Summer Webinar Series: Energy + Democracy

Energy and climate issues play out across our society—in books and film, institutions of higher learning, our democracy, and in the very air we breathe.

Once again this July, Thursdays are Fresh Energy summer webinar series days! Join Fresh Energy and special guests for four separate fun and engaging discussions about the many facets of energy in our lives. Stay tuned to this page for speaker information, topic schedules, and more.

This conversation will cover:

• Energy + Democracy: Voting rights and civic engagement are two of the most pressing issues of our time. How does community engagement intersect with action on climate and justice?

Panelists and Guests for Energy PLUS Democracy

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Klobuchar will share a video message.

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is the first woman elected to represent the State of Minnesota in the United States Senate. Throughout her public service, Senator Klobuchar has always embraced the values she learned growing up in Minnesota. Her grandfather worked 1500 feet underground in the iron ore mines of Northern Minnesota. Her father, Jim, was a newspaperman, and her mother, Rose, was an elementary school teacher who continued teaching until she was 70.

Senator Klobuchar has built a reputation of putting partisanship aside to help strengthen the economy and support families, workers, and businesses. In 2019, an analysis by Vanderbilt University ranked her as the “most effective” Democratic senator in the 115th Congress.

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Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon
Secretary Simon will join the webinar in person

Steve Simon is Minnesota’s 22nd Secretary of State. He was sworn into office on January 5, 2015, and as Minnesota’s chief elections administrator pledged in his inaugural address to “work with anyone, of any political affiliation, from any part of our state” to protect, defend, and strengthen the right to vote in Minnesota.

As Secretary of State, he partners with township, city, and county officials to organize elections on behalf of Minnesota’s nearly four million eligible voters, and to ensure that the election system is fair.

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Carolina Ortiz | she/her | COPAL

Carolina Ortiz has been with COPAL since it’s founding in 2018. She led the communications team for two years and is now the associate executive director. Carolina was born in Zacatecas, Mexico and is currently studying communications and women’s studies in Minnesota. A DREAMer herself, her passion for social justice stems from her own experiences and those of her community.

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Gabe Chan | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Gabe Chan is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs in the Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) area. Gabe’s research examines policies to stimulate innovation in energy technologies and mitigate global climate change in the United States, China, and internationally. Gabe’s research also blends economic methods and theory with a broader set of social science and technical knowledge.

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Dominic McQuerry | McKnight Foundation

As a program officer with the Vibrant & Equitable Communities and Midwest Climate & Energy programs, Dominic McQuerry oversees and develops innovative grant portfolios at the intersection of McKnight’s climate and equity goals with an emphasis on strengthening democratic participation and civic engagement. McQuerry is a policy and community engagement professional with a passion for supporting people’s lives and livelihoods, guiding and supporting powerful coalitions in Minnesota on housing, healthcare, child care, and more.

Future conversations will cover:

Thank you to our series sponsors!

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