Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marsha Jackson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Marsha , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In 2019 Southern Sector Rising (SSR) was established to disrupt illegal operations that littered more than 150,000 tons of discarded shingles next door to the home of Floral Farms resident Marsha Jackson and the community.

The discarded roofing shingles, known as Shingle Mountain, were a ten-story mountain of roofing shingles created in January 2018 and were to be recycled to fill street holes and pavement. The recycling did not occur, and the shingles dump multiplied, causing health issues to the community and animals, damaging the property, and blocking storm drainage. Southern Sector rising was founded and organized with allies to comeback environmental racism.

Marsha , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a mother of two daughters and have two grandsons, two granddaughters, one great-granddaughter, and three great-grandsons. I am a full-time employee and a retired manager with over 30 years of service at AT&T.

I have a Master’s in Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resource Certification, Graduate HRM Certificate, and Bachelor’s degree in Business with a Concentration in Management. I am pursuing my Doctorate in Public Administration with an anticipated completion date in 2023.

I am an Environmental activist guest speaker at various organizations discussing Environmental Injustice. I was the recipient of the 2019 Sierra Club Environmentalist Award, the 2020 Recipient of SMU 55th Symposium Women in Profiles Award, the 2020 Juanita Craft Humanitarian Award, the 2020 Green Source DFW Leadership Environmental Award, Dallas AFL-CIO 2022 Community Champion Award, and the 2023 A. Maceo Smith Social Justice Award. I am the founder of Southern Sector Rising, a Juanita Craft House Civil Rights Museum Board Member, a Lane Plating EPA Superfund Community Advisory Group member, a Red Cross Disaster Team member, and a Disaster Recovery Operations Advisor. I am a member and Board Secretary of the Dallas-Forth Chapter of Women in Transit (WTS), Friendship-West Baptist Church, Dallas County Precinct Chair, and Volunteer Deputy Registrar. I also received Marsha Jackson Day in Dallas County on February 22 Each year on my birthday.

I am most known for Environmental Injustice, advocating for removing Shingle Mountain from polluting my community, mainly black and brown residents.

I became an environmental activist due to the company Blue Star Recycling moved into our community in January 2018 and was to recycle roofing shingles. The Roofing shingles were to be resold for use in paving street potholes; however, the recycling and resale did not occur. The roofing shingles continue to grow to 180,000 tons; of roofing shingles ten-story high, less than 100 feet from my bedroom, and later known as Shingle Mountain. The roofing shingles polluted our community, causing severe health issues, which now my vocal cords are permanently damaged due to airborne particles and the fiberglass of the ground-up shingles.

I am proud of the activism, staying strong to fight for the removal of Shingle Mountain, and proud to be a part of the founding of the nonprofit Southern Sector Rising, which was campaigning to remove Shingle Mountain. Southern Sector Rising focuses on fighting against environmental Injustice or marginalizing communities in the southern sector and racial zoning in Dallas, Texas.

Staying focused and persistent regarding critical issues and advocacy sets me apart from others. I was individual fighting against environmental Injustice until allies joined forces to change and continue with our voices heard against the environmental justice in our Southern Dallas Floral Farms Community. I will continue to fight to change what is wrong to make it right.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Before sharing on social media, the Board members discussed the process in our Board meeting. Social media is a tool to promote our organization, stating its mission, vision, and goal. Publicizing the organization is an attractive option to inform the community in public of the communities we serve, asking for support, volunteers, and donations. Social media is a positive process.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my board members and co-chairs at a meeting while discussing the Blue Star recycling company next to my home, causing pollutant issues. The board members and supporters were amazed by the environmental issues I illustrated. After the members investigated the pollutant issues, they were amazed and supportive and advocated for the removal of Shingle Mountain. The board members were supportive and have been faithful since the founding of Southern Sector Rising in March 2019.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.southernsectorrising.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernsectorrising/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernsectorrising
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southern-sector-rising/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sosectorrising

Image Credits
https://www.bemediaone.com/ Washington Post