GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic and Sycamore & Oak partner to bring solar power, green job training, and economic opportunity to Ward 8

Washington, D.C. – October 16, 2025 – On Thursday, October 23, GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic (GRID), a national leader in making clean, affordable solar power and solar jobs accessible to low-income communities and communities of color, is partnering with Sycamore & Oak to bring solar power and green job training to a new community-centered business hub in Southeast Washington D.C. A ribbon-cutting will take place from 12 – 1 p.m. at 1110 Oak Dr. SE, Washington, D.C. 20032.

A cohort of local trainees from historically underrepresented communities installed the solar array at the Sycamore & Oak site, gaining hands-on experience and workforce training in solar installation, electrical safety, and construction trades. The project demonstrates how clean energy and workforce development can be rooted in community-led priorities to advance sustainability, equity, and economic opportunity in Ward 8.

Built on the historic grounds of the former St. Elizabeths East Campus, Sycamore & Oak reclaims a site long associated with disinvestment and transforms it into a future-focused hub for Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurship, and community benefit. The new solar system lowers operating costs, reduces the site’s carbon footprint, and enables reinvestment into local companies and programming—all while anchoring sustainability at the heart of this new community asset.

The initiative also trained a cohort of Ward 8 job seekers, equipping them with the skills and credentials to pursue long-term careers in clean energy and related fields. By aligning climate action with economic mobility, the project reflects GRID Alternatives’ mission to build community-powered solutions to advance environmental justice.

“The Sycamore & Oak project shows how solar energy can do more than power buildings. The green energy industry can power new opportunities,” said Jordan Taylor, Executive Director. “Together, we’re creating pathways to good jobs and community wealth while building a more resilient, equitable D.C.”

The Sycamore & Oak project is projected to foster economic growth through job creation and local wealth building, strengthen community infrastructure and services via reinvestment, and help reduce wealth gaps by creating economic mobility. The project also promotes innovation through diverse perspectives and advances social equity by counteracting historical barriers to Black communities.