Clean Power to the People: An Evening with Local Environmental Justice Leaders
Join Young Professionals in Energy (YPE) SF Bay Area for an evening with local activists and advocates fighting for environmental justice at the frontlines. For too long, low-income communities and communities of color in the Bay Area have bore the brunt of pollution and environmental degradation, including from energy infrastructure. Our panelists will share powerful stories of struggle and change, and all attendees will learn what they can do to support the movement for a clean and healthy environment for all.
Our panelists include:
Mari Rose Taruc, California Environmental Justice Alliance
Jessica Tovar, Local Clean Energy Alliance
Esperanza Vielma, Coalition of Environmental Equity and Economics
Allie Detrio, Reimagine Power
Travis Gibrael, Reclaim Our Power Utility Justice Campaign (Moderator)
Schedule
6:00 - 6:30 Mingling + Introductions
6:30 - 7:30 Panel
7:30 - 8:30 Networking, Conversations + Refreshments provided by Powerhouse
Thank you to our sponsors!
This event is hosted by 1528 and co-sponsored by the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter, Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter Northern Alameda County Group, and the United Nations Association East Bay Chapter.
What is 1528?
"Love what you do and where you do it. With the best space and people in it to collaborate with, Oakland’s most creative coworking space can help with both. Let us treat you to coffee and a tour at 1528 Webster. Contact us here."
Raffle Prizes
1528 is also generously offering a large discount on memberships* to all attendees and 5 day passes** for their co-working space. Day passes will be awarded in a free drawing on the day of the event.
*All event attendees will be offered a discount on the first 2 months of a 3 month membership to 1528 Webster coworking space. Save either $125/month on a community membership or $275/month on a dedicated desk membership. Offer is good for up to 30 days post-event.
** Day passes can be used Mon-Fri, 9-5, for up to 3 months following the event date. Passes are transferrable and individuals will email admin@1528webster.com to learn more and/or make a reservation on the date of their choosing.
Powerhouse Ventures is generously offering a free ticket to their next live recording of the "Watt it Takes" podcast with Emily Kirsch. The winner will reach out to the Powerhouse representative to redeem it.
A Note about Ticket Prices
Standard ticket price is $15 to cover the cost of food and drink, and any proceeds will go towards supporting YPE SF Bay Area's programming, including our Scholarship and Mentorship Programs. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Folks with financial need are encouraged to buy a reduced-price ticket or email ype.sfbayarea@gmail.com.
Transportation
Public Transit: 1528 is approximately equidistant (~6 minute walk) from 12th St Oakland and 19th St Oakland BART stations.
Driving: 1528 recommends these parking options for attendees:
Douglas Public Parking Lot, 1615 Webster St, Oakland
Franklin Plaza Public Parking Garage, 419 19th St, Oakland
Reserve parking ahead on Spot Hero: https://spothero.com/
Attendees consent to the use and distribution of the attendee’s image in future Young Professionals in Energy promotional emails and materials.
Check out our website!
Follow us on LinkedIn and X/Twitter @YPE_BayArea
Not on the YPE mailing list? Sign up for free today!
Panelist bios:
Jessica Guadalupe Tovar is the Executive Director of the Local Clean Energy Alliance, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She grew up in housing projects near an industrial pollution corridor in East Los Angeles. The experience of cancer in her family led her to focus on preventing and reducing local industrial pollution and to advocate for policies to protect vulnerable communities. Jessica has worked for over 20 years as an environmental justice and climate organizer in a variety of urban, rural, and indigenous communities throughout California and Arizona. Her focus is mentoring young organizers and building new leadership for energy democracy to fight for a just transition and bring, “Clean Power to the People!”
Jessica started as a youth with the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative in 2003, working with organizations across the U.S. on issues of climate justice. Since then she has battled various polluting corporations; PG&E’s gas fired power plant in Bayview Hunterspoint, the Richmond Chevron Oil Refinery and many others.
