After seven years with the Honnold Foundation and after much deliberation, in late 2021 I left my role as a Member of the Board. Upon my departure in my resignation letter, I urged the Board to do the following:
Recruit and onboard at least one person (ideally, at least two people) from the Black community to the Board in the next year.
On the inaugural Leadership Committee, have a group that is composed of at least 40% people of color and 50% women.
Host at least one mandatory Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training annually for board members and leaders.
With the bullet points above, I hope that with me leaving my role as a Member of the Board, space in the leadership ranks will open up for folks who come from typically oppressed communities. The reason why this matters is because it is critical for individuals from marginalized communities to be included in strategic decision-making at organizations. This is particularly important for groups that have a focus on climate change issues, which are fundamentally intertwined with justice and equity. More specifically, a lack of representation in leadership can act as a disservice to the mission of the Honnold Foundation which is to promote “solar energy initiatives for a more equitable world.” Improving representation in leadership is the best plan of action for the Honnold Foundation, as well as the broader ongoing fight against climate change.
With that said, I know, given the grit and determination of the foundation, that the group can achieve and exceed the bullet points I laid out above. Furthermore, I have even more hope for the group's success with Peter Martin as the Board Chair, Emily Teitsworth as the Executive Director, and Alex Honnold, the founder of the organization. They’re all inspiring leaders and I know the future of the Foundation is bright with them at the helm. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be involved with this ambitious group focused on solar energy projects for the past seven years. And I look forward to being on the sidelines, rooting them on and seeing what is to come!