DeAndrea Salvador, former executive director of the Renewable Energy Transition Initiative (RETI)—a nonprofit dedicated to making energy affordable and efficient in North Carolina—won a race to become a North Carolina senator. Salvador founded RETI at age 23, educating Charlotte, North Carolina, residents about energy efficiency and conservation while also advancing community solar initiatives in South Carolina. Equity is the cornerstone of her work. In 2015, North Carolina had half a million households spending 20% or more of their monthly income on energy bills. Salvador believes that energy systems cannot be equitable if only some people have access to clean energy sources, nor are they equitable if people must make difficult choices to afford their monthly energy bills. In 2018, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 40% of 2005 levels by 2025. Salvador’s work in the State Senate is crucial in ensuring that this effort prioritizes the needs of communities of color and low-income individuals.