She currently promotes equity in clean energy as the coordinator of the East Bay Clean Power Alliance, which has advanced local clean energy solutions by establishing a Community Choice program; Ava Community Energy, formerly known as East Bay Community Energy, a public energy services provider agency that is providing electricity for ~2.1 million people in Alameda County and San Joaquin county cities; Tracy and soon Stockton and Lathrop, CA. This keeps electricity revenues local, by replacing PG&E in providing electricity. Since June 2019, we have advocated for Ava Community Energy to provide millions in funding and resources towards advancing clean energy programs like energy efficiency, electrification, community innovation grant funding and other equitable priorities for environmental justice communities. We advanced a policy in collaboration with labor for Ava Community Energy to jumpstart a just transition to true clean energy solutions with a Local Development Business Plan--A roadmap for a Green New Deal for communities throughout Alameda and San Joaquin county cities.
Mari Rose Taruc is Energy Justice Director at California Environmental Justice Alliance. She is a Filipina immigrant and a mother of 2 boys. For over 25 years, she has advanced environmental justice campaigns for clean air, affordable housing, renewable energy, and climate solutions in local, state, national, and international arenas.
She has launched and run major formations under the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Filipino/American Coalition for Environmental Solidarity, California Environmental Justice Alliance, and Reclaim Our Power: Utility Justice Campaign, including to ensure that multibillion-dollar California climate programs benefit disadvantaged communities.
Mari Rose has advised multiple agencies on their climate, energy, and environmental justice programs, including the California Air Resources Board’s AB 32 Climate Scoping Plan and SB 535 California Climate Investments Investment Plan, California State Lands Commission’s Environmental Justice Policy, City of Oakland’s Energy and Climate Action Plan, and California Environmental Protection Agency’s CalEnviroScreen.
Setting roots in Oakland CA for two decades, she co-founded Eastlake United for Justice, a neighborhood group fighting gentrification, promoting affordable housing, and redefining community safety. Zen flower arranging is her pleasure activism.
Allie Detrio is the Founder & Chief Strategist for Reimagine Power, a boutique microgrid and cleantech policy consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco. Detrio manages a diverse portfolio of clients and projects, including serving as an expert witness and providing testimony in multiple state legislatures and commissions. She also serves as the Senior Advisor for the Microgrid Resources Coalition (MRC), where she manages all microgrid industry advocacy efforts in the west and is a registered lobbyist for the MRC in California.
Detrio is an award-winning advocate known for her leadership in passing California’s landmark microgrid legislation (SB 1339), expanding the state’s energy storage incentive program with $800M in new funding (SB 700), and more recently securing microgrid eligibility and funding ($700M) for California’s reliability incentive programs (AB 205), among many other notable policy and regulatory achievements. Detrio has more than 15 years of industry experience and was one of the first in the world to receive an accredited B.S. in Sustainability from the Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University.
Esperanza Vielma is one of California’s leading community leaders on issues related to environmental and social equity. The executive director of the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Esperanza has led efforts to the fragile ecosystem of California’s Delta, served as chair of the Environmental Justice Advisory Group for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and most recently to assist in vaccinating underserved communities across the Central Valley.
Additionally, Esperanza Vielma is the executive director of Café Coop, a non-profit cooperative incubator business for social entrepreneurs, free-lancers, and artists in Stockton, which she founded in 2014. Through Café Coop, she also promotes San Joaquin County in Silicon Valley to attract tech entrepreneurs to the Delta region.
Ms. Vielma earned a double Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1991. During her undergraduate years, she was a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1990.
Ms. Vielma has been active in local economic development and environmental justice efforts in Stockton and northern San Joaquin Valley.
Moderated by:
Travis Gibrael has a Master of Social Work degree from University of North Carolina-Chapel, where he specialized in community energy sovereignty. He is a co-founder of the North Carolina-based solar and storage developer EnerWealth Solutions, which supports rural electric cooperatives to green their grids, while localizing energy generation and generating wealth for local farmers in disadvantaged rural counties. For the past five years, Travis has worked as a solar technician project lead with the Milpitas-based nonprofit, Sunwork Renewable Energy Projects. He is also the research and popular education coordinator for the Reclaim Our Power Utility Justice Campaign, which seeks to transform California's investor-owned utilities from a profit-driven model to a not-for-profit model.