Dant’e O. King is not only a pastor, author and philanthropist, but he’s also a community organizer. He’s the Co-Founder of the Southern Maryland Action Coalition (Now TRUST) and sits on the board of the Empowerment Movement. Dant’es passion for renewable energy began when he worked at Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant and Brandon Shores coal plants and first hand saw the dangers of fossil energy. He believes one of his major responsibility as a community leader is to teach, reach and equip the community as it relates to renewable energy sources. He lives by the mantra, “We have one world that each one of us is responsible for”.
ABOUT US
Groundswell builds community power to bring economic equity to the energy sector. We believe that clean energy is a necessity, not a luxury good; we’re all in this together; and it’s not OK to leave our neighbors who are struggling behind. That’s why we offer place-based programs in equitable community solar, energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and affordable wind power.
Since 2009, we have successfully implemented our approach to the energy sector to reduce the cost of clean energy and increase the accessibility of these services to communities at all income levels. Currently, we operate throughout the Mid-Atlantic including Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.
We work in partnership with local community organizations to empower individuals, businesses, faith communities, and nonprofits to align their values with how they purchase energy. Our approach is grounded in collective action and cooperative purchasing: by working together, we give communities the ability to take control of their electricity bill, save money, and align how they spend their money with their values.
Specifically, we organize local residents and institutions into purchasing groups and serve as a guide through the process of switching to clean energy and participating in local energy efficiency programs, from requesting supplier bids to negotiating to get the most affordable rates. We also activate and organize consumers to participate in local decision-making as advocates for cleaner energy and a healthier environment for their communities – transforming consumer engagement into civic action.
Groundswell was founded in 2009 by a group of field organizers who worked together on Obama for America during the 2008 Presidential campaign.