CP Board Member

Aminata Calhoun
Director of Sanitation and Environmental Programming, Centennial Parkside CDC

When Aminata Calhoun returned to her childhood residence in West Philadelphia in 2016, she was totally dismayed and completely distraught to see an entire community overrun with illegal dumping, trash/litter, blight, and dilapidated properties, literally falling down to the ground. She was in disbelief and driven to look within herself to ask the question, “How can I awaken a people to the detriment of the conditions of our community that are affecting their health, safety and the environment?”

Aminata began to immerse herself in environmental sustainability in relation to our daily imperfect behaviors in our living environment. She defines this endeavor as Transformer of Environmental Sustainability Urban Revitalization.

In 2019, Aminata established a ‘Mindful Zero Waste Public Domain,’ a community cleaning initiative composed of 35 volunteers to cleaned 15 community blocks, alleys, lots, inlets and curbsides to the streets. She also established The Edward Bradley Community Oasis in the Belmont neighborhood of Philadelphia as an outdoor clean and green inter-generational community respite honoring notable Philadelphian, African-American journalist Ed Bradley. In January 2021, Centennial Parkside CDC hired her as their Director of Sanitation and Environmental Programming. In this position, she works on reducing waste throughout the communities and eradicating illegal dumping.

A multi-instrumental musician and artist, Aminata operated a 3-story home art gallery and meeting house, located in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties section from 1992 to 2011. She holds a B.A. in Human Service and an M.A. in Social Work and Psychology from Antioch University.