What a la bonte advisors (Alba) is about
Alba works with leaders from historically under-served communities in California to envision and carry out community designed energy solutions.
Alba offers technical assistance to communities to carry out solutions that meet community priorities. For example, Alba can provide background research and analysis, identify and present energy solution options, and facilitate access to funding opportunities and partners to implement priority solutions.
Why
All of us benefit when we the needs of all members in our community are met. Systemic racism today and historically has blocked our ability to achieve this freedom.
The U.S, California included, has a long history of environmental injustices. Industrialization for “economic progress” occurred through exploiting, demolishing, and polluting in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Institutional racism exacted through government decisions led to many harms, including the use of eminent domain to displace communities and construct freeways in West Oakland, the construction and operation of “dirty” fuel refineries in Richmond, and a failure to clean up military waste sites in Bayview Hunters Point. Business and governments failed for too long to acknowledge these wrongs and the systems in place that led to them.
Opportunity Now
Technology, programs, and incentives are now available to enable a transition to a new energy future. Some governments acknowledge the opportunity present in this transition to dismantle inequities born through racist and unjust policies and, with the help of organizations advocating for a just future like The Greenlining Institute, have designed programs to work toward a just energy future – see California Strategic Growth Council’s Racial Equity Action Plan
These governments attempt to add equity in energy and environment policy through not only prioritizing under-served communities as funding recipients, but also aiming for communities to own the ideas for community improvements as well as greater benefits that result from such improvements. This community ownership model can deliver long lasting returns to the community, for example through monetary savings that can be reinvested, and newly trained local workforces that can be on the road to higher paying jobs.
Let’s work together to realize these benefits in your community.
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I am a scientist and technologist by background. In 2009, I pursued a career in energy policy to address climate change and took a job in the Obama administration. I designed federal grants to advance renewable energy technologies. I saw the barriers new and small businesses faced to accessing federal funding and designed alternative funding pathways through prizes.
In 2017, I moved back to the city in which I was born, Berkeley, and took a job with the California Public Utilities Commission. I oversaw the energy utilities’ implementation of energy efficiency programs. Through this work I began understanding the inequitable access to and benefits of these energy programs.
In 2020, I met Dr. Shalanda Baker and found inspiration in her book Revolutionary Power. In 2021, I graduated alongside 14 CPUC colleagues from the Capitol Collaborative on Race & Equity (CCORE). CCORE is a racial equity capacity-building program for California State employees. My passion is now centered in energy justice.
I actively pursue new approaches, especially when they go against the grain of what society tells us can and can’t be done. I’m most driven and determined when I am invited to help someone or a group to unstick and keep after their worthy cause. I listen deeply to feel the rocky journey they’ve been on already, to hear and understand the outcomes that are desired, and bring their knowledge and my creative problem solving to kick the tires until we’re back on the road again.
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I have 15 years combined of experience in designing and awarding renewable energy grants with the federal department of energy (8 years) and developing and implementing policy for energy efficiency programs with the state of California (7 years). Successful design and implementation of these energy policies and programs depended on my ability to listen and create incentives and opportunities to solve pervasive challenges. After building my understanding, I used my ability to create effective partnerships that connected stakeholders (institutions with science and technology and infrastructure assets, energy providers, and administrators) with end users including small businesses and energy customers, creativity, and tenacity to address challenges. My experience includes:
Coaching and Mentorship as a supervisor in CA state government 6 years; coordinator of Our World Underwater Scholar (combined 12 years of experience, 27 individuals )
Presenting options reflecting diverse stakeholder perspectives for decision-makers (6 years of experience, 20 stakeholder workshops, policy recommendation memos informing 15 energy efficiency and income qualified energy assistance adopted policies)
Navigating bureaucracy to realize a vision, even when strategy relies on novel approaches outside standard government mold (8 years. Designed more than 10 federal financial assistance opportunities and prizes)
Building awareness of and implementing healthy, sustainable, energy solutions in community (2 community projects accompanied with multiple information sessions technology 101 fact sheets delivered; in Washington D.C., Victoria, British Columbia)
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I enjoy added comforts from my access to new and clean energy solutions. Many neighbors don’t have the capacity to capture the same benefits in their home.
My recognition of my privileges of education, access to resources, being white, fuels my commitment to relearn history and to hear and learn perspectives from community members’ lived experiences, and fuels my dedication to practice and spread a just approach as we transition to a future energy system.
• I’m committed to environment, social, and racial justice
• I purposefully will not push my ideas for a community; the community drives the vision
• I will be truthful and upfront – both about what can be expected of me, and my intentions
• I keep open ears, mind, and inviting opportunities to continue to improve my approach in this work
I’m motivated by a vision of a healthier community that we power with solutions generated by the community. I feel great fulfillment when bringing the community and teams together to achieve healthy, affordable, reliable, and sustainable solutions.