Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

As American citizens, our right to cast our vote is fundamental. This right has been hard fought for – and achieved – by disenfranchised Americans since our nation’s founding, and we should not and cannot take lightly efforts to undermine this hard-won right. The landmark Voting Rights Act, signed into law on August 6, 1965, recognized voting as a fundamental right of citizenship and clearly outlawed discriminatory voting practices.

No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color. – Voting Rights Act of 1965

As American citizens, no matter where we come from, what we look like, or how much money is in our pocketbooks, we should be able to exercise this right with as few barriers as possible. Every American should have easy, convenient access and safe options for casting our vote. Concerted efforts attacking voting rights, like those we are seeing in numerous states now, that disproportionately impact people of color and under-resourced communities as compared to White communities, must therefore be challenged as we come together to ensure a minority of politicians do not take away our rights.

Read SACE’s Full Statement on Protecting the Right to Vote

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is committed to leading regional advocacy efforts across the Southeast focused on sustainable, clean energy resources like wind, solar, and energy efficiency to combat global climate change.

Recognizing the increasing and evolving diversity in our region, as well as the impacts of the historical legacy of racial inequity in the American South, we strive to work collaboratively on meaningful solutions. The consequences of high-risk energy choices, like climate change and pollution, disproportionately impact communities of color, lower-income households, coastal areas, and other groups; clean energy solutions can help reduce this burden and the negative consequences associated with these choices. SACE strives to prioritize efforts and partnerships with affected communities, working alongside individuals to engage in changing systemic inequities in energy systems.

We value unique differences in our staff, board, volunteers, and ally organizations, which include but are not limited to race, gender, class, ethnicity, creed, and sexual orientation. SACE welcomes diverse perspectives; we understand that reflecting in our staff body the breadth of cultures in the Southeast will ultimately make our work to preserve the quality of life through better energy decisions more effective. We are committed to the work of recognizing the ways larger societal inequity is reflected in our organization and striving to do better through ongoing education, discussion, and reflection.

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy’s diversity efforts is led by the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.

Read SACE’s Full Statement in Solidarity with the Fight for Racial Justice

Read more about SACE’s work on energy justice on our blog

Explore Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources

Organizations Working on Racial and Environmental Justice

We’re committed to working with and uplifting the work of organizations who are fighting for racial justice and to heal structural inequities. We encourage you to learn more about these organizations and support their efforts as well: