BRIEFING PAPER ONE OF BLACK, BROWN AND GREEN

Black, Brown and Green, a program of the Center for Social Inclusion, calls attention to the economic opportunities and hurdles facing green business models for communities of color. Promoting control and ownership of the energy supply by this community ensures that the tremendous value of the green energy economy can be shared by communities of color and add depth to the broader economy.

Businesses and communities must lay a foundation for success that transforms individual and community prospects today. Policy makers, investors and stake holders need a firm grasp of business structures that protect community control, strategies to raise the right type and levels of capital, and accessible technology. These issues affect all green energy businesses, but are especially crucial for those owned or operated by people of color who historically have had limited access to the energy sector.

Launched in 2009, the mission of Black, Brown and Green is to provide clear information and help expand the presence of community owned or controlled green energy companies of all sizes and sectors.

Black, Brown and Green is designed to help build a framework for successful Green business models in communities of color. The series begins with a community-oriented analysis of the technologies and economics underlying the renewable energy supply chain. As CSI rolls out future analysis and papers, we will provide advocates, and the progressive green businesses community with an overview of the relevant policies, technical risks and investment models for renewable energy at the community level.

Black Brown and Green will offer important resources to help communities and companies succeed. Key among these will be a critical analysis of how energy, race, and wealth are being reshaped by renewable energy.