“This is a place I belong.” That’s how Gloria Castillo Posada felt as a girl growing up in Bogotá, Colombia. Exploring nature in the shadows of the Andes, she felt a sense of responsibility for supporting and maintaining the vast diversity of her country. It was the richness of her country and her identity that showed her how important communities are in working towards a sustainable future. Now in her current role, Castillo Posada helps Madison Gas & Electric bring enthusiasm for a clean energy future to Madison’s diverse communities.
Driven by her interest in nature and how people connect with it, she started her academic journey at La Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. After earning her degree in ecology, she sought out a graduate program that could expand her ecological knowledge in an interdisciplinary way. “I was very interested in gender studies,” she says. “I wanted to understand how our work in sustainability is intersectional and diverse. I was initially driven by a desire to gain a deeper understanding of women’s contributions and resilience within the environmental movement in Latin America, with a particular focus in Colombia.”
She found the Nelson Institute’s environment and resources master’s program and made the move to Madison. Although with her family still in Colombia, she kept her ties to home. She returned to complete a research project where she explored the intersections between identity, gender, capitalism, and natural resources. She spent time in a small, predominantly Afro-Colombian town where coal mining was the key economic driver. “How are people’s gender, race, access to resources and resilience inform the ways environmental efforts emerge and define outcomes for the communities here?” she wondered. “I wanted to take a step further to understand the ways Afro-Colombian women were leading the way in forging a path for a more sustainable future, where aggressive economies impose a precarity for precious natural resources and compete with smaller local economies.”
“Even if I’m not in the country, that is part of who I am. [It] colors what I do and shapes the way I relate to other communities.”
— Gloria Castillo Posada
Castillo Posada stayed in Madison after earning her degree, devoting herself to community engagement and sustainability. After doing community and equity work for several local nonprofits, she joined the team at Madison Gas & Electric (MG&E). She now works as a customer engagement and community service manager, helping MG&E authentically connect with the myriad communities it serves.
de la Energie, an educational game inspired by
Mexican bingo. Photo courtesy of Gloria Castillo Posada
“Besides providing a vital service to the community like energy, that is vital, we also want to make sure our communities are thriving,” she says. To do so, Castillo Posada looks to community organizations and public schools, which act as a “hub” for the community. MG&E puts on elementary school Earth Day celebrations, participates in resource nights where families can learn about MG&E’s services, and shares energy literacy with both kids and adults. Plus, all of their programming is offered in both English and Spanish.
“It is critical for our work that the next generations feel seen and represented in the clean energy future,” she says, emphasizing the importance of active listening. “We put in the effort so kids and families can learn about energy in a way that speaks to them and provides a sense of ownership and active participation.” Castillo Posada helps MG&E create educational materials that are culturally relevant, like their Lotería de la Energie, which draws inspiration from the iconic Mexican bingo game using art by local Latinx artist Rodrigo Carapia. “In many ways, these engagement efforts open conservations that inspire and encourage kids to explore and diversify the multiple careers in the energy sector, which is a key priority as we transition to a cleaner future.”
in La Lotería de la
Energie were created by
Rodrigo Carapia, a local
Latinx artist.
Like La Lotería de la Energia, and their upcoming Día de Futbol, all of MG&E’s community efforts are developed through collaboration. “We don’t impose anything,” Castillo Posada says. “We just want to listen and see how we can be of best support.” One suggestion came in an unexpected form: a radio show. La Movida Radio 94.5FM y 1480 AM, Dane County’s only Spanish-speaking radio station, offered Castillo Posada a regular spot to talk about energy. The second Wednesday of each month, her segment Viviendo con Energia (Living with Energy) shares success stories and takes listener questions. It’s this type of authentic connection and continual work that helps create a sense of belonging and ownership in the clean energy future, which ultimately moves MG&E closer to its goal of being net-zero by 2050.
Madison’s Latinx communities aren’t the only ones that Castillo Posada’s team is working to engage. They’re also working to bring energy literacy and equity to Madison’s Hmong and Black communities. “Authentic collaboration and mutual goals are the key, and this takes time,” Castillo Posada reiterates. “We always say, ‘We move at the speed of trust.’ ”