The root of my name is Shamar(a) which means to guard or keep watch in Hebrew. It symbolizes the predestination of my life’s practice as an active steward over planet Earth. I’m an Electrical Engineer with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in thin-films and materials characterization. I work across the solar energy ecosystem with the goal of popularizing solar electricity to ensure, “Power (is distributed) to the People.” My role as Research Engineer at Morgan State University (MSU) has afforded me the opportunity to work on climate science topics like air quality and the atmospheric environment. Also, I engage directly with community members to foster knowledge transfer and capacity building on climate resilience strategies. A practical solution to combat greenhouse gas emissions is appropriate adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV).
I applied for the Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure grant in September 2024. “Who wants an EV? You get an EV; everyone gets an EV.” Said no one ever, therefore my push to expand access to EV chargers and infrastructure upgrades throughout Baltimore was met with great skepticism by residents. The hesitancy also stemmed from the lack of resident mobility options as many do not own vehicles, let alone EVs. The City represents climate issues faced by midsized industrial cities in the US, and with eastern “rust belt” cities that face interlinked challenges of aging infrastructure, stagnant populations, increased heat and flood risk, and inequitable burdens of air and water pollution. The most glaring concern of federal investments is for residential and social displacement from green climate infrastructure, also known as climate gentrification[1]. A feature of gentrification is a neighborhood’s changing landscape and local aesthetic.
To address this concern, I proposed a model centered around respected community members, progressive city leaders, established safe spaces, and creative artists. My primary approach was to engage with Baltimore-based artists from the historic Black Arts District to design environmental justice theme pieces that would adorn the façade of each charging station. In addition, we would use videography to capture young people’s stories about their relationship with the environment. These videos would be displayed on the charger’s media board which is usually left to intrusive company advertisements. Select safe sites for chargers were identified by their community credibility and allowed for pay-per-charge profit sharing with non-profit organizations. The overall approach was to include local leaders early in green interventions to foster long-term sustainability. By respecting the established order and leaders in Baltimore City, we planned to be successful in mitigating climate gentrification and expanding access to resources like hyperlocal EV infrastructure. Without funding for the MSU EV Project this underserved and disadvantaged community will likely experience diminished access to advanced technology and the transportation infrastructure that is vital to the health of the environment, the community, and the economy.