Our Work

Key Projects

Northeastern University’s Climate Justice Action Plan 2023 - 2024

One Square World is working with Northeastern University to facilitate a community-centered  process to create a Climate Justice Action Plan that is accountable to those most  impacted by climate injustice in Boston while also harnessing the strengths and  capacities of Northeastern University. This work is being done alongside NU stakeholders and Boston residents to ensure that NU accurately and actively is accountable to Boston residents most impacted by environmental injustice, and that  its actions and activities focus on the priorities and needs of these residents.

Transportation 4 Massachusetts (T4MA)
Coalition Restructuring Process 2021 - 2023

1SW led and facilitated the restructuring process with T4MA and its stakeholders to ensure that the entity accurately and actively represents Massachusetts residents most impacted by transportation injustice, and that its actions and activities focus on the priorities and needs of these residents. This involved an assessment phase, creating a restructuring committee of stakeholders, conducting trainings, facilitating design sessions for the restructuring committee, and providing coaching during their transition into a new leadership/member structure.

Boston Building Emissions Standard:
A New Community-Designed Climate Justice Ordinance 2020 - 2021

Boston Environment and NRDC contracted One Square World in a project to develop a new policy to cut carbon pollution from large buildings. One Square World, alongside key partner Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), designed and led a stakeholder engagement process with community organizations City Life - Vida Urbana, Chinese Progressive Association, New England United 4 Justice, and Right to the City Boston, to convene residents most impacted by building emissions in key neighborhoods as co-designers of this new climate justice ordinance in the city. It includes a proposal for an oversight board that has a composition of majority residents and community organizers.

This ordinance establishes that buildings that are 20,000 square feet and larger are required to meet targets that put them on track to the citywide goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Community members most impacted by environmental justice in Boston were decision-makers in this process, and we ensured that these policies benefit and reduce harm to residents.

Climate Justice in Providence 2016 - 2021

Providence Green Justice Zones 2019 - 2021

1SW was hired by the Racial Environmental Justice Committee (REJC), to work with the Providence Office of Sustainability and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to convene a cohort of BIPOC community members in Olneyville and South Providence. Together, they created the framework for a decision-making panel that is accountable to their neighborhood through deep democracy, and has the power to affect the outcomes of projects, developments and policies that impact the health and ability of residents to live well. It also resulted in the allocation by participatory budgeting of $1 million dollars from Providence's capital improvement plan budget towards an accessible waterfront, and a mutual aid resiliency hub. 

Providence Climate Justice Plan 2018 - 2019

1SW worked for two years with the City of Providence, the Racial Environmental Justice Committee, and Providence communities on the Carbon Neutral City with an equity lens project for the City of Providence. Our process resulted in the development of the City’s Climate Justice Plan, the first in the nation and now considered a north star for collaborative climate justice work.

Providence Equity in Sustainability Process 2016 - 2017

1SW worked with the City of Providence and communities of color in Providence to develop a process for co-creating an equitable sustainability agenda that can serve as a model for prioritizing equity throughout at all levels of local government.

“Thriving with Water” Boston Living with Water Competition 2015

In collaboration with other entities, Andrea Atkinson created “Thriving with Water”, a competition entry, charrette model, and conversation process that emphasizes the need to foster rigorous community processes to increase the social resilience of residents and neighborhoods.

NEXUS Green Building Resource Center Curriculum Design 2005 - 2009

Andrea Atkinson developed curriculum and provided educational sessions on topics of sustainability including energy efficiency, environmental justice and resiliency for audiences of architecture, engineering, and construction professionals, homeowners and renters, and students.