UNLEASH HACKS USA: Bringing Life to the Forgotten Side of Lowndes County with Perman Hardy

<p><strong>What is it like to actually get stuff done in Lowndes County Alabama?&nbsp; It isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible.&nbsp; Perman Hardy can teach you a thing or two.&nbsp; For those participating in the UNLEASH 2021 USA Hack on sanitation issues in the Alabama black belt, this is a useful episode to build empathy and awareness.</strong></p> <p><strong>Perman Hardy grew up in a family of sharecroppers and has worked for decades as an advocate to improve the lives of people within Lowndes County.&nbsp; She has recently stepped into the role of board chair for the </strong><a href="https://lcuwp.org/our-story/"><u><strong>Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Project</strong></u></a><strong>.&nbsp; Through the hard work of their team, they have obtained grants (to the tune of $2.9M) to supply engineered onsite wastewater treatment systems for low income homeowners with failing or non-existent systems.</strong></p> <p><strong>You should also consider watching this powerful video </strong><a href="https://vimeo.com/346751909"><u><strong>https://vimeo.com/346751909</strong></u></a><strong>.</strong></p> <p><strong>To stay in touch with the UNELASH USA hack please visit </strong><a href="https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/"><u><strong>https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/</strong></u></a></p> <p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p> <p><strong>- Challenges and opportunities to working in rural communities</strong></p> <p><strong>- Moving from “Straight Pipes” to sustainable waste water systems</strong></p> <p><strong>- Less talk, more action for Lowndes County</strong></p> <p><strong>- A message to everyone that wants to help</strong></p> <p><strong>Relevant articles: </strong><a href="https://www.nola.com/nation_world/article_c9e95207-f612-5809-8109-0a4e80ff5575.html"><u><strong>https://www.nola.com/nation_world/article_c9e95207-f612-5809-8109-0a4e80ff5575.html&nbsp;</strong></u></a></p>