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

What is it like to actually get stuff done in Lowndes County Alabama? It isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Perman Hardy can teach you a thing or two. 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.

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. She has recently stepped into the role of board chair for the Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Project. 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.

You should also consider watching this powerful video https://vimeo.com/346751909.

To stay in touch with the UNELASH USA hack please visit https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/

In this episode:

- Challenges and opportunities to working in rural communities

- Moving from “Straight Pipes” to sustainable waste water systems

- Less talk, more action for Lowndes County

- A message to everyone that wants to help

Relevant articles: https://www.nola.com/nation_world/article_c9e95207-f612-5809-8109-0a4e80ff5575.html