Solar Austin Happy Hour: Equity and Inclusion in the Solar Industry


This month we are hosting a panel on how to make the solar industry more inclusive, equitable, and diverse for our November 2018 Happy Hour.

The panelists will be:

  •  Rubén Cantú, Director of Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Austin;
  • Jenn Goodwillie, Counsel at Counsel at EDP Renewables North America (EDPR), representing WRISE (Women in Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy);
  • Kazique Jelani Prince, Senior Policy Advisor & Education Coordinator in the Office of Mayor Steve Adler and Project Manager from the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism & Systemic Inequities; and
  • Karen Magid, Director of Sustainability and STEM at Huston-Tillotson University.

When: Tuesday, November 27th, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Where: Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd
RSVP now for this engaging and important conversation.

The panel will examine barriers that employers face to systematically make businesses, nonprofits, and the industry as a whole, more welcoming, inclusive and accountable spaces for underrepresented people and some of the solutions to these issues. This includes examining why people of color, women, LBGTQ+ people, and others often remain excluded from businesses’ recruitment strategies and leadership development.

Panelists will discuss best practices for outreach and inclusion, as well as retention and leadership development to help minority employees succeed. The discussion will a look at how to ensure an organization’s leadership understands the root causes of employment inequity and how to address the inequities that current and employees prospective employees face.