SCE Celebrates Black History Month

The Rev. Dr. Charles Dorsey’s got plenty to prove.

The preacher, motivational speaker and community leader’s “Prove It!” campaign seeks to reach residents in communities of color to help them better understand electric vehicles and the resources and incentives that are available. These communities are often the most affected by air pollution. He has successfully turned skeptics into believers and plug-in fans.

“Southern California Edison has long been a partner of ours, going back to the founding of our organization 25 years ago,” said Dorsey, founder of The Dorsey Group, LLC, which was recently saluted by SCE during its Black History Month celebration.

He is one of several African American business and community partners honored across the SCE service area in recognition of the culture and contributions of African Americans in California, the U.S. and the world.

This year, SCE’s 18th annual Black History Month celebration was held Feb. 7 at Rogers Park Community Center in Inglewood and its 10th annual event was observed Feb. 21 at SCE’s Energy Education Center in Tulare. Additional events throughout the month of February were organized by SCE employees to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of African American leaders and visionaries.

“I am so proud to look around this room, to look at our company as a whole and to look at our leaders and our board of directors and see the faces of our community reflected in them,” said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of SCE, at the Inglewood event.

“At Edison, our commitment to the community is also highlighted through our partnerships with African American businesses and other diverse businesses through our service areas, as well as through the contributions of our African American employees. We know that businesses and communities rely on one another to thrive,” he added.

Pizarro was joined by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr., who kicked off the event that recognized businesses and community organizations with whom SCE partners in its mission to give back to the communities it services, recognize companies achieving success in the clean energy space and align with SCE’s goals for diversity in suppliers.

Those honored were Shamrock Gates Industrial, LLC, recipient of SCE’s Diverse Business Enterprise Award; The Dorsey Group, LLC, recipient of SCE’s Clean Energy Champion Award; and Champions for Progress Faithful Central Bible Church Community Development Corporation, which received SCE’s Community Partnership Award.

The Inglewood presentations were followed by a panel discussion on “Investing in the Community” led by African American business owners who stressed the need for African American consumers to invest and support local black businesses and services in their communities.

In Tulare, SCE recognized the California Black Chamber of Commerce, recipient of the Diverse Business Enterprise Award; Sterling & Smith Funeral Home, Clean Energy Champion Award; and Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN), Community Partnership Award.

On hand there to celebrate SCE’s continued recognition of the contributions that African Americans make toward empowering its communities were Kevin Payne, president and CEO, SCE; Carla Peterman, senior vice president, Regulatory Affairs, SCE; and Mike Marelli, vice president, Business Customer Division, SCE.