Creative Minds 2011: Watch Our Interview With Majora Carter (VIDEO)

As we we reach the end of the year, you'll no doubt be inundated with "best of 2010" lists on every topic imaginable. But we also want to look ahead to 2011--to the creative minds we're expecting great things from. These people have wowed us in many ways, but are nowhere near done.

When you think of the major problems facing this country today the environment and employment immediately come to mind. Majora Carter is fighting for both. In 2001 she founded Sustainable South Bronx--an organization that seeks to "green the ghetto" by offering practical tools to make neighborhoods healthier and happier. Under her leadership, the group created the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training--a program that offers green-collar job training and placement.

She has dedicated herself to building riverfront parks and green roofs, while fighting forces which would make the South Bronx a less healthy place to live. In 2005 she won a MacArthur genius grant for her work.

Click here to see our other Creative Minds to watch in 2011.

In 2008 she founded the Majora Carter Group, a green-collar economic consulting firm. She advises cities, foundations, schools, businesses and more.

Watch our exclusive interview with Carter, below.


WATCH THE SHORT VERSION:

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

Comments

[Jmaximus Spartacus]

04:28 AM on 12/15/2010

Majora is major hot. Smart, pretty and green that is hard to beat.

[ATL30314]

04:09 PM on 12/10/2010

What you did in the Bronx is amazing. Is there a workshop I could attend to help me get started on simialar programs in my area. I live in atlanta, in a neighborhood very close to downtown. I have ideas for creating green affordable housing, green jobs technical school, community garder and many others. The problem is too many vacant houses, not enough tax base in the area. Business are not interested in opening in the area. I want to create jobs, healthly housings in a neighborhood that has been overlooked for too long. Any help would be greatly apppreciated.

[walchild]

06:08 PM on 12/09/2010

Today we get the news of the U.S. Congress refusing to repeal DADT, even in the light of an in- depth military study showing it needs to happen. On top of that, Barbara Walters is interviewing Sarah Palin in her 2010 "Best of" interview program! Whacko fundamentalist ersatz-"Christians" have a direct line to God to not only know that Elizabeth Edwards is in hell, but are dispatching protestors to her funeral half-way across the country. Just why is it that Americans think we have anything to contribute to the rest of the world? How horrified are you by American government, "journalism," media, and underlying culture? Having an educated, intelligent, well-spoken President does not seem me to be enough to make us look good around the world in light of this nonsense.

[Hunter Stuart]

05:52 PM on 12/08/2010

The green roof industry in Europe is so much more popular and profitable than it is here in the United States. Why?

[Hunter Stuart]

05:34 PM on 12/08/2010

Why did you decide to make the Majora Carter Group a for-profit instead of a non-profit? What are the advantages and disadvantages to both sides?

[Geoulio Fransesco]

09:57 PM on 12/06/2010

Ms. Carter,
I used to volunteer with our Local Housing Authority which helps place low income families in subsidized housing but quite frankly left out of sheer frustration. One of the major problems we had is that the families and individuals in the housing seem to have little to no respect for their homes. We planted trees and flowers, only to find them deliberately broken or yanked out of the ground. Vandalism is rampant. When a family moves out of a unit, we would have to go into the unit and clean, repair and paint it before a new family can come in. I have never seen a unit left in the condition in which it started. Windows are busted, blinds are torn up, there are holes in the walls, lighting ripped out, etc etc...I'm not just talking a little messy and some minor damage, I'm talking trashed. Every month, clean up around the ghetto grounds fills up a big dumpster.

I think greening up the ghetto is a wonderful idea.....but is it worth it if our efforts seem fruitless? Why does it seem like the tenants take pleasure in destroying and trashing their houses and surroundings? What can we do to change this?

[BritishAmerican]

10:48 AM on 12/13/2010

Educate and get people involved in their communities. Make them feel part of it so that they won't have to resort to vandalizing.

[Geri Trevino]

11:08 AM on 12/13/2010

Please read "Language Older Than Words" by Derrick Jensen Then you will have a deeper understanding of our human nature. The apartments will never receive the level of abuse the people who live in them have already lived through. Remember .... think about Gandhi or WWJD
We should never give up making this world livable for all. Thank you for your previous good works.

[nastybastard]

03:16 AM on 12/03/2010

I need funding for the 1st alternative energy powered / environmentally friendly concert venue in the world. The venue also funds a food bank, offers medical payment assistance and give away free fresh desalinated H2O to the community in which it does business.
I have been turned down by Banks and the SBA - I have attempted to get musicians that claim to be environmentalist and humanitarians - but no go.
Where can I obtain funding - - any ideas?

[Albert James Ambris]

05:15 AM on 12/21/2010

Why did the banks deny you??

[GreenAmbition]

08:46 PM on 12/02/2010

Ms Carter is doing a fantastic job. proof that caring can go a long way.
Is this tied to stopping the food deserts in such neighborhoods?

[db08]

04:29 PM on 12/02/2010

Bravo Majora!!!

[Kevin Deniz]

03:55 PM on 12/02/2010

Hi Majora.
Loved your enthusiusum in your TED talk...wish you had more time. The question I want to ask is: what/whom is the greatest obstacle (aside from corporate dollars) that hinders the introduction of programs similar to yours around the country. Being part of San Francisco and the greater bay area, I have come across educators (urban/environmental studies major here) who promote similar ideas but have this bourgeoise attitude they take back to Berkeley which hinders me from wanting to get involved...can you speak to that?

[Ashok Kamal]

12:07 PM on 11/30/2010

What steps can be taken to involve urban communities in completing the recycling loop? For example, most of California's recycled plastic is sent to China for processing. Is the U.S. outsourcing valuable green-collar jobs?

[buggedabouttheus]

05:40 PM on 11/29/2010

What building factors are involved in green roofs? What is needed to adapt existing buildings to support green roofs?

[AnacostiaYogi]

12:21 AM on 11/27/2010

Majora, I love your mission. How can people living in hoods (like the Bronx) mimic your model and start a grassroots movement on the hyper-local level? Do you have a manual or a curriculum for the novice social-preneurs who want to be catalysts for environmental change?

[Gordon Soderberg]

10:30 AM on 11/20/2010

Have intercity green community organizations reached out to veterans? A sustainable environment and career employment opportunities are very important to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who face 20% unemployment and higher for veterans of color.

[pyt333]

11:43 AM on 11/19/2010

Sorry for the spelling mistakes-very tacky.