As always, please reach out to let us know what else we can be doing to support you or your community on the road to a healthier planet for all!

This month we spoke with Andrealis Martinez, Climate Justice Community Organizer, at the Fairmount Indigo Community Collaborative (FICC). FICC’s mission is to forge connections among communities along the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line. FICC strategically uses MassEnergize’s platform as the central hub for their initiatives, ensuring a cohesive and impactful approach to their mission. 

Andrealis, who hails originally from the vibrant landscapes of Puerto Rico, has roots in environmental appreciation nurtured amidst the sweet memories of picking mangoes in the backyard of her hometown. Boston became the next chapter of her journey, where her connection with nature evolved into a passion for community urban farming. 

Andrealis is driven by a holistic perspective, stating, “You cannot think about the housing crisis without thinking that it's a part of the environmental crisis. Climate change has a lot to do with what is happening right now, anything like food, housing, and heating.” Armed with a college communications major, she underscores the pivotal role of education and language accessibility in engaging people on matters close to their hearts.

The Fairmount Commuter Rail line cuts through environmental justice communities, and Andrealis is actively involved in training and workshops for local residents. One notable program empowers community members to advocate through state policy, where this summer, students from this program were able to meet with the Boston delegation and visit the Massachusetts State House.

Reflecting on this experience, Andrealis shares, “It was really great to see the outcome, that the community has the power to create change. I am there to support them to make it happen.”

Beyond the tangible impact of her work, Andrealis has found deep meaning in her work connecting with community members. The joy of being recognized on the street, where people wave and say hello, speaks volumes about the genuine relationships she fosters.

“I love my job. I feel like I’m not working, just waking up and knowing that I’m helping and supporting the community to make change happen. It’s what makes me love to continue doing the work,” says Andrealis. 

For those aspiring to engage in community organizing, Andrealis has some advice. She believes that you don’t always need an official title or special skills - just the passion to learn and an understanding of the problem at hand.

“Organizers should be listening 70% of the time and talking 30% of the time,” she said. “It’s about creating that trust and being honest. . . I am connecting with people and that is the most rewarding part of the job.” 

(Photo of Energize Innovation Lab

L to R - Frimpong Opoku Agyemang and Tahiru Abdullai)

MassEnergize is excited to announce the inauguration of the Energize Innovation Lab in Accra, Ghana, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability.  The choice of Ghana was because it is home to multiple  software contractors who have worked with MassEnergize for the last several years, and also has a growing talent pool of software engineers in a location where the climate crisis has already hit hard. 

As the demand for community engagement solutions grows, this new enterprise will help MassEnergize extend our support to more communities throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. At the heart of this initiative is the cutting-edge software platform that has become the foundation of MassEnergize. The MassEnergize Community Platform empowers communities in their pursuit of sustainable action, and is continually evolving. The dedicated product team at the Energize Innovation Lab will be actively working on designing and implementing new features to make community engagement more effective and accessible.

Their first project is the implementation of a campaign management tool for running intensive outreach campaigns in one or more communities.  This tool includes a new campaign page to make it easy for participants to find information and take action in community campaigns.

Sam Opoku-Agyemang, who originally designed the MassEnergize platform, has a passion for sustainable community development and led the creation of the Energize Innovation Lab with its office in Accra.  Sam will oversee the dedicated team, together with a full-time engineering manager.  He says, "This group of brilliant software engineers, thoughtful designers, and diligent testers, develops the website, mobile apps, and data analytics that power MassEnergize's inspiration platforms. So the next time you use a MassEnergize technology solution, know there is a passionate team behind it devoted to the climate cause all the way on the other side of the world!"  

This will relieve the volunteer effort of the product team (currently Brad Hubbard-Nelson and Aimee Powelka), allowing them to focus on defining the most useful features for our community clients.  “We expect Energize Innovation Lab will be a game changer for MassEnergize, enabling us to super-charge our efforts towards serving more people in more communities in the coming years” says Hubbard-Nelson.  

Take a tour of the Energize Innovation Lab here!

Community Climate Leaders Conference 2024

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

EARLY BIRD tickets are available now through December 31st!

CONNECT, ENGAGE, & ENERGIZE: Mobilizing Climate Action in Our Communities

Date: Wednesday, April 3rd 2024; 9:00am - 4:00pm

Location: Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

MassEnergize is excited to host its first annual Community Climate Leaders Conference!

Join us for a day of learning & action!

Are you involved in addressing climate change and supporting your community to take action? MassEnergize invites you to our first annual Community Climate Leaders Conference where we will be inspired, learn from each other's experiences, and support best practices for engaging our communities in climate action.

She has taught courses and lectured on climate optimism and mental health in the climate space at numerous schools, including City College of New York, Columbia University, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Find out more about Anne Therese by visiting theclimateoptimist.com.

MassEnergize extends its heartfelt gratitude to the vibrant communities that we proudly serve. Your unwavering commitment to sustainability and active participation are the driving forces behind the positive change we are collectively seeking. Together, we are forging a path toward a greener and more sustainable future. 

Are there ways you would like to be more involved with us?  Time or skills you have to share?  Ideas for how we could be more impactful?  If so, please let us know. Your generosity has been the fuel that keeps our mission alive, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you for being a vital part of the MassEnergize community. Your commitment inspires us, and we look forward to what we can achieve together.

At November’s Community of Practice meeting MassCEC, Nexamp, and Sunwealth all joined us for an informative session. MassCEC gave us a brief demonstration of their Clean Energy Lives Here website. Need a refresher? You can watch their Youtube video here.  Nexamp shared details of their battery pilot program that they ran in Newburyport, and Sunwealth informed us of their Eversource East Project (140 Kendrick). If you missed the meeting or would like to refer back to these materials, then you can find them here on our MassEnergize Resource Center.  

There will be no Community of Practice meeting in December - we hope you enjoy the holidays and the winter break, and we looking forward to seeing you all on January 8th. Please register here if you would like to attend.

And just in case you missed it, you can watch the recording of our November Community of Practice meeting here.

HeatSmart Alliance - Open Volunteer Positions

HeatSmart Alliance is excited to announce three volunteer positions that are currently open for applications. Please find the detailed job descriptions through the links provided below. Feel free to share these opportunities within your communities and with anyone you think might be interested. Your support in spreading the word is greatly appreciated.

• Communications Lead--Appointed Position
• Facilitator--Elected Position
• Treasurer--Elected Position

Should you have any questions about the above positions, then please reach out to Bob Zogg, Facilitator at HeatSmart Alliance.

 

Driving (an EV) Through a Winter Wonderland (December 5th, 12PM - 1PM - online)

Many people are concerned about the performance of electric vehicles in winter. Electric vehicle (EV) performance does change in winter, but so does that of gas-powered cars. There are thousands of EV drivers who drive through winters in New York and New England (and even colder places like Canada and Norway) with their EVs every year. Here’s what winter weather will do to your EV and tips from other EV owners. Register for this event with Green Energy Consumer's Alliance here.

Click HERE to register.

We recommend viewing Wasted! The Story of Food Waste prior to the presentation to better understand the scope of food waste, how damaging it is to the environment, and the role that anaerobic digesters and composting play in repurposing waste. (Prime Video rental).

In the process, David has become a true expert on the range of technologies needed to get to net zero. Not only has David fully electrified his home with new ultra efficient equipment; he has actually disconnected the gas! Click here for more information and to watch the online recording of this house tour.