Mauricio Leon is our North Star Sierran in the Spotlight for May. We sat down and asked him a few questions to learn more about Mauricio, his work, and how you can join him in it.
Why did you get involved with the Sierra Club?
I got involved with Sierra Club because I was looking for a volunteer opportunity that is truly grassroots and community based.
Many environmental groups receive funding from big donors who put a lot of conditions on what work can be done. But Sierra Club is not tied to those types of constraints so us volunteers enjoy the freedom to work on causes that we feel passionate about it and that have a real impact on society.
What is the most inspiring thing you have been a part of with the Sierra Club?
I am very excited about the impact that the Clean Air and Renewable Energy (CARE) Committee is having in our community. The core mission of CARE is to help lead Minnesota on an equitable path toward a 100% renewable energy future, for this we are focusing on pushing and supporting local governments to adopt clean energy goals.
I participated, along with other CARE volunteers, in advocating for the 100% Renewable Energy by 2030 resolution that the City of Minneapolis recently adopted. This work made me feel as part of something greater. We did history and our victory reminded me that a group of people who get together for a good cause can have tremendous influence on decision making at the local level. It also helps to have elected officials that actually care for this issues.
What is your dream for the CARE committee?
My dream is that the CARE Committee will become not only a strong group that advocates for the clean energy transition in Minnesota, but that it also becomes a defender of equity in this transition. Read more about Mauricio's view on equity and the CARE committee.
In the case of Minneapolis for example, we suggested improvements to the resolution that the City Council officials and the Mayor drafted, so that it better addresses equitable access to clean energy jobs. The current resolution is one of the firsts one in the country to directly acknowledge the social injustices that are being worsened by climate change and how this should be a priority.
We are working on some very interesting topics, for example, we are making sure that the energy related legislations in Minnesota are being shaped by real democratic processes. It is is easy for people to miss very important policy issues just because how technical and unaccessible they appear to be.
I encourage anyone who is interested in joining CARE to come to our meetings or to any of the specific events that we organize. For more information you can send me an email (leonx075@umn.edu) or contact anyone in the Sierra Club staff directly. There is also information on how to become a volunteer in the North Star Chapter website.