Black History Month celebrations continue! Throughout the month of February we featured perspectives from black leaders in Boston. This week we’re featuring Kathryn Wright of Meister Consultants Group. Make sure to check in next week for our final profile of the month!
What organization do you currently work for?
I am a Senior Consultant at Meister Consultants Group, a small climate and energy consulting firm located right across from City Hall. I am also the Co-Founder of a solar software startup called MySunBuddy, which is a web platform that enables solar sharing at projects from the neighbor-to-neighbor level to community-scale solar projects.
What is your background and how did you come to work in the field?
My academic background began in marketing and communications and ecology. Within the neighborhood where I grew up in metro Atlanta, which was a community of color, some of the creeks I used to play in as a small child had gotten so polluted by the time I was in middle school we had to stop going near them. So, I spent a lot of my summers across town with Camp Fire Boys and Girls, which sparked an early interest in the environment, but also in environmental protection and the role of policy.
What do you believe is the most pressing environmental or climate issue of our time?
Climate change impacts can exacerbate pre-existing and socio-economic disparities. We have to respond proactively, and aggressively to prepare for climate change, and communicate clearly with communities, which will be most impacted so they can prioritize and protect their interests. No matter the political or economic climate, we have to continue to act and make progress however we can.
What advice would you give young people, especially black young adults, starting out in this field?
When I was starting out, I was not sure what an environmental career could look like. I was always pushed towards and exposed to people in my community who were doctors, lawyers, construction professionals and accountants, but I didn’t get exposure or meet any environmental professionals until my secondary education. In Massachusetts, we are lucky to have MassCEC, which has a lot of resources for students. I think their jobs board is a great place to start, to get a sense of the breadth of options, and also keeping up with MassCEC and AABE for career day or other educational opportunities to meet people working in the field.
What actions do you suggest people take today to get involved and make impact to act on climate and/or protect the environment?
Education is critically important, so individuals can make climate-informed decisions in their daily lives. There are initiatives across the city that are a great way to get involved, stay informed and get your social networks engaged.
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