Elevate is a nonprofit organization that works nationally and is headquartered in Chicago. Elevate designs and implements programs to ensure that everyone has clean and affordable heat, power, and water in their homes and communities — no matter who they are or where they live.
Empowered started with an idea to think beyond energy affordability challenges. Data shows that many Americans struggle to keep up with their energy bills, but we wanted to move beyond the numbers to showcase the lived experiences of real people. People who weren’t just behind on bills but were keeping their homes at uncomfortable temperatures because it cost too much to heat or cool them. People who had to sacrifice buying food or medications because they were forced to make utility payments. People who lived with the chronic stress of a possible shut-off because they couldn’t keep up with rising energy prices.
When faced with these types of energy challenges, many people are empowered to find creative strategies to cope. The name Empowered reflects their resourcefulness and willpower.
Even though many households find ways to manage energy challenges, this doesn’t mean they should have to. Empowered is meant to not just uplift people’s experiences – it’s also meant to act as a road map for change.
EMPOWERED
This video project tells the stories of Chicagoans living with energy insecurity. A collaboration between Elevate and Tonika Lewis Johnson, the project uplifts Chicago homeowners who have experienced the challenge of unaffordable energy costs.
Millions of Americans struggle each year to meet their basic energy needs; historical context helps us understand how discriminatory housing practices of the 1930s influence modern day energy and housing challenges.
Website
Text about the website—perhaps highlighting the resources and/or how the content is organized.
Graphic and web design by Lauren Meranda at Studio Brazen
Stories
Millions of Americans struggle every year to meet their basic energy needs. Nearly 25 million families (or 20% of all U.S. households) have to make painful choices between buying food and medications or paying their utility bills. When faced with these challenges, many people empower themselves to find creative strategies to cope.
These are their stories:
Rosita
Gladys
Rhonda
Sound design/audio engineering by David “Rob Smooth” Robinson, Animation by Keenan Davis, Illustrations by Deon Reed.