by Natalia Lima
In the quest for pioneer women, Dr. Atyia Martin stood out as a catalyst of change, an exemplary leader filling the gap between equity and resilience. From homeland security to public health to serving as the first Chief Resilience Officer in Boston and pioneering the award winning Resilient Boston: An Equitable And Connected City resilience strategy, Dr. Martin has become a meritorious figure in our community. To hear more about her views, check out TED Talks Racism and Climate Change Are About You and Rethinking Diversity starring Dr. Martin.
In our interview, Dr. Martin dubbed herself an “on-going student,” mentioning her interest in environmental justice sprouted in 2005 while working on emergency management of recovery and public health. This experience highlighted differences in the resilience of certain communities and illuminated a lack of equity, an attribute Dr. Martin strives to elevate. In her experience as the Founder and CEO of All Aces Inc., a social enterprise that uses various tools and platforms to encourage equity and discourage natural exclusive behavior in organizations and people, she has identified some contributors to inequity: a disconnect between role and responsibility, instinctive self-serving emotions, unacknowledgement of impactive histories and a lack of honesty and humility. When I asked Dr. Martin what advice she would give to community leaders to combat these issues, she differentiates systemic problems, like “barriers of entry” into particular industries or wealth gaps, from community priorities. While some communities have the resources and time to generate movement, others may be consumed with survival and daily agendas that inhibit engagement (often a result of historical impacts mentioned earlier). Understanding these factors can strengthen leaders and their communities.
In an effort to understand Dr. Martin’s perspective on the lack of diversity in the clean energy industry, I asked if there are cultural expectations that hinder certain groups at a higher rate than others. In response, she labels these cultural expectations as the root of racism, saying “marginal groups are not allowed to be individuals.” In addition, she mentions cultural biases that inhibit these groups: credit allowance, business interests, job qualifications or simply assuming a certain group “doesn’t want it.” These expectations and biases relay limitations that contribute to homogeneous labor forces and inequitable communities.
On a personal level, Dr. Martin was able to share obstacles she overcame and faces as an African American woman who is a boss, an environmental justice champion and an equity advocate. She contests that one must first advocate for oneself. A tactic she used was expanding her language and using it as a tool, especially in the face of discrimination. Moreover, she’s able to value her products so that she may support herself monetarily. Her accomplishments have proven her approach will lead to success. Unfortunately, the call disconnected before I could bid Dr. Martin a proper adieu; however, it was an honor to speak with such an eminent African American woman who advocates for environmental justice and equity. Aside from serving as CEO of All Aces, she is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute. What a busy pioneer woman!
Dr. Martin! Image courtesy of All Aces, Inc.