All of us at Ampion are outraged by the murder of George Floyd and appalled by the entrenched systems that continue to treat the lives of people of color as somehow less valuable. We affirm that our core values include the respect for all and assert that Black lives matter. Racism debases us all.

Ampion’s mission is renewable energy everywhere, for everyone. Our business involves a movement for change on behalf of the planet. We believe that progress towards renewable energy intrinsically represents progress towards social justice, as energy policy and pollution disproportionally affect the health and wellbeing of communities of color. We also believe that we have a responsibility to invest deliberate, sustained attention to improving the attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate racial disparities. We pledge as individuals and as an organization to examine how we will contribute to being a proactive, positive force for the change all of us need. Just as silence is complicity, so too is inaction.

Ampion is changing as a result. We pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, but there is more that we can do to ensure that we engage communities of color as we build our team. We can use our position in the community solar industry to advocate against structural barriers to participation by low and moderate income populations. We can be more reflective about the subtle ways our behavior runs contrary to our ideals. And we know now is the time for impatience, that words alone are insufficient, and we will be measured ultimately by the progress we make.