Power, Justice and the Path Forward
Nathaniel Smith is founder and Chief Equity Officer of the Partnership for Southern Equity. A child of Southern Freedom Movement Activists, Smith works to create the conditions that enable just and fair inclusion into a society in which all people can participate and prosper. Under his leadership, PSE launched the South’s first equity-mapping tool, expanded MARTA transit and supported equity-focused initiatives like the COVID-19 Rapid Relief Fund and Justice40 Accelerator.
Jennifer Hirsch
Senior Director, Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jennifer Hirsch
Senior Director, Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jennifer Hirsch is an internationally recognized leader in sustainability, community development, and experiential education. She bridges institutions and grassroots action, fostering inclusive, community-driven change. A fellow at ICA-USA, Northwestern’s ABCD Institute, and The Field Museum, Jennifer also serves on multiple boards and networks, including EcoDistricts and ASU’s Urban Sustainability Network, driving impactful, equity-focused collaboration across sectors and communities.
Lavonya Jones is a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic justice. An Atlanta native and third-generation Hampton University graduate, she brings 17 years of experience in the creative industry, extensive leadership training, and a deep commitment to empowering underserved communities. Lavonya equips socially conscious entrepreneurs through coaching, education, and innovation-driven ecosystem development.
Nathaniel Smith (Partnership for Southern Equity), Jennifer Hirsch (Georgia Institute of Technology) and Lavonya Jones (Just Energy Portfolio) explored how systemic inequities rooted in America’s extractive past continue to shape its energy present. The conversation reframed the clean energy transition as not just a technological shift, but a deeply cultural and justice-centered transformation—one that must be rooted in equity, community power and a fundamental rethinking of progress.
Extraction is a Legacy, Not a New Problem
The panelists began by identifying today’s energy inequities as the direct continuation of a centuries-long history of extraction. One speaker underscored that America’s economic foundation was built on stolen land and enslaved labor, and the fossil fuel economy perpetuates these same systems of exploitation. The danger, they argued, is that clean energy solutions—if not carefully designed—will simply replicate this legacy under a greener banner. Without dismantling the systemic structures that created environmental and racial injustices, new technologies like solar and carbon capture risk becoming tools for further inequality.
Redefining Progress Through Cultural Transformation
Technology alone cannot solve the climate crisis, the panelists warned. One speaker emphasized that climate solutions must be grounded in cultural values like stewardship, balance and sufficiency. Innovation is not inherently progress if it continues to prioritize profit and efficiency over people and ecosystems.
The panel called for a values-driven approach, where the health and agency of communities—not technological milestones—define success.
Progress, as they framed it, means creating systems that allow all communities to thrive without exploitation, overconsumption or harm.
Energy Burdens and the Southern Struggle for Justice
One speaker shared sobering data that highlights the severe energy burdens in the Southern United States. States like Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina top the list for low-income energy burdens, with Black and rural households spending an outsized share of income on utility bills. Rate hikes from utility companies have only worsened this reality. These inequities reveal the South as ground zero for environmental injustice in the energy space. The panelists argued that addressing these disparities must be a foundational element of climate and energy policy, not an afterthought.
Community Power Requires Access and Control Over Data
While data is often cited as essential to solving energy challenges, the panelists warned that it can also reinforce inequity when controlled by institutions rather than communities. They called for data democratization—making information accessible, contextual and driven by those most impacted. One speaker advocated for citizen science models where communities not only collect but also interpret and act on data. This, they said, is key to building authentic resilience: giving people the tools to understand their environment and advocate for change on their own terms.
Resilience and Funding Must Be Rooted in Justice
The panelists pushed back against narrow definitions of resilience that focus solely on surviving disasters. True resilience, they argued, is about thriving—reclaiming control, fostering local economies and strengthening community networks. Concepts like Resiliency Hubs were highlighted as promising solutions, but only when designed and led by the communities they serve. Finally, the panelists stressed the importance of funding systems that prioritize relationships, not short-term metrics. Public and private funders must support movement building and invest in long-term, equity-driven work that bridges climate goals with racial and economic justice.
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