Ayla Peters-Paz
Local Clean Energy Alliance
339 15th St Suite 208
Oakland, CA 94612
[email protected]
510-619-8948
Subject: Include Community Organizations in a Resilience Hub Study Session for the Ava Community Energy Board and Community Advisory Committee
September 4th, 2024
Dear Ava Community Energy Board Members, Alternates, Community Advisory Committee and Alternates,
Local Clean Energy Alliance was pleased to hear that members of the Board of Directors are interested in a resilience hub study session for the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Board of Directors (Board). During the Ava Community Energy Board meeting on May 15th 2024, the Board identified the need for a study session to better understand resilience hubs and their role in climate and energy resilience. During the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on May 13th 2024, CAC members expressed a similar desire for their own study session. At the June and July Board meetings, Local Clean Energy Alliance offered public comment about the resilience hub study session. We formally extended an offer to work collaboratively with the Board in designing a resilience hub study session at the July 17th 2024 Board meeting.
We appreciate Ava Community Energy’s decision to understand what resilience hubs are and how they play a role in strengthening climate resilience in their communities. We believe that a community’s cohesion, day to day needs, and ability to withstand climate changing impacts is directly tied with a community’s energy independence. We have no doubt that through a study session, Ava Community Energy will understand the importance of resilience hubs and the intersection of local clean energy and climate resilience.
However, we want to point out the need for community voices to represent themselves and their resilience hub work at this study session. Resilience hubs have been in frontline-environmental justice communities out of necessity, and the work they do is incredibly deep and longstanding. They are trusted by their communities in their day-to-day needs, as well as during times of social and climate disaster.
These community-based organizations would be an amazing source of knowledge and information to any kind of study session that Ava Community Energy holds.
Including them not only builds strong relationships with organizations working in frontline communities, but would also offer Board members the opportunity to learn from experts in climate and community resilience.
We would like to formally extend an invitation on behalf of Local Clean Energy Alliance to the Board and the CAC to coordinate a study session together. We can bring key organizational leaders to present directly to Board members and the Community Advisory Committee. If this is of interest to the CAC or the Board, please feel free to email me at [email protected].
Thank you,
Ayla Peters Paz
Energy Democracy Organizer
Local Clean Energy Alliance