ATLANTA, GA – Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta City Council Member Byron D. Amos (District 3) joined local leaders, friends, and neighbors on Earth Day to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the HBCU Green Fund Resilience Hub, a container-based multi-use center bringing sustainability to life in West Atlanta. Nearly 100 people turned out eager to witness the transformation of a once-overgrown, vacant lot into a vibrant “third space” built for the community, centered on food access, clean energy, and community empowerment.
“Opening this space on Earth Day is a reminder that sustainability starts with community,” said Felicia Davis, founder of HBCU Green Fund and developer of the innovative Resilience Hub. “This is what community resilience looks like—locally anchored, youth-activated, and community-driven. The Hub brings together innovation and purpose to uplift social, environmental, economic, and family well-being.”
“What we have right here is community-level investment,” said Mayor Dickens. “The community had something to say, and they did what their heart desired—and look what we’re seeing right now. A sustainability hub and an economic opportunity hub built with intention. It’s an ecosystem built with love, providing health, dignity, and energy access, all tied together. And it’s a pipeline for HBCU students. I literally live on this street a little further west, so I will stop by.”
Councilmember Amos added, “I am a son of the West Side, a son of Vine City, and a current resident of Vine City. Across the street, my neighbors and friends lost everything they had during the flood. We turned that into Cook Park.” He continued, “This is a full-circle moment. First, Felicia spoke with me. Then she and Shade teamed up to show me this lot, urging me to see the vision. There was kudzu everywhere. But as we looked at the environment, we realized we weren’t doing enough to help the people. This is for the people.”
“Not everyone saw our vision of turning a 42-foot container into a hub that could house a woman-owned juice bar, Green is Lyf, a stage for events, and green space for whatever the community can imagine,” said Davis.
Councilmember Amos also presented a proclamation recognizing Shade’ Jones for her leadership in the community. In addition to advocating for her Vine City and English Avenue neighbors on a multitude of issues, Jones is the proprietor of Green is Lyf, a natural juice and smoothie bar, a key community partner anchoring the HBCU Green Fund Resilience Hub, and an active member of HBCU Green Fund team.
Other community partners surrounding the café include a farmers market led by Historic Westside Gardens, solar infrastructure supported by Morehouse College, e-mobility shuttle service from Strive Transit, Jay’s Italian Icy, HBCU Green Fund AUC Fellows, Alliance for Cook Park, English Avenue Green Teams, the Westside Cultural Arts Center, and Truly Living Well Farm.
City of Atlanta Chief Sustainability Officer Chandra Farley emphasized the broader impact of the initiative, stating, “As we celebrate the grand opening of the HBCU Green Fund Resilience Hub today, Earth Day, let us remember that we are being charged with a vision that is not just realized today, but one that is setting us forward on a more sustainable, community-resilient path to a brighter and more equitable future.”
In keeping with the Hub’s sustainability mission, HBCU Green Fund Fellows ensured even the ribbon-cutting reflected their values. Monsurat Amoo, a sustainable fashion designer and fellow, created the ceremonial ribbon from repurposed denim jeans, turning a symbolic moment into a statement of environmental consciousness and creativity.
Building on the momentum of the grand opening, HBCU Green Fund Fellows activated the Hub on Saturday with their own Earth Day celebration, bringing together students from Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Georgia State University for a vibrant event featuring a sustainable fashion show, local vendors, a DJ, and live performances.
The Resilience Hub is part of the broader mission of the HBCU Green Fund, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization led by Director Illai Kenney and based in Atlanta with an office in Washington, DC. The organization works with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their surrounding communities to advance sustainability, promote student engagement in green initiatives, and train the next generation of environmental leaders. Through its Atlanta University Center Clean Energy Fellows Program, students gain hands-on experience and pathways into careers in renewable energy and climate leadership. As a partner in the Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening America’s Cities initiative, the organization also leads efforts in West Atlanta to expand equitable access to green space, healthy food, and sustainable transportation.
For more information, visit hbcugreenfund.org.
