If you ask Carmen Carruthers, it’s all about who you know… and the conversations you share.
“We're really big believers in word of mouth,” she says. “There's a lot of value in learning information from someone you feel connected with. It's going to mean more, and you may even pay a little bit more attention.”
Carruthers is the Outreach Director for Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota or CUB. A longtime CERTs partner, CUB is a nonprofit advocate for Minnesota consumers who access utilities. They push for affordable utility services, consumer protections, and clean energy.
“Our goal is to make sure as many Minnesotans as possible are aware of all of these resources.”
The resources she’s talking about are energy efficiency tools and information. On behalf of CUB, Carruthers recently teamed up with another CERTs partner, Unidos MN to co-lead a multi-region training program about these resources. The Energy Justice Pueblitos Project gathered a cohort of community experts who engaged with MN’s Latine community in conversations about utilities, help with energy bills, and energy efficiency. CUB brought the subject matter expertise, Unidos MN brought the community, and CERTs proudly supported their efforts with Seed Grant Program funding.