Fellow Profile
FELICIA DAVIS
 Felicia Davis, ELP Fellow 2002-2004,is executive director of the Benjamin E. Mays National Educational Resource Center, an organization committed to universal access to technology, global education and sustainable development programs. .
How did you get involved in environmental education?
In 2000, I visited Senegal for the Africa Futures Forum. While there, I noticed that environmental degradation was a direct result of massive migration to the urban center, and that there was a pressing need to bridge the digital divide for youth. At the time, I was working on climate change and hoping that the U.S. would be moved to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Later, I attended the Hague Climate Conference, where I met, and was inspired by, six young advocates from Senegal and Gambia whose participation was supported by Greenpeace. Following The Hague conference, I was fortunate to become a member of the Environmental Justice Climate Change Initiative and to be connected with Kids Against Pollution, a multinational network of youth dedicated to solving and preventing pollution problems through interactive educational projects that protect children's health and the planet. My daughter eagerly formed a KAP chapter in Atlanta and started working on one clean air campaign after another.
Tell us about the EcoCyberCenters you are developing.
After creating a community technology center for lower income youth, I found that there was a profound need to connect youth with the outdoors and wilderness experiences. I developed the EcoCyberCenter concept based on the three areas that I felt were critical to the development of any youth. "Eco" is short hand for environmental education, ecology and stewardship; "Cyber" refers to utilizing technology as a tool for communication and learning; and "Center" refers to a community nexus - a place where people gather to discuss and take action on issues and problems within the community. In 2002, I applied for support from the ELP Activity Fund to start several local EcoCyberCenters. In addition to the start-up funding provided by ELP, my connections to other ELP fellows and staff were invaluable as I developed this project.
In December of 2002, I received a call from a program officer at the Environmental Protection Agency asking if I would take on a small project to provide computers and environmental education to communities in three West African countries. The project was to be supported by both the US EPA and USAID. Naturally, I said yes and immediately added South Africa to the list of countries because our Kids Against Pollution chapter had already made a commitment to connect with communities there following our trip to Johannesburg for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2002.
What is happening with the EcoCyberCenters now?
I have just returned from my first project meeting in Accra, Ghana, where I am partnered with Friends of the Earth-Ghana to create EcoCyberCenters in St. Mary's Girls School and Aburi Girls School. The site coordinators from Senegal and South Africa were also in attendance representing partnerships with ENDA/Yenne Village and Lamontville High School/Durban, respectively. Youth clubs have been established in all of the centers and computers are now being deployed along with resources for connectivity. During the meeting, we identified solid waste as the most pressing environmental problem confronting all of the areas, and thus an important issue for us to include in the educational resources and activities at our EcoCyberCenters.
I am now at the point where the resources to launch the EcoCyberCenters are ending and my dilemma is beginning. I have determined that my role for the Centers is to focus on fundraising and resource development. It is clear that without additional resources, the Centers' programs won't be sustained, and as a result they will spur little progress on local environmental issues. I am currently soliciting help, ideas, and contributions to keep the project going.
In addition to establishing the EcoCyberCenter sites in Africa, I am working to get similar technology centers up and running here in Georgia.
What other projects are you working on in Georgia?
I am involved in civic engagement issues and the national Unity '04 Campaign targeting the African American vote. Specifically, I am now working on a multimedia project that will address the "Black Agenda" from Republican, Democratic and possibly Independent perspectives. The project will provide voters with a unique opportunity to compare the policies, leadership and philosophy of major candidates and their parties on issues such as the environment, urban development, jobs, education, criminal justice reform, foreign policy and homeland security. Our hope is that the electorate will be in a better position to make an informed decision come November.
I also serve as executive director of the Benjamin E. Mays National Educational Resource Center, where I am working to create 15-20 additional after-school centers in the Atlanta Metro area and beyond. Each center will have Internet access, a Kids Against Pollution Chapter, a sports program and academic enrichment programs that foster critical thinking and scientific inquiry. Our girls and boys basketball teams are number one in their league, and we will participate in Earth Day activities and the March of Dimes Walk.
Georgia is far more diverse today than it was when I moved here five years ago. I am working to find ways to reach the Spanish-speaking population and develop multi-cultural environmental education programs. Similarly, we are just beginning to grapple with issues of the "built environment" and its impact on childhood obesity. We are finding that even in the best circumstances the urban environment is not very conducive to biking, walking, play or travel without a vehicle. Overall, it is a time of tremendous growth, and we are beginning a new and exiting chapter in the development of the Benjamin E. Mays Center.
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