Where are Women of Color in the Green Economy? Yvonne Yen Liu Applied Research Center United States Studies Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars September 13, 2010

Who is the Applied Research Center?

Goals Is the green economy inclusive of women of color? How do we advance equity in the green economy? What are examples of innovative strategies?

The Promise of the Green Economy “The world we dream of has more than just a stable, healthy climate. We dream of a society that also takes care of its people, where no one is left behind and everyone has a chance to succeed. That society upholds three basic principles: equal protection for all, equal opportunity for all, and reverence for all creation.” --Van Jones, “The Green-Collar Economy: In Search of Eco-Equity” (2009) in the Compact for Racial Justice, Graduates of Oakland Green Jobs Corps, June 2009

Green Jobs Gone Gray Women hold 7% of jobs in renewable energy. Women of color comprise only 1% of jobs in renewable energy. 5% of the green energy employees are white women. Black women are employed in only 1.5% of green energy jobs. Latina women comprise 1% of those employed in renewable energy. Asian women makeup 0.7%.

ARC’s Green Equity Toolkit Equity Principles Equity Outcomes – measuring equity Equity Handles – enforcing equity

Equity Principles Green jobs should include people of color and women These green jobs should be good jobs People of color and women advance in a green career pathway

Measuring Equity Was the community involved in defining green jobs? Is there race and gender parity in hiring and awarding contracts? Do green jobs offer family-sustaining wages and benefits? Do green job training programs place people of color and women into jobs? Do green jobs create healthy and safe workplaces and surrounding environments?

Enforcing Equity

Illustration of Equity Handles Title 6 and 7 of Civil Rights Act Best Value Contracting Participation Goals Local Hire Agreement Best Value Contracting Professional Development Community Workforce Agreement Family Sufficient Wage Fair Labor Standards

Innovation in the Green Economy Participatory process to define the green economy Working with unlikely allies in a strategic coalition Create opportunity in disenfranchised communities: worker- owned, green cooperatives Scaling up to city or regional-level with community workforce or local hire agreements Diné youth lobbying Tribal Council for Navajo Green Jobs, Act July 2009

Conclusion Green economy is not automatically equitable Equity needs to be advanced intentionally and evaluated based on outcomes Innovative strategies exist at the community- and local-level

My Questions for You How do you target women for green jobs when everyone is out of work? How do you encourage women to enter into nontraditional employment? How do you leverage existing and new funding (i.e. TANF and WIA) to create green jobs for women?

Further Information Green Equity Toolkit & Green Case Studies Yvonne Yen Liu :