FUSE

Are you ready to drive change at the local level? FUSE is thrilled to kick off our Fall 2024 recruiting season with 10 amazing projects! We’re partnering with the City of Columbus, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles County to make a real impact where it matters most. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of something extraordinary! Apply now and join us in reshaping communities across the country. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/gdX2jiJN Meet the recruiting team! Vice President of Recruiting: Ceantel Rubin (She/Her/Hers) Senior Director of Recruiting: John Kendzior Manager of Recruiting: Raleah Davis Senior Associate of Recruiting: Nana Agyeman #FUSEfellows #ExecutiveFellowship #Fall2024 #LocalGovernment #CommunityImpact

ADDRESSING MARGENALIZED COMMUNITIES, Daniel Blackman former EPA Administrator, explains the problem with toxins that they have found in the bodies of mothers in black and brown communities. He details the work he has done with the Biden-Harris administration to address these systemic issues in marginalized communities in Georgia and specifically DeKalb County. Commissioner Ted Terry of Super District 6 and The Green New Deal for DeKalb County.

As a FUSE Executive Fellow, Wesley E. Myrick (2021-22) worked with the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office to shape and implement critical initiatives aimed at mitigating the displacement of Black and low-income communities. He supported the launch of the Faith-Based Development Initiative that created a pipeline of community organizations seeking to leverage city, county, and state resources to accelerate their development process and meet the city’s demand for housing its legacy residents. He also bolstered public-private partnerships by creating peer-to-peer exchanges. He influenced the reform of Urban Enterprise Zone legislation and the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance legislation, both of which address leveraging developer incentives to create diverse housing in communities experiencing economic divestment and displacement. Additionally, Myrick contributed to the City’s formation of deeper tenant protection legislation and the configuration of the City’s first affordable housing trust fund. After his fellowship, Myrick joined the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office as a Senior Policy Analyst to continue the work he started as a FUSE Executive Fellow. #FUSEAlum #FUSEAlumniSuccess #CityofAtlanta #AffordableHousing #beyondFUSE

Great community engagement tips from FUSE Executive Fellow Fred Clay, MBA, PMP, ENV SP!

If you are an Atlanta-based stakeholder in climate resilience, consider joining FUSE Alum Beth Graham and the City of Atlanta Clean Energy Advisory Board Resource Network! First appointed by the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Sustainability & Resilience as a FUSE Executive Fellow, Graham supported the creation of a single, updated, comprehensive climate resilience action plan, drove the Clean Energy Advisory Board’s work while liaising with key equity stakeholders, and implemented an equity-focused energy project. Now, as the City's director of stakeholder engagement, Graham is continuing the work to advance the City’s climate and energy resilience goals.

THE VILLAGE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LAND USE, pastor Marlin Harris of New Church discusses the systemic problem of health deserts in black and brown communities in south DeKalb county. Lavonya Jones unpacks “affordable housing” and who can actually afford these homes, what are the barriers to home ownership. Ted Terry breaks down the problem big investment companies buying up all the houses and creating renter communities and its effect on the community and why we need to create better communities rooted in equity.

FUSE Summer 2024 Executive Fellows Patty Menjivar and Rita Mobeka, who are working with the City of Los Angeles on their FUSE Fellowship projects, met with locals FUSE Alum Norvell Thomas and Director of Fellowships—and fellow alum—Nathaniel Bencivenga to wrap up their orientation week last month. We are honored to continue deepening our impact in one of the largest cities in the nation, serving 4 million residents, and growing our fellow and alumni network with one of our largest government partners. Learn more about our Summer 2024 Cohort and how they are affecting change in Los Angeles through their FUSE Fellowship projects here: https://lnkd.in/gtcyq5YF #FUSESUM24 #SocialImpact #FUSExLA #LosAngeles #ExecutiveFellowship #LocalGovernment #CivicInnovation

Welcome our new associate of strategic partnerships, Cameron Dickey! Dickey helps the strategic partnerships team at FUSE administratively manage relationships with partnering communities for impactful fellowship projects. Dickey most recently worked for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Future Scholars program, a higher education access initiative that provides Baton Rouge students with college preparation programming, peer mentorship, and full-tuition scholarships to attend LSU. Previously, she worked for the Central Louisiana Area Health Education Center with the Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana program, enhancing health coverage access and leading educational community initiatives. She also worked on the National Health Law Program Medicaid Stories project with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, contributing to Medicaid policy improvement through resident storytelling and advocacy work.

Welcome Patty Menjivar to the FUSE Summer 2024 Cohort! Menjivar is a seasoned sustainability professional with over two decades of experience and is embarking on a transformative project with the City of Los Angeles in partnership with FUSE. Her career has focused on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals into corporate cultures and operations, emphasizing decarbonization, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable supply chains. In response to the climate crisis and historical environmental injustices, Los Angeles, under mayoral guidance, is undertaking a visionary initiative. The City aims to lead by prioritizing marginalized communities and leveraging climate resilience as a catalyst for equitable change. As a FUSE Executive Fellow, Menjivar will support the development of a comprehensive climate resilience plan tailored to the city’s diverse neighborhoods. This initiative aims to enhance Los Angeles’ capacity for energy adaptation and climate resilience and establish a scalable model that can inspire global efforts in sustainable urban development. Menjivar’s FUSE project will integrate community voices, drive systemic change, and set a new standard for equitable environmental practices in cities worldwide. Learn more about the impact the Summer 2024 Cohort is making in Los Angeles over the next year: https://lnkd.in/gtcyq5YF #FUSESUM24 #FUSExLA #LosAngeles #LocalGovernment #PublicService #ExecutiveFellowship #SocialImpact #CivicInnovation

Our very own FUSE alum climate champion Robert Zardeneta with actor and climate advocate Jane Fonda!