Speakers bestow accolades on new Radiant Rays class

Details: Lance Martin; News; 29 July 2023; 1711

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Speakers Friday celebrated the Center for Energy Education’s sophomore class of Radiant Rays — 10 young female students selected to be clean and renewable energy ambassadors for the 2023-24 year.

Each of the girls in the second iteration of the Radiant Rays, who received a virtual welcome from Halifax County Deputy County Manager C. Renee Perry, were presented scholarship checks at the end of the program honoring them.

Before receiving the checks the students presented artwork depicting their ideas of what a clean energy landscape would look like.

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“Everything they did this summer they did with joy, they did it with laughter and they did it with enthusiasm,” said Whitney J. Sessoms, the center’s workforce development and education manager. “When they came to the Climate Awareness Festival they really stepped up … We’re so grateful for the experiences that they had.”

Jim Harris, the director of land development with Geenex Solar, told the audience, “If we educate the youth, the youth come home and speak to their parents. They have children and they have friends so you can really spread a message through young people indirectly through families.”

Harris said there are a myriad of jobs within the clean energy field. “We have real estate, we have legal, we have finance, we have administrative — any kind of job you can think of is available in the renewable energy industry — whether it be solar, wind, whether it would be Dominion hydro. Power companies hire a multitude of people. The dynamics for educational opportunities are tremendous.”

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Le’Meshia Whittington, president of Whittington and Staley Consulting Group, delivered the keynote address. “I was blessed to meet the Radiant Rays three weeks ago and as soon as we walked in there were these efficient no-nonsense but brilliantly kind young women that welcomed you as soon as you came to the door.”

She said the demeanor of the girls represents an investment of community and an investment of the program. “It’s also a testament of the people who support you at home. That love, that investment that you don’t fully understand prepares you to sit in here with grace.”

Whittington told the girls that their presence and the way they have commanded spaces “have anchored secretaries, leaders that have been in this space for years just because you sat down and said, ‘yes, but there’s more because we should be in an ever-learning state.’ You didn’t just go through a program — you went through this evolution of who you are … and you’re walking in it.”

She presented the girls journals to document their stories. “Begin to journal what you have. You have no idea what your story will mean to the next chapter of Radiant Rays. You have no idea what your next chapter will mean to someone who has been in this work for many years — who’s inspired to be more after this week.”

Whittington reminded the girls they were not a moment but a movement. “What I do want you to anchor in on is 56 percent of all people of color live within two miles of a toxic waste facility — a landfill. One of three households of color live near a landfill — a trash dump. It’s not because we chose to live near those areas. Those areas were placed in our backyards because our communities were devalued based on our property taxes.”

Those devaluations were based on policies during the Jim Crow era, she said. “Clean energy is an opportunity to be able to clean up our communities — right or wrong that we didn’t create … that our ancestors definitely built. So as you are stepping into this industry — this is a new industry which means you’re not just a year, a summer intern for this to be it but this means you are one of the first classes of the Radiant Rays that is actually the first of the industry for everyone. That is a heavy accomplishment. It is a weight. The opportunity means you will be setting a new precedent for our communities that have been burdened by pollution since slavery.”

Rakeya Brinkley, a member of the inaugural class of the Radiant Rays who served as the internship advisor for the second class, told them, “I’m so proud of y’all … It was a great experience. I hope y’all take all the knowledge that we gave y’all and use it to move forward in the future.”

Mozine Lowe, the center’s executive director, discussed the level of exposure the Radiant Rays have experienced as ambassadors. “They are just meeting so many people and I think one of the highest honors is the recognition by our U.S. Congressman Don Davis. He actually mentioned your names on the House floor.”

Lowe described the Radiant Rays as an awesome group of young ladies. “There is so much more to come.”

She said one thing she notices at meetings and conferences is a lack of women. “Representation is not there and in addition to that there is a lack of African Americans in the industry. This is a growing industry. It has the potential to grow tremendously over the next five years. The number of jobs will triple in the next five years. There’s so many opportunities for our interns to meet the leaders and for them to meet our interns and to understand the many job opportunities that are available.”

Said Lowe: “It is my expectation that these young ladies, these interns, our Radiant Rays will become leaders in clean energy.”

Duane Daniels, whose daughter Shania is a member of the sophomore class of the Radiants Rays, said, “I feel it’s been a great opportunity for her, definitely the exposure to solar energy and using her resources wisely. It has exposed her and made her think a little harder into what she’s doing in the future and in bettering herself and being around a group of positive young women that are her age and makes her want to do better.”

Daniels said his daughter’s exposure to the program has also meant exposure for he and his wife Sabrina’s household.

“She’s ready to get a Tesla now,” Sabrina said.

“She wants me to trade everything in the yard for a Tesla,” Duane said. “I think it’s great that she understands the importance of solar energy, the importance of recycling and she just wants to make sure she does her part for the earth.”

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