Increasing Equity, Diversity and Justice in the Clean Energy Transition with Shalaya Morissette from the US DOE EP 119

Clean Power Hour

My guest today is the Chief of Minority Business and Workforce (division office of economic impact and diversity) at the US DOE, Shalaya Morissette. Prior to her role at the DOE Shalaya was the Senior Technical Inspector at the Gas Pipeline Safety group for National Grid USA. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's in Education from Cambridge College and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology with Excelsior College.

On this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Shalaya joins Tim Montague to discuss opportunities that minority groups in the US have when it comes to the clean energy transition through the DOE, how to convince people of color to take up the clean power baton, and much more.

We must become more intentional about diversity and inclusion in clean energy and Ms. Morisette’s work is at the center of this. Clean energy is still dominated by white men. Blacks represented 8 percent of clean energy while they are 13 percent of the workforce. According to a report by the National Association of State Energy Officials, only 25 percent of energy workers are female, compared to an overall average of 47 percent in the workforce. Given the incredible job growth of the energy sector, and the expected growth thanks to current government policies, the lack of diversity threatens women, Hispanics, and Black workers in particular.
As the United States looks to build back a better, cleaner, more equitable economy, a renewed focus on increasing diversity in the clean energy sector should be an economic imperative. The US Department of Energy foresaw this need and released its first-ever Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan to underscore the Department’s commitment to creating a workplace that celebrates Americans of all backgrounds in September 2022.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. How Shalaya got into clean energy?
2. The work that she does at the office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the DOE
3. Opportunities that minority groups in the US can use to get into Clean Energy
4. Requirements that you need to get access to these opportunities.
5. Opportunities that the DOE is offering and how to take advantage of them
6. The process that entrepreneurs, women, and people of color can expect to participate in op

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