Hayward Equitable Electrification - Spanish Community Outreach

The Hayward Equitable Electrification Collaborative is a partnership between the Local Clean Energy Alliance, California State University East Bay (CSU East Bay) and City of Hayward Environmental Services. This collaborative effort engages Public Health students from CSU East Bay who are serving as community outreach workers in Hayward. These interns are integral to the Hayward Electrification Project which aims to equitably transition households from natural gas appliances to all-electric alternatives, but this cannot happen without language access and meaningful inclusion.

This collaboration focuses on engaging Spanish-speaking communities within Hayward. Our bilingual student interns are actively canvassing various neighborhoods to gather feedback. They assess awareness levels regarding electrification and give information. We intend to understand where folks are at on the issue and what needs or concerns they might have and identify ways the city can support a smoother transition process.

Additionally, interns are documenting personal opinions and beliefs regarding this shift. The Latino/Hispanic community comprises approximately 39.7% of Hayward's population, so their input is crucial. Initial surveys indicate that very few of Spanish-speaking residents know about electrification, highlighting the importance of increasing awareness within this demographic. Expanding outreach efforts to ensure broader community involvement is essential as the City of Hayward strives towards their climate goals. The Local Clean Energy Alliance is concerned about equity and not leaving low-income and communities of color behind.