OUR IMPACT:
Clean Energy in Action
Awareness in Action:
"Livin' Green and Livin' Clean"
Community Outreach Presentation
The San Diego Urban Sustainability Coalition (SDUSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing sustainability gaps by uniting residents, stakeholders, and mission-aligned partners through grassroots organizing and community-centered solutions.
As part of MREP CA’s community awareness initiatives, President & CEO Starlett Quarles delivered the Livin’ Green & Livin’ Clean presentation at SDUSC's Strategies for Technology- driven Operational Resilience and Mitigation (STORM) community outreach event.
The event focused on educating and empowering San Diego’s Communities of Concern around the importance of electrification, decarbonization, and energy-efficient living.
Access in Action:
Urban Renewable Energy Summit (Spring 2025)
In Spring 2025, MREP CA hosted the inaugural Urban Renewable Energy Summit, a first-of-its-kind event focused specifically on connecting Los Angeles County’s urban communities to clean energy education, sustainable development, and economic opportunity.
Designed as an access-building platform, the Summit mobilized minority professionals across the sustainability sector and intentionally bridged them with LA’s urban marketplace.
The event was unique in its dual focus on both the green economy and the blue economy, highlighting workforce pathways, business opportunities, and emerging industries often overlooked in urban sustainability conversations.
Access in Action:
Workforce Pathways: Lance Haywood
After graduating from high school in May 2023, Lance Haywood knew that a traditional college path was not the right fit for him. Inspired by a family friend working as a lineman, Lance enrolled in the Northwest Lineman College in Oroville, California, determined to pursue a hands-on career in the utility and energy sector.
In just 15 weeks, Lance earned his Class A CDL Permit along with multiple industry certifications, including OSHA 10-Hour ET & D, climbing and aerial lift safety, TLL crane operations, pole-top rescue, first aid/CPR, digger derrick safety, chainsaw safety, and maintenance.
His academic training covered the electrical grid, transformers, line equipment, and rigging- providing him with a strong technical foundation.
Access in Action:
Workforce Pathways: Isaiah Thomas
After a professional football career with the Ancona Dolphins- an Italian football team- and earning a master’s degree in Community Development from the University of California, Davis, Isaiah Thomas set his sights on a career in commercial real estate development.
Despite his academic credentials and leadership experience, Isaiah faced a familiar challenge: limited real estate and industry-specific work experience.
So, he began his professional journey in real estate sales, but his long-term goal remained development focused.
Aware of Starlett Quarles’ reputation for cultivating strong professional networks and supporting minority professionals entering South Los Angeles’ real estate development landscape, Isaiah reached out for guidance.
Access in Action:
Green Jobs Regional Partnership (GJRP)
MREP CA is a proud partner of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator’s (LACI) Green Jobs Regional Partnership (GJRP)- a regional initiative working to build equitable pathways into California’s growing clean transportation workforce.
As part of this effort, MREP CA has proposed the “Charge Your Future: The Green Mobility Career Expo,” an awareness and outreach initiative designed to support GJRP’s goal of preparing and placing 7,610 underresourced community members into high-road Electric Vehicle (EV) and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) careers by the 2028 Olympic Games.
Led by Kauleen Menard, Director of the GJRP, the Partnership has established clear equity-focused targets for job placement across LA County’s EV and EVSE industries- goals that are essential to advancing workforce inclusion, economic mobility, and broader regional priorities.
Application in Action:
Sustainable Development Project Overview (Residential)
A South Los Angeles homeowner contacted MREP CA in search of a long-term solution to rising electricity costs and ongoing grid instability. Due to the size of the home, monthly electricity bills routinely ranged between $1,200–$1,300, creating a significant utility expense.
Beyond cost savings, the homeowner needed energy resilience- a system that could protect their home from grid interruptions while providing reliable, clean power year-round.
MREP CA was engaged to design and deliver a comprehensive, sustainable energy solution tailored to these needs.
Application in Action:
Sustainable Development Project Overview (Commercial)
Staar Surgical is a California-based medical manufacturing firm specializing in the design, development, and production of implantable eye lenses that help patients reduce or eliminate their reliance on glasses and contact lenses.
The company operates three facilities across Southern California, including a 75,000-square-foot headquarters in Monrovia, a 30,000-square-foot facility in Lake Forest, and a 10,000-square-foot location in the City of Tustin.
As a high-energy-use manufacturer, Staar Surgical faced escalating electricity costs and significant operational risk due to grid instability. Weather-related outages and power interruptions frequently disrupted production- resulting in costly downtime and the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in materials.
Advocacy in Action:
Turning Participation into Leadership
At MREP CA, advocacy is where the clean energy journey comes full circle.
Once individuals, families, and organizations begin to experience the real, tangible benefits of California’s clean energy transition- lower energy bills, new job opportunities, business growth, and increased energy resilience- we believe the next step is empowerment.
Advocacy ensures those benefits are protected, expanded, and made accessible to others.
Learn more about the clean energy laws, bills, and programs shaping California’s future- and discover how you can become a Clean Energy Ambassador in your community.