DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AND DIVERSITY AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SHALANDA H. BAKER TO PRESENT ABOUT ENERGY EQUITY AND JUSTICE
The Nation’s first-ever Deputy Director for Energy Justice will give a virtual presentation on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Grand Rapids, Michigan – March 31, 2023 – The Wege Foundation will host the 26 th annual Wege Speaker Series (www.wegespeakerseries.com) on Thursday, April 20 at 4 pm. This year’s event will be virtual.
Presenting will be the Honorable Shalanda H. Baker, Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy and Secretarial Advisor on Equity. Prior to her Senate confirmation, she served as the Nation’s first-ever Deputy Director for Energy Justice.
During her illustrious career, Director Baker has conducted research on equity and the transition away from fossil fuels, studied energy policy and indigenous rights in Mexico, as well as co-founding the Initiative for Energy Justice (www.iejusa.org), an organization committed to providing technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change.
“The Department of Energy is committed to delivering a just and inclusive energy transition,” said Director Baker. “And, by prioritizing equity and place-based strategies in our work, we are modeling approaches to a clean energy transition that delivers real benefits to underserved communities—including those historically overburdened by the energy system.”
While national in its scope, Director Baker’s work has very real implications for our communities here in Grand Rapids and the West Michigan region. Director Baker’s lecture and the conversation that follows with James Logan, the newly appointed CEO/President of The Wege Foundation, is intended to energize a deeper discussion with the funding community and engage the larger West Michigan community for energy equity and justice.
“We are very much looking forward to Director Baker’s lecture and eager to learn how we may be able to implement real changes here in West Michigan,” said Mr. Logan. “We want to be ready to engage with our local communities, businesses, and organizations on the next steps for local energy justice.”
Director Baker was a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. She is the author of numerous scholarly articles as well as her recent book, Revolutionary Power: An Activists’ Guide to the Energy Transition, where she argues that the technical terrain of energy policy should be the next domain to advance civil rights.
Please register by April 19, 2023 at: wegespeaker2023.eventbrite.com