EMPOWER SAN DIEGO

Working to solve our environmental and economic crises simultaneously.

On Thursday, April 30th, Empower San Diego co-sponsored a visit from *Green For All's CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins to discuss the role of green jobs in the economic recovery.

A panel of local experts and activists answered questions about how a collective focus on creating good, green jobs could improve our community for the benefit of all.  The discussion was especially enlivened by the participation of two of Empower's guests from Lincoln High School, Sakeenah Shabaz and Dionte Zictorian. The presentation of a Green Jobs Quiz by these dynamic teenagers and their questions to the panel about the role for youth in the new Green Economy elicited some great dialogue about the need for more efforts like San Diego's IBEW union apprentice program, which has made recruiting at high schools in South East San Diego a priority. Held at the Center in Hillcrest, over 200 San Diegans participated.

*Green For All is a national organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. Van Jones, the White House Special Adviser for Green Jobs, founded Green For All and raised it to national prominence as its first CEO.  Jones calls Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, his successor, "one of the nation's most brilliant, inspirational and creative problem solvers for working families." Previously, Ellis-Lamkins led the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council and Working Partnerships USA. San Jose Magazine named her one of the 100 most powerful people in Silicon Valley.

Her San Diego appearance was co-presented with the Center on Policy Initiatives as part of the CPI Speaker Series by Empower San Diego, Sierra Club San Diego Chapter, Urban League of San Diego County, MAAC Project, Organizing for America-San Diego, Coalition of Neighborhood Councils, IBEW Local 569, San Diego County Building & Construction Trades Council, San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, San Diego Apollo Alliance, Heartland/United GREEN, Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego, California Center for Sustainable Energy, and San Diego Workforce Partnership.