Today we’d like to introduce you to Chandra Farley.
Hi Chandra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised in Gallatin, Tennessee by my grandparents. I am an activist at heart and I credit my parents with instilling a sense of duty to always do what I can to advance justice and fairness. They remember not being able to vote and they went to segregated schools. So, the importance of social justice and community service was ever-present. As I was growing up, I picked up aluminum cans in the summer to recycle at the dump for candy money. I planted vegetables in my great-grandparent’s garden and much of what we grew ended up on the menu in our family’s restaurant. In middle school, I begged my mama to stop using the aerosol hair spray because I was learning about global warming and the ozone layer. In high school, one of my first science projects was about greenhouse emissions and in college, I studied architecture and design. This mixture of environment, science, and arts was always infused with community service, volunteering, and being active in church. This is the life experience that shaped my passion and guides my work at the intersection of the environment, strong communities, and our daily lives.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Working in the environmental sector on issues like clean energy and climate change can be mentally heavy work. What we might consider “wins” can be projects and collaborations that you work on for years at a time. These issues involve every level of government from the federal to the state, to counties and towns. That means political leadership transitions and the political ideologies of those with decision-making power can make or break progress. But this is where we come in, our people power! When things get tough, it’s the people that inspire me to keep going. From our youth to our seniors, we can count on each other to show up and speak out when our communities are being treated unfairly. I have been working with organizers, advocates, and community members in Georgia and across the south for over a decade on environmental justice issues. These are people who understand the very real impacts of a light bill that is always too high and not being able to drink the water or grow food because their land and water have been poisoned by industry. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” I wholeheartedly believe that and I also believe that we have to keep jumping up and down on that arc to make it bend!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
With a career history at Southface Energy Institute and Partnership for Southern Equity, I am well-known in the energy and climate sector for clean energy initiatives that put justice first. I have formed partnerships with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Feeding America, and Salvation Army to create programs that lower utility bills at their facilities so that money can go to services for the community instead. I have also testified at two Congressional hearings and presented to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about climate change, equity, and the importance of community engagement for policymaking.
Currently, as the CEO of ReSolve Consulting, I lead with a mission to build authentic partnerships between community, business, and local government that moves the needle for equitable clean energy. This looks like working with grassroots organizations to build strong organizational infrastructure, advising corporations on how to put community benefits first in project collaborations. And creating racial equity frameworks for local governments and academia to guide public-private partnerships. I chose the word resolve for my company because it is about problem-solving and what we need to sustain ourselves while working towards solutions.
I also founded the “Good Energy Project” with a vision to connect the transformational power of Black Women and our vote to the movement for equitable clean energy. We don’t think about it but the “light bill” is about more than keeping the lights on. The right light can make our selfies look fabulous! But, if that light runs on dirty energy, it causes pollution that can dry out our skin, aggravate the kid’s asthma, and make our homes unhealthy. The time is now to activate Black Women in the call for energy that is good for our home, health, and wealth. This is what the Good Energy Project is all about.
A major new “project” for me this year is to run for Georgia Public Service Commission! The Public Service Commission decides where our energy comes from and how much we pay for our utilities. However, the people who stand to benefit the most from clean energy are virtually unrepresented in commission decision-making. This keeps marginalized communities locked out of the decision-making that could lower utility bills, make our homes healthier, and bring economic opportunity! So, I decided it was time to take my advocacy for equitable clean energy for all to the next level. Stepping up to run for public office is one of many ways we can transform unjust systems. As the people’s commissioner, I will make space for the voice of Georgians who feel the weight and injustice of decisions the commission makes every single day. I am excited about this challenge and the opportunities ahead!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The transition to a clean energy economy is happening now and many exciting, transformative opportunities remain. However, the communities that stand to benefit the most are being left behind and locked out of opportunities to be leaders and innovators. This is why framing a “just transition” that honors communities harmed by toxic waste and most impacted by climate change is so important! We do not want to replace the old energy economy with a new, clean energy economy with the same injustices built-in. Over the next 5-10 years, we will see more Black people and people of the global majority connect the dots between clean energy, economic opportunity, and racial justice. This will drive interest in creating climate tech that doesn’t just benefit investors but the community as well. We can see this model of success in companies like BlocPower. I also see the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act passed by the Biden-Harris administration driving a longer-term renewed interest in trades like plumbing and electrical. The skilled trades will be critical to building out the infrastructure we need to push the clean energy transition faster and more equitably.
What is a just transition? http://jtalliance.org/what-is-just-transition/
Contact Info:
- Email: chandra@re-solve.org
- Website: https://www.re-solve.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodenergy_project/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChandraFarley
- Other: https://www.goodenergyproject.org/
Image Credits:
Grist – Headshot Casey Chapman Ross Good Energy Project Image – Danielle Coke Others are iPhone shots taken by friends or colleagues.
