Earth Day Keynote: Catalyzing Clean Energy & Climate Justice in a Time of Crisis
Join us for an electrifying keynote conversation with leading energy justice voices as we kick off the Tishman Environment and Design Center’s 20th-anniversary celebration!
At this pivotal moment — with frontline communities continuing to push for bold, equitable climate solutions — how do we sustain the momentum and advance a just, clean energy transition?
This dynamic, solutions-focused panel will highlight real-world, community-led projects driving energy justice, sharing insights on what’s working, what’s next, and how we keep building power despite systemic challenges.
Panelists:
Ajulo Othow — CEO/founder of EnerWealth Solutions, a solar and storage development company creating equitable, sustainable opportunities in rural communities. Ajulo is a Tishman Center EJ Disrupt Design Fellow and Grist Fixer 2024.
Rey León — Mayor of Huron, California, and founding executive director of The LEAP Institute (Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy), advancing climate justice, clean energy, and community development in California’s Central Valley; Grist Fixer 2019.
Enei Begaye (Diné & Tohono O’odham) — Executive Director of Native Movement, longtime Indigenous organizer, and advocate for environmental, economic, and climate justice; co-founder of the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition and Black Mesa Water Coalition.
Moderator:
Dr. Tony G. Reames — Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, and former Deputy Director for Energy Justice at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Opening Artistic Grounding:
The event will begin with an electrifying, soul-stirring performance by Taína Asili, a dynamic singer, composer, interdisciplinary artist, and educator who carries on the traditions of her Puerto Rican ancestors. Her latest work, Fever Pitch, is more than a performance — it’s a celebration, a ritual, and a bold vision for a just and sustainable world.
Honoring Our Journey:
This event officially launches a yearlong celebration honoring two decades of the Tishman Center’s mission-driven work advancing research, design, policy, and movement-building — led by and for environmental justice communities.
Guided by the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing, we are a collaborative community of practice tackling the root causes of environmental and climate injustice — not just the symptoms. We work in solidarity with environmental justice communities, co-creating solutions that disrupt extractive models and redefine university-community partnerships.
This event is produced by the Tishman Environment and Design Center.
We extend our gratitude to this event's supporters the President's Office at The New School and the NorthLight Foundation.