Our Story
Imagine This:
A world where everyone enjoys clean air, toxic free communities, access to trusted transportation, and healthy food.
Our Mission
To ensure that everyone is environmentally literate, capable of promoting and living a sustainable lifestyle.
Our Vision
GDI envisions a world where everyone irrespective of racial background, zip code and income bracket thrive in a healthy environment free from pollution which impacts the air, water, natural resources, and the built environment. Where environmental racism is a distant memory for generations to come and environmental justice is a reality for all.
Question
If Environmental Justice were achieved in Detroit, what would it look like?
This question put us on the road of discovery. After having worked to fight for and demand environmental justice for more than two decades, founder Donele Wilkins, was confronted with this conundrum. The search for authentic justice in the environment for the underrepresented, overburdened communities represented throughout Detroit and beyond became a challenge to find.
Thoughtfully, the mission began to take shape: To ensure that everyone can live and promote a sustainable lifestyle. Not to oversimplify but the truth is that every human being deserves to breathe clean air, drink safe and healthy water, learn in toxic free school buildings, and play safely in parks free from poisons. No one should be denied the ability to earn a life affirming, family supporting income. Environmental Justice embodies the right to enjoy life to its fullest. It is attainable and the Green Door Initiative has set its sight on this very achievable goal.
We launched in 2010 to offer the realizable goal of good paying jobs with a strong career path; advocating for equal protection under the law for environmental protection, opening doors for young people to find their place in the effort, seeking policy options in a diminishing climate which regulate African Americans and others to the bottom.
Environmental Justice affirms that we speak for ourselves. We are the champions we have been waiting on!!
Meet The Team
Staff Members

Donele Wilkins
President / CEO

Domiana Carter
Project Manager of the Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program

Dee Collins
Bookkeeper

Donele Wilkins
President / CEO

Domiana Carter
Project Manager of the Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program

Dee Collins
Bookkeeper

Carolyn Mitchell
Office Manager

Carolyn Mitchell
Office Manager

Jemiel Marsh
Project Assistant of the Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program

Tyeisha Hodges
Project Assistant

Jemiel Marsh
Project Assistant of the Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program

Tyeisha Hodges
Project Assistant

Leila Mekias
Project Manager of the MI Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Asthma Project

Quinton Jenkins
Albert Schweitzer Fellow

Jerry Peoples
Job Developer, Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program

Leila Mekias
Project Manager of the MI Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Asthma Project

Quinton Jenkins
Albert Schweitzer Fellow

Jerry Peoples
Job Developer, Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program
Board of Directors

Richard F. Carson
Board Member

Keith Cooley
Board Member

Jane Fernanders
Board Member

Donele Wilkins
Board Member

Richard F. Carson
Board Member

Keith Cooley
Board Member

Jane Fernanders
Board Member

Donele Wilkins
Board Member

Brian Flaggs
Board Member

Dawn R. McCloud, Esq.
Board Member

Bruce J. Ross
Board Member
Our Work
What We Do
Green Door Initiative is committed to and passionate about our mission to ensure that every person is environmentally literate, capable of practicing and promoting sustainability as a lifestyle. We organize ourselves into four program categories Ensuring Environmental Justice, Environmental Technician Career Worker Training Program, Youth Speak Green and Solar. Please click the link below to find out more about each program.
Who We Work WIth
Our Partners
The work of Green Door is not achievable without the help of our partners. It does require a village of likeminded committed individuals and organizations to achieve such a monumental feat. We are delighted to be on the frontline with others such as:






















My company relies heavily on Green Door trainees. I even convinced the Detroit Environmental Education Program to outsource its training to Green Door. This is how much I believe in the quality of their work. Green Door has literally helped me build my business to where we are today.
Donna
Vice President of BBEK
I went from being chronically unemployed and getting in trouble with the law, to starting my own environmental nonprofit. I now travel around the country as spokesperson and expert on urban agriculture. Green Door gave me the skills and confidence I needed to turn my life around.
Orlando Thorpe
Green Door Trainee, 2014
It is a basic human right to breathe clean air, have access to safe drinking water, thrive in clean and healthy surroundings, and live in communities free from pollution.
Donele Wilkins
President & CEO