When Black Panther debuted, Black folks everywhere lost their collective minds witnessing an African society free from the ravages of colonialism. One of the most striking aspects of Wakanda was how technology and the environment harmonized to support thriving communities. The movie might be a fiction, but community organizations in Burien are collaborating to make something like Wakanda a fact.
When two men met long ago as part of a city committee, they didn’t know that years later it would lead to a solar installation.
Dennis Comer, who lives near Genesee Park, works as the director of the nonprofit Central Area Collaborative. His days are spent trying to promote investments and development that will benefit the Central District and preserve its cultural legacy.
Edwin Wanji is the owner of Sphere Solar Energy, a five-year-old company that installs solar panels on roofs in Washington as well as around the world. Wanji is an immigrant from Kenya who came to the United States with two $20 bills in his pocket as a college student almost 15 years ago.
