AAEA President Honored With Energy & Environment Award

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

By Norris McDonald

I received The Green Room Energy and Environmental Leadership Award last night at a reception in Washington, DC. It was a great event. Sponsored by Vestige Strategies, Inc, DC NAACP EJ Committee and Broccoli City.

On Friday, September 21st, 2012, Vestige Strategies, LLC and Broccoli City hosted the “2012 Green Room Reception” at the Park at Fourteenth from 6:00pm -8:00pm. The purpose of the Green Room Reception is to recognize African American energy and environmental professionals during the 2012 Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. Currently, there is little networking, collaboration, and support for African Americans working across these sectors, and a lack of leadership in the development of minority young professionals who enter them.

Later this fall Vestige Strategies, LLC will launch the “Emerging Leaders in Energy & the Environment Network” to connect young, African American professionals across the country working both in the energy and environmental areas. The mission of the network will be to promote and encourage greater African-American representation and leadership in the energy and environmental industries. The goal of this network is to create a space in major cities for an intergenerational connection among current and future African-American leaders in energy and the environment.

The network recognized my decades of service to the African American community around the environment and energy. They noted that my efforts are building the capacity for healthier families and sustainable communities by increasing job opportunities and educating low-income communities on environmental advances while also encouraging equal opportunities in these industries.  I and AAEA stand ready to assist the network in any way we can.

Approximately 200 African American energy and environmental professionals from throughout the nation attended the event, which was scheduled to include participants in the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual Legislative Conference.