Toyota and Broccoli City collaborate to focus on sustainability during music and culture infused festival returning to Congress Heights

Corporate responsibility, health, and green living to Millennial trendsetters will be hot topics during the multi-day festival

News provided by

Toyota Motor North America

May 04, 2017, 11:49 ET

TORRANCE, Calif., May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toyota Green Initiative will once again take center stage as hot music, hip art, and eco-consciousness collide at the third annual Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C. The festival, which got a humble start as a platform to promote sustainability and Earth Day in the historic Congress Heights Neighborhood, has evolved into a high energy, who's who, gathering of urban Millennials from around the world.

In an effort to charge their phones, festival-goers take a spin on electric-fueled stationary bikes at the Toyota Green Initiative activation space during the 2016 Broccoli City Festival in Washington D.C. Toyota is back as a major sponsor of this year’s eco-friendly music festival. This event is just one of many the brand will sponsor throughout the year under its African-American millennial-focused sustainability platform, the Toyota Green Initiative. (Photo: Donald Traill)

Sustainability expert and Toyota Green Initiative coalition member, Yoli Ouiya, shows festival-goers how to make their own eco-friendly body oils during the 2016 Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C. Toyota is back as a major sponsor of this year’s eco-friendly music festival. This event is just one of many the brand will sponsor throughout the year under its African-American millennial-focused sustainability platform, the Toyota Green Initiative. (Photo: Donald Traill)

Working to "redefine the cool" towards people being active and engaged participants in their community, festival organizers use Broccoli City to create a culture that celebrates and rewards individuals who are doing the work to make their communities healthier. The Toyota Green Initiative (TGI), developed by Toyota in 2008, has been a catalyst for promoting sustainability and community service across the country, so the continued partnership between the two brands has created a unique synergy to empower young African-Americans to be changemakers and good stewards.

While headliners like Solange and Rae Sremmurd are set to perform during a powerhouse concert lineup on Saturday, May 6th, the Broccoli City Festival experience will already be in high gear with a week-long schedule of events including a 5k run, speaker conference, and volunteer activities.

TGI kicked off the week with a day of service at Dreaming Out Loud organic garden on Wednesday, May 3rd, where volunteers will build raised garden beds, install soil, and plant seedlings for the upcoming harvest. Toyota's National Manager of Brand, Multicultural & Crossline Marketing Strategy, Mia Phillips, will discuss corporate America's role in addressing complex social challenges as a featured panelist during the first Broccoli Con, a two-day conference happening May 4th and 5th for those who "strive to create a better world."

Sustainability and healthy lifestyle experts known as the TGI Coalition will also be on-hand to promote environmentally responsible solutions for better living, including D.C.'s own Jerri Evans, founder of Turning Natural Juice Bar. While festival-goers roam artist installations, shop local fashion and beauty finds, and take-in a back to back showcase of hip-hop and soul music, the TGI footprint will be available with ride and drive opportunities and demonstrations throughout the day on Saturday.

"We know we are making connections that count when we engage with the audience at the Broccoli City Festival. These are young people who are the faces of progress in our communities, and Toyota is proud to support them through this unique event," says Phillips. "It's a good time for a good purpose."

To keep up with all of the TGI action at the Broccoli City Festival follow #ToyotaGreen. For conversations with TGI Coalition members and more insight about the program, please notify the media contact below.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. Over the past 60 years, we've produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.6 million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Taryn Williams Clark
Burrell Communications
312.399.5583
[email protected]

Mia Phillips
Toyota USA
310.468.1986
[email protected]

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America