Cherie Brooks, president and CEO of Power52, has been selected as a top 10 finalist for the Dr. Espanola Jackson Energy Justice Award presented by Vote Solar, an organization that advocates for clean energy in legislative and regulatory arenas at the state level.
The award celebrates the legacy of Dr. Jackson, an environmental justice leader, by recognizing leaders of color who are:
- Long-time leaders in their communities (10+ years)
- Dedicated to improving health and well-being in their community through clean energy
- Strong coalition builders– able to mobilize support both within and around their community
- Working at the intersection of racial justice & clean energy access
- Working both to stop the extractive polluting energy economy and bring health, jobs, and savings to their community via clean energy opportunities
- Influencing the state or local energy policy agenda through direct grassroots advocacy
A Howard County resident, Brooks’s accomplishments include the development and oversight of Power52 Energy Institute, the first Clean Energy focused Private Career School in the state of Maryland. She also managed the development to convert Living Classrooms’ community center, POWER House, into a Resiliency Hub, serving a public housing community in East Baltimore whose residents are commonly at the highest risk during emergencies. The POWER House is the first solar-powered, community-based resiliency hub in the nation.
Before her work with Power52, Brooks worked as a Site Acquisition Manager in the wireless industry, and developed more than 200 telecom sites, overseeing each site through leasing to construction milestones.
In a release, Power52 officials said: “Cherie’s unwavering dedication and remarkable leadership in promoting environmental justice have caught the attention of the awards committee. Her commitment to creating a greener and more equitable world has truly set her apart, and we couldn’t be more proud to have Ms. Brooks as the leader of our organization.”