Convening New Orleans
Working Together to Build Collective Power
“I feel like I connected to the lived experiences of climate change, culture, roots, belonging, equity, efficiency - all of these things feel REAL to me now, not just concepts. And the wonderful people I met and connected with on a deep, human level, energized me to keep fighting for and working toward our shared goals! And I feel empowered - we can up with so many actionable next steps!”
- NEWHAB Member
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kpg14PG5Yc Produced by Mondo Bizarro this video highlights the value and experiences of NEWHAB members.
Working Together to Build Collective Power was the theme for the convening that brought together over 160 NEWHAB members, Energy Efficiency for All partners, and other allies working on energy efficiency in existing affordable multifamily buildings.
Over the course of three days together in New Orleans, we had a place-based experience that allowed us to learn with and from frontline environmental justice and housing activists, advocates, and artists. New Orleans rooted and reminded us of the purpose of our work.
2017 was a pivot for our in-person gatherings from 101 and technical sessions to curated content that focused on putting people and place at the center of advocacy. We listened to human stories and spent time in community learning the history of New Orleans as it relates to housing and environmental justice.
We pushed our collective understanding of racial equity, racial justice, and the implications that this has for our work. As a network we named that the concept of human rights is missing from the climate change and energy democracy discussion.
Participatory design for the content of the gathering meant that over 30+ people were involved in the planning as part of a member driven and focused planning process. Breakout sessions were structured as interactive workshops in order to honor the expertise of attendees. Through experiential learning, members built authentic and trusted relationships that supported building momentum for collective action.
Out of the convening, NEWHAB developed a strategic focus on racial equity and inclusion within individual members, organizations and our network.
“We have an incredible network that can mobilize to protect the resources and programs that ensure affordability and clean energy progress through STORIES and strategic action at the local, state, and federal level.”
- NEWHAB Member
Place-based Sessions
- New Orleans East: Power and People
- Solar and Renewal
- Columbia Parc: Holistic Innovation
- Historic Treme
- Housing, Community Development, and Civil Rights
- Energy Consumption and Production: The Impact on the Lower 9th Ward and Chalmette
Plenaries:
- The Federal Landscape
- Energy Equity: Building Community Power
- Working Together Workshop: Building Power Moving Forward
Learning Intensives:
- Multifamily Utility Programs 2.0.
- Case Study on Building the Capital Stack for Affordable Housing Retrofits
- Sharing Power: Solar, Energy Efficiency, Community Collaboration in Hometown America
- Conversations with Owners: What’s Next for Energy, Water, and Health in Affordable Buildings
- Incorporating Health into Capital Needs Assessments and Green Property Management: Lessons from NYC
- Communities and Careers: Building Job Pathways along with Affordable Homes
- Changing Value Proposition of Distributed Energy Resources: Tools, Decision-making, and Equity Considerations
- Financial Innovations in Green Affordable Housing
- Messaging and Narratives: A Work Session
- Engaging owners to improve the energy efficiency of affordable multifamily housing
- State Strategies for Health + Energy Interventions in Housing
- A Model Process for Achieving Meaningful Engagement in Energy Planning and Decision-making