign or hostile.Resident money stays active locally
supporting community self-interests, and the heritage of a place is preserved. Such sustainable community
initiatives are especially important for Black neighborhoods.
© BIG NFP 2011 ~ All Rights Reserved. Yes We Can Surthrive!!