A Yes! for Equity Perspective: Amplifying Youth Voices in the Southeast’s Electric School Bus Movement
Jessica Daniels
YES! for Equity Director
The evidence of climate change is undeniable, with record-breaking temperatures and increasingly frequent extreme weather events like the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene and Milton, all serving as stark reminders of the urgent need for collective action to protect our planet and its inhabitants. The Partnership for Southern Equity’s YES! for Equity understands that young people play a vital role in leading the fight for a sustainable future. In the American South, the push for electric school buses is a pivotal opportunity to not only modernize our transportation system but also to advance climate justice —particularly for Black and historically disinvested communities of color. We must amplify youth voices in this movement, ensuring their perspectives guide our collective efforts toward a cleaner, healthier environment.
With a generous grant from the World Resource Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative, YES! For Equity has partnered with WRI to build youth power in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to advocate for electric school buses in their respective school districts. YES! Youth Staff led the grantmaking effort to select two sub-grantees, The Resiliency Collective in North Carolina and the South Carolina Energy Justice Coalition in South Carolina, to join forces with their advocacy efforts in Georgia by awarding each organization a $20,000.00 Youth-Led Electric School Bus Advocacy grant. Youth organizers will be charged to survey and educate their fellow students, community members, school district leaders, and elected officials about clean energy, climate change, and the electric school bus movement.
Partnering with organizations that recognize the importance of sharing power with youth leaders is an equity strategy that centers the people closest to the problem. Electric school buses are more than just a green alternative to traditional diesel buses; they symbolize a shift toward equitable transportation solutions. By reducing harmful emissions, electric buses can significantly improve air quality, particularly in communities that have long been burdened by pollution. This is especially true in the Southeast, where many historically disinvested neighborhoods of color are situated near busy roadways and industrial areas. The health impacts of diesel emissions—such as asthma and other respiratory issues— are disproportionately severe for Black and brown youth. Transitioning to electric buses can help mitigate these health risks, creating safer, cleaner environments for ALL young people. Electric school buses also have an economic benefit, saving districts, on average, $100,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the lifetime of the bus. Those are savings that can be reinvested back into classrooms – especially if the district applies and receives a federal grant.
To assist local school districts in this critical transition, there are several federal programs available. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides significant funding to replace outdated diesel buses with electric alternatives, supporting the shift toward cleaner transportation. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) offers additional financial resources specifically earmarked for reducing emissions from school transportation. In addition to these federal programs, school districts can also access technical assistance and other support on the World Resource Initiative Electric School Bus’s resource page at https://electricschoolbusinitiative.org/tools, or make an appointment with a live advisor at https://electricschoolbusinitiative.org/talk-expert, where they can receive free support customized by district, to help navigate the school bus electrification process. These programs are just a few ways to take advantage of the opportunity for school districts in the Southeast to secure funding.
Young advocates can help raise awareness about these opportunities, pushing for policies that not only focus on the environmental benefits electric school buses provide but also consider social equity. We believe when students see modern, clean, electric vehicles serving their schools, it will foster a greater connection to sustainability movement and environmental stewardship, encouraging them to advocate for further changes in their communities.
As we push for electric school buses in NC, SC, and Georgia, we hope school districts in other
southeastern states will join the movement to center youth voices in this conversation. They are not just future leaders; they are active participants in shaping the world they will inherit. Let us harness the federal resources available to support this transition to clean energy. Together, we can build a
sustainable, just future where every child has access to clean transportation and the right to breathe clean air. The time to act is now, and our youth are ready to lead the way. For additional resources for Youth Leaders please visit: https://electricschoolbusinitiative.org/fast-facts.
About YES! for Equity
The Partnership for Southern Equity’s YES! for Equity is a national training and movement-building force, built on the belief that racial equity and inter-generational power-sharing are essential to creating community change. YES! for Equity believes that our collective power as youth and adult allies to achieve the change we seek in the world depends on recognizing the history of structural racism that exists in the United States. YES! for Equity embraces the responsibility to work towards institutional and societal change in service to create more equitable, thriving communities for all through the application of the YES! for Equity Youth Power Model®. For more additional facts on electric school buses for youth leaders please visit. https://psequity.org/yesforequity.
About World Resource Institute, Electric School Bus Initiative
In collaboration with partners and communities, WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative aims to build
unstoppable momentum toward an equitable transition of the entire U.S. school bus fleet to electric, bringing health, climate , and economic benefits to children and families across the country and normalizing electric mobility for an entire generation.
