Ebony Elmore

I am Ebony Elmore, born in River Rouge where smokestacks and shutoffs tried to define us but never dimmed our spirit. Who I am is a daughter of resilience, a mother, and an organizer who learned early that survival and justice are not the same. Whose I am is my people’s—I belong to the communities that raised me and to the future generations who deserve more than what we’ve endured.

My 15 years of grassroots organizing have carried me from block clubs to boardrooms, giving me a seat at leadership tables where my expertise was not only heard but valued. I’ve brought lived experience and strategy into spaces like the NAACP Western Wayne County, where I served as Environmental & Climate Justice Chair, and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, where I served on the Executive Committee. In every role, I have worked to ensure that environmental justice principles are more than words—they are practice.

As a general member and welcomed ally in Highland Park, Soulardarity has been a guiding light and trusted home on my journey. From education to civic engagement, you’ve shown me what collective power looks like in action. I want to serve on this Board because I know the fight for energy democracy is not just about turning the lights back on—it’s about building a future where our people shine without permission.

I bring more than 15 years of grassroots organizing and leadership, including serving as President of Just Transition Team-MI, Environmental & Climate Justice Chair for NAACP Western Wayne County, and Executive Committee member of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter board. In these roles, I’ve advanced EJ principles, led campaigns, and built strong coalitions rooted in community power. I carry both the skills and the relationships needed to move Soulardarity’s mission forward with accountability and vision.

Energy democracy is the heartbeat of our liberation and the root of my organizing passion. As a proud Soulardarity member, I’ve learned that our power is more than lights—it’s dignity, justice, and self-determination. Attending your workshops shaped my vision of energy as a pathway to healing and resilience. Together, we’ve fought shutoffs and brought back solar streetlights, reminding me that energy democracy is about moving our people from survival to thriving, with the power in our own hands.

To me, energy democracy is flipping the switch from exploitation to liberation. Community solar is the pure embodiment of collective power. I’ll never forget when Soulardarity took me on a sustainability tour through Highland Park and showed how neighbors—signing easement agreements (which I thought was such a dope idea)—can reclaim our energy future together. It’s bigger than panels on a roof; it’s a just transition in motion: lowering bills, building resilience, and keeping the benefits rooted in community. Justice isn’t handed down—it’s built collectively, one light, one agreement, one victory at a time.