Toyota returns to the eco-infused Broccoli City Festival featuring an all-star line-up of music artists and sustainability inspiration

TORRANCE, Calif., April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toyota Green Initiative returns to the Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C. for its second year in honor of Earth Day. The eco-inspired music and art festival uses its platform to galvanize a dialed in fan base of urban millennials from around the world to learn about healthy eating and environmental sustainability.

Set in the heart of the historic Congress Heights Neighborhood, the festival has featured artist powerhouses like Erykah Badu and cameo appearances from Jada Pinkett-Smith. Committed to environmental responsibility, the event is designed to be low impact through the use of biodegradable and compostable products, on-site recycling, and renewable energy credits. Additionally, the festival features partnerships with local nonprofits and government agencies to educate the audience about sustainable lifestyle and community solutions.

Broccoli City Festival activities will kick-off with a day of service on April 28th in partnership with the Toyota Green Initiative at the YMCA Capital View. Volunteers working to earn admission into the festival will create a community garden, assist in a neighborhood clean-up, and contribute to a community art installation.

The Toyota Green Initiative (TGI), developed by Toyota in 2008, has been a catalyst for promoting sustainability across the country. With a focus on engaging African-Americans, TGI has become an influential voice in educating communities about green living by using unique events to communicate its messaging. Toyota director of African American business strategy, Alva Mason, touted the partnership as a "natural fit," giving TGI a creative opportunity to commemorate Earth Day and reach a broader audience of young influencers and sustainability advocates.

TGI will be on site at the festival for the day long lineup of music artists on Saturday, April 30th with its coalition, a group of celebrities and sustainability experts who advocate for green living, including Sleepy Hollow actor and Howard University alum Lance Gross, celebrity personal trainer, Ron "Boss" Everline, and green blogger Yoli Ouiya. The TGI coalition will share their commitment to environmental progress and innovation through various seminars and DIY presentations.

Festival-goers will also be able to shoot their own music video during ride and drive experiences set to the latest chart-topping hits in Toyota's line of eco-friendly hybrid vehicles, using the music video maker app, Triller.

Radio personality and DJ, Sway Calloway, will be on hand to interview slated festival artists Future, Jhene Aiko, the Internet, BJ the Chicago Kid, and more.

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), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands.  Over the past 50 years, we've built 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 (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.5 million in the U.S.) in 2015 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.  

Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment.  As part of this commitment, we share the company's extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit http://www.toyotanewsroom.com. 

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SOURCE Toyota