One Voice

One Voice is a non-profit, civic engagement organization.

Website: http://onevoicems.org/

Address: 1072 John R. Lynch St, Jackson, MS 39203

Phone: (601)960-9594

Contact person: Ashura Lewis

Email: media@uniteonevoice.or

Connect with One Voice

We enable civic engagement in the formation of public policy through leadership development, research support, training, and technical assistance.

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Mission

  • Our mission is to ensure an equal voice to traditionally silenced communities across the South.

Why Energy Democracy?

-No one community, regardless of race, nationality, or income strata, should be left to bear the brunt of environmental hazards that contaminate the air we breathe and the water we drink.  The core of the environmental justice movement requires that people not only sympathize with those who face environmental injustices, but to also take action to ensure all people are equally protected. The democratization of energy is particularly important in this work as control over the energy resources for and from the community by the community  is a safeguard against climatic and economic vulnerabilities.

-Non-democratic participation within co-operatives has resulted in communities plagued by surging electricity bills, declining job opportunities, languishing wages, and crumbling infrastructure. In addition, lack of ownership and control of energy resources has kept impoverished communities in states of perpetual economic crisis and instability. For example, in Belzoni, Mississippi, when the average income is compared with the average cost of electricity from the co-operative and average family usage, the cost of electricity can reach as high as 42% of a family’s income. This is directly caused by the miseducation of member-owners as to their rights and the perceived lack of ownership and control over energy resources created as a result.

Our Strategy

  • Communities facing the issue are in the best position to decide/determine what is the best course and needed result.
  • Education on rights, responsibilities, and resources provides longer-lasting community and individual. empowerment
  • Organizing must be community-centered at all times and models must adapt to meet the needs and concerns of the community.

Accomplishments

Since One Voice has introduced its Campaign for Energy Democracy, engagement of member-owners has increased. One example of this increased engagement involves the President of Coahoma Community College and the college’s radio station. The campus wanted to revitalize its radio programming but needed $60,000 to replace and repair towers. Once the President learned that the college was a member-owner of their co-operative, he engaged the board. The co-operative gave a grant to the college for the radio station’s needs.

Another example is in 4 County EPA. A participant of ECLI has an organization that wanted to secure a playground for the children Shuqualak, MS. Realizing that she was a member-owner, she applied for a grant from her co-operative. It provided $7,000 of funding for the playground.

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