Can A Sistah Rock a Movement?

As an environmental and climate justice organizer I have stood in solidarity with frontline communities fighting against dirty, polluting industries. As a young leader I have made sure the voice of the new generation is not politically segregated to the “kiddie” table. As a hip-hop head I have spent my share of hours debating the top 5 emcees of all time (Rakim should be on everybodys list) But as a woman, I had to take a step back and ponder, how do I rep for my gender while I Green the Block?

Although the clean energy conversation has been dominated by images of men happily working on solar installations and negotiations between mainly male politicians and corporate CEOs, more women are joining and leading efforts to create a just and equitable clean energy economy. Whether rocking heels or hard hats (or both) women are in every sector of the green movement standing behind, in front of and right next to our male counterparts.

At the same time, women make up 70 percent of people in poverty, face workplace discrimination, unequal pay and sexism. A report sponsored by the United Nations Development Program sponsored Training Manual on Gender and Climate Change reports that women will also be disproportionately impacted by climate change.

If we as women and as human beings sit back and never work to create solutions that are strong enough to fight pollution and poverty at the same time we will face a world where all of the current socio-economic struggles women face will be even worse.

This National Women’s Month I hope you will join the Green the Block Coalition in honoring and recognizing the unique voice women play in defining our clean-energy future. This month we will recognize dynamic women like Lisa P. Jackson, The first African-American Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, women of the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya who are gaining economic empowerment by planting trees, all the way down to the 8 year old girl who dresses up and pretends she is Storm from X-men. Women really are superheroes and the world has sent the signal that it is time to show our true strength.