Ohio advisory board adds two new members

Solar United Neighbors’ Ohio Advisory Board is growing! We’re excited to add Yvonka M. Hall and Cathy Cowan Becker. Both are leaders in their communities. They bring decades of experience of fighting for energy democracy as well as clean air and drinking water for all Ohioans.

Yvonka M. Hall is a prominent voice for the improvement of health conditions in Black communities. She is the founding director of the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition. She was a leader in the Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH). The group implements lead abatement programs across the city. Yvonka is also an author. She has written several books about public health. These communities face disproportionate harm from our broken energy system’s environmental burdens. These include dirty air, poisoned water, and polluted land. Yvonka brings this critical perspective and years of experience in community health to our advisory board.

Cathy Cowan Becker has worked tirelessly for environmental justice for the past 25 years. She chairs the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 program in the city of Columbus and the state of Ohio. To date, 162 American cities committed to 100% renewable energy. Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Lakewood are among them. Cathy was instrumental to the success of Solar United Neighbors’ first Columbus-area solar co-op. That group helped a dozen families go solar. Cathy has worked with organizations and municipalities across the state.

We look forward to benefiting from Yvonka and Cathy’s experience and expertise. We’re glad to have them on board.