In this episode, we meet with Kiana Michaan. Kiana is a renewable energy professional, clean energy advocate, and climate justice organizer. Kiana previously worked at Sologistics where she provided permitting, utility interconnection, and project management for hundreds of solar projects across New York City. She worked with Black Girl Environmentalist on community building and with Our Climate Voices on climate justice storytelling. Kiana has worked with WE ACT for Environmental Justice on equitable solar development. She was a 2022 fellow with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. Kiana served as a member of the advisory panel for the non-profit Diversity in Sustainability and currently serves as a board member at Eco.Logic, a non-profit dedicated to environmental education and community building. She is currently producing and hosting a climate & energy justice focused podcast, called Climate with Kiana.

-We learn about the historical inequities in energy access

-We explore the need for financing structures in clean energy

-We learn about ethical concerns of mining for minerals used for renewable energy

Follow and connect with Kiana:Instagram: @kikisgrooveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiana-michaan

Check out Kiana’s Podcast - Climate with Kiana - https://open.spotify.com/show/2q5A05T45dz4vctflPrR6X?si=lYDpnpoyTlWRYxc2x9y0xw

Check out YPE - Young Professionals in Energy and their mentorship program:https://ypenergy.org/new-york-city/

Check out CELI - Clean Energy Leadership Institute: https://www.cleanenergyleaders.org/

Kiana’s book recommendations:

The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke

Revolutionary Power: An Activist's Guide to the Energy Transition by Shalanda Baker