What We Made Possible

008. Powerless but Not Voiceless: Dr. Diana Hernández on Energy, Justice, and Possibility

• Patricia Dayleg

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In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Diana Hernández—a trailblazer, advocate, and proud native New Yorker—to unpack what’s truly possible when we challenge the old narratives about wealth, power, and community.

Diana and I revisit the moment over a decade ago when she, my professor at Columbia, first cracked open my mind to who gets to claim the words “wealthy” and “homeowner.” We dig into her journey: from rolling up her sleeves to rehab forgotten buildings in her community in the Bronx, to leading ground-breaking research on energy insecurity, a struggle affecting nearly half of U.S. households but so often hidden in shame and silence.

She shares how ambition isn’t just about accumulation, but about intention: about building until you feel satisfied, and then making space for others. We talk about her new book, Powerless, which not only names but illuminates the deep impact of energy insecurity and how it’s within our collective power to solve it.

If you’ve ever wondered how your story or your community fits in the bigger fight for justice, or how to know when “enough” is truly enough, this conversation is for you. Diana’s wisdom is a gentle invitation to reimagine what’s possible, grounded in lived experience and hope for change.

Let’s open ourselves to new possibilities, honor our own power, and hold space for the voices and solutions that have always existed within our communities.

 

About Dr. Diana Hernández:

Dr. Diana Hernández, a tenured Associate Professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, is the Founding Principal Investigator of the Energy Equity, Housing, and Health Program and co-Director of the Energy Opportunity Lab at the Center on Global Energy Policy.

Dr. Hernández is a pioneering sociologist and leading authority on energy insecurity, a concept she defined and operationalized through groundbreaking mixed-methods research. Rooted in community engagement and policy innovation, her work addresses systemic barriers to energy access for disadvantaged populations and tests promising interventions. She is author of Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy (with Jennifer Laird, Russell Sage, April 2025), the first major book on energy insecurity in the U.S. 

 

Where to Find Dr. Diana Hernández:
Website: http://drdianahernandez.com
Instagram: @hotandcold_nyc
Book, Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy: https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Peoples-Struggle-Diana-Hern%C3%A1ndez/dp/087154914X