Amid a global pandemic, California has been ignited by countless wildfires across the state, mostly in the northern region. Even walking out the front door of my home in the Central Valley, there is a layer of smoke that has settled in the skies enhancing the poor air quality that residents of the valley often face. As of Sunday afternoon, the fires have scorched up to 1,000,000 acres as a result of the triple-digit heatwave and up to 12,000 lighting strikes in California.
Through the last year, we have reiterated how vast the opportunity for workforce growth and development is in the energy sector. With the number of jobs at a constant rise, we will need to expand our resources and grow even more in order to support a clean energy economy for our country and the world. The increase in optimism and drive at the beginning of the year began to fade with the outbreak of COVID-19 and all the changes that accompanied it. However, as we continue to work towards a clean energy future, it is imperative that we continuously address our workforce issues and opportunities to result in an even stronger outcome in the end.
When we are getting into the details about the various marginalized groups that are affected when it comes to entering the workforce, specifically related to EE, I want to focus on one group in particular. Individuals that have been previously incarcerated or hold a criminal background are part of a massive movement in our country and must tackle thousands of barriers to reintegrate themselves into society. When it comes to the discussion of the criminal justice system, one goal always remains constant, reduce recidivism. However, if we do not want people going back to jail or prison, we need to proactively work on reducing the barriers that exist for these individuals.
The Washington Post published an incredibly fascinating article about the journey of a handful of individuals who are/were incarcerated and are now navigating life beyond confinement. With anecdotal evidence, statistical data, and in-person interviews, readers were invited into the world of Rhode Island residents, Meko Lincoln, Jorge Henriquez, and Partaja Spann-Taylor, all of whom hold a criminal record. 2 of the 3 individuals mentioned above went through in-depth stories of their lives touching on drug addiction, incarceration, and poverty. Post incarceration life has been filled with countless accomplishments for both of them including the completion of rehabilitation programs and being employed at recovery centers.
