About Us

Working in collaboration with grassroots communities, policy makers and researchers, CEED conducts research and provides community education on climate, energy and the environment – so that all members of society may effectively participate in public decision-making.

about-intro

Our Mission

We provide tools and information for communities and policy makers in an effort to create just, climate, and environmental policy.

We strategically work to:

Build a deeper body of climate and energy research/analysis that fundamentally addresses racial and class justice.

Provide climate and policy technical assistance based on CEED research to support the environmental justice movement.

Promote strategies for cross learning and sharing of information around environmental justice, energy, and climate issues.

Our Vision

We affirm our interconnectedness of the human and natural world and take responsibility for inspiring change to create a society that equitably protects and promotes a healthy and vibrant environment for all people in current and future generations.

Grounded in our values of self-determination in Indigenous, low income communities and communities of color, we gear our work toward the creation of a fully informed economic and political democracy.

Our Story

The Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy (CEED) was founded by a group of researchers, educators and community activists who saw the need to affirm and revitalize principles of democracy and social justice in energy and environmental policy. Our founders, Shalini Gupta and Dr. Cecilia Martinez, saw the need for quality policy research and education to create a more honest and accountable system for preserving our social and environmental heritage. CEED proudly joins with a long tradition of individuals and communities who have actively worked to keep the Earth healthy for future generations.

CEED grew from discussions around the need for broader participation and inclusion of the needs and realities of all communities into energy and environmental policy solutions. After decades of an active Environmental Justice movement, solutions to 21st century energy and environmental problems such as climate change and clean energy transitions continue to be developed without attention to, or participation from, the most vulnerable in our society.

Our Team

CEED is an impassioned team with a mission of environmental justice and community.

Our Board

We work to create just, sustainable energy and environmental policy through planning, research, and community education.

Our Partners

We partner with environmental justice, grassroots, labor, and national environmental organizations alongside state agencies and local governments to advance our mission and vision. Here are some of the partners we work with:

partner-1

Equitable and Just National Climate Platform (EJNCP)

CEED, in collaboration with the Center for American Progress, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, co-founded and mobilized an alliance of environmental justice organizations and national environmental organizations to build an Equitable and Just National Climate Platform (EJNCP). The Equitable and Just National Climate Forum (EJNCF), guided by the EJNCP principles, leverages this opportunity to develop and implement a bold national climate agenda and policies that are inclusive and based on equity and justice.

partner-2

Midwest Environmental Justice Network (MWEJN)

The Midwest Environmental Justice Network (MWEJN) envisions a region that is connected and well resourced to increase the capacity of frontline and grassroots communities. The network hosts learning opportunities; facilitate relationship building across the midwest; collaborate on just policy agenda for the region; and support funding opportunities through small grants programs. CEED is a proud anchor co-founder of the MWEJN and currently serves on the leadership team, along with Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) and We The People of Detroit (WPD). To learn more about the MWEJN, please visit the MWEJN.

Support Our Work

Donating to CEED ensures that communities and policy makers have the tools and information they need to create just, sustainable energy and environmental policy.