We have a new Humans of Uprise story for you today! Meet Toinnette Marshall, who went solar with Uprise through DC’s Solar for All program in September 2022.
Toinnette was born and raised in DC, attended school in North Carolina for a while, and then returned to DC. After she had her two sons, who are teenagers now, she decided to go back to school. She earned her undergraduate degree in 2014, and then her master’s in 2018.
“It hasn’t been an easy journey but it’s been an eventful one and it’s been positive. I wouldn’t change it. The memory my boys have from me walking across the stage has set the bar for them,” Toinnette says. “This is life. You never stop trying to better yourself, but always know you’ll be a work in progress. And just keep striving to be better.”
Solar As A Home And Community Improvement Project
Toinnette grew up in public housing, and has worked hard to give her sons a different future. “I made a conscious decision that I’m not gonna be here anymore,” Toinnette says. “And when I get from here I’m going into something that I own. And then I have something that I could pass on to my two boys.”
Solar was a decision she made for the future of her house. “What do I want to be my footprint on this house? What do I want to say that I did?” she says. “With the solar panels I was like, that’s what I want.”
Toinnette learned about solar from her brother, who lives around the corner from her and obtained solar through DC’s Solar for All program. He told her about how solar lowered his electric bill, and Toinnette was intrigued. She applied through the city and was matched with Uprise, since we’re an approved Solar for All contractor. And she was impressed with the work Uprise performed and founder Chris Sewell’s communication throughout the process.
“We had one hiccup in the beginning with some paperwork. I think it was with the Department of Energy or something, it wasn’t on Chris’s behalf. But he stayed on it, and was in constant communication and got that cleared up, and the work was rolling,” Toinnette says. “What I really appreciated was everyone was knowledgeable and respectful of my time and my property.”
At one point, the crew realized they would need to cut a hole in one wall to access the roof. Toinnette says Chris discussed it with her before the crew did anything, and after she agreed and the solar installation was complete, Uprise sent over a worker to fix the hole. Toinnette says they even matched the paint.
“I cannot have asked for a better contractor,” she says. “[Chris] really wants to make sure that it’s going to be beneficial for you. You don’t find that personal touch nowadays because everybody’s struggling. He’s just an awesome guy. There’s just a spirit about him that is genuine. And that for me speaks volumes.”
Solar in Ward 8
Toinnette’s house is located in Ward 8. Solar has made a big difference for her and she knows it can for people in her neighborhood as well.
“This is the poorest ward in the city,” she says. “There’s a food desert here. We don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, just things that some people can’t even fathom. We are dealing with it here. And so that’s why I told Chris that anything that I can do to educate and light and edify, I’m there. I am there. This house is going to be the beacon of light for the rest of this block.”
Like Humans of Uprise homeowner Yashieka Anglin, Toinnette has found many DC residents don’t yet know about Solar for All. “I’m just trying to encourage any and everybody to get solar,” she says. “I really think more people need to know about solar energy because it’s very helpful, and a lot of us as people of color, we don’t know about a lot of those benefits because you know, this is not an affluent neighborhood. But, with it not being an affluent neighborhood, everybody on this block is Black and they own their home. So that’s what people don’t know.”
She’s watched the 24 solar panels on top of her roof save her money.
“I didn’t have to come out of my pocket to do anything and I was very, very appreciative of that,” Toinnette says. “And when I got my first bill, I was like, ‘Oh, wow.’”
Plus, going solar means joining a movement that impacts not just your power bill, but your neighborhood.
“People want to know that the things they’re doing are making a difference,” Toinnette says. “We all want to be part of something. Especially if it’s positive.”
DC Highlight: See The City Sights For Free
Toinnette loves living in DC, saying, “It’s one of the few places where you can actually do things and not spend a dime. Try doing that in New York. What would you do free in New York other than walk down the street?”
When we spoke, Toinnette’s best friend from North Carolina had recently visited for her birthday, and they did activities like attending a block party at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“I told her, ‘You’re not gonna spend any money until I run out of money.’ And she didn’t spend anything the whole time she was here,” Toinnette says. “And I mean, we ate good and stuff. She still raves about her trip here to DC.”
Toinnette says DC is at its best in the summertime. “You meet the tourists and they know more about some of the stuff that’s happening than we do because they’ve mapped out their itinerary,” she says. “A kind word will take you a long way. Usually with me, it’s a tourist that can’t figure out how to do the Metro. That’s usually how I end up meeting people, just helping them.”
We Can Help You Go Solar For No Cost Too
Besides being an approved Solar for All contractor, Uprise also offers our own no-cost program. We cover the cost of installation, and then receive the DC incentives as the system owner. You receive all the bill savings — we estimate you’ll save 50 to 80% on your power bills. And you’ll also be able to sell any extra power your panels produce back to Pepco through net metering.
“A lot of people of color think solar is not for us. Yes, it is,” Toinnette says. “It’s not just rich folks that have those panels. And a lot of them went through programs too.”
Be sure to check out our Humans of Uprise page to read the stories of other community members going solar, and reach out to us whenever you’re ready to discuss your solar options. You can fill out our form online or call us at (202) 280-2285.