Get to Know Haley Schulz
Public Citizen News / November-December 2024
This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2024 edition of Public Citizen News. Download the full edition here.
A community organizer for the Texas office of Public Citizen who was born and raised in Houston, Haley Schulz is driven by insatiable curiosity. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing the French horn, and spending time with her family. After studying music business at the University of Houston, Schulz worked with the Houston Symphony before shifting careers into accreditation, which allowed her to learn “a lot about process improvement and account management.” From there, she moved into the energy sector, where she spent a decade with Liquidity Services, managing liquidation of assets for energy clients. After becoming interested in climate justice, Schulz made it a personal mission to learn about Houston’s environmental justice landscape – and jumped into local advocacy efforts.
Q: How does your experience influence your approach to organizing?
In my career and personal journey, I have met people from many different walks of life. Being empathic, I enjoy connecting with people but also want to do right by them. Coming from an industry that plays a critical role in both our economy and day-to-day lives, I understand who the major players are and what creative and effective solutions to the issues might look like.
Q: What have you observed about Houston as it relates to the issue areas in which the Texas office works?
Houston is home to over 5,000 energy-related firms, accounting for more than 42% of the nation’s base petrochemical capacity. Our coastal location allows the city to play a large role in commerce and exports via the Houston Ship Channel. The industrial buildout in Houston and along the coast is immense, which means the fenceline communities bear the brunt of both immediate and long-term health consequences. Public Citizen is a part of many coalitions tackling various advocacy issues across the state, and I’m eager to join these conversations and contribute to real change.
Q: What are some projects that you and your team are working on?
Living on the Texas coast, there is a disturbing amount of industrial buildout, directly impacting many communities that are too often ignored. One project I spend considerable energy on is the Close Parish Coal coalition based in Fort Bend County. We educate and empower community members to learn about the W.A. Parish plant with the goal to close the exceedingly harmful coal stacks. The plant emitted over 12.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2022 alone and contributes to more than 178 premature deaths every year. We educate the public on ways to engage with regulatory entities and demand air monitoring in Fort Bend. Given that Fort Bend’s population is expected to double by 2050, it is imperative to continue advocating for clean energy in Texas and for a just transition from coal.
Q: What advice do you have for someone new to social justice or public interest advocacy?
Start with compassion and ask questions. If we are open minded and take time to listen, we can do so much good in the world. My journey started with curiosity and empathy, and now I get to advocate for my community every day at work. I believe we, as people, are innovative and creative and have solutions for a brighter future. But barriers are hindering us from moving forward, and my job is to remove those. I hope to inspire empathy and action, as many others did for me, so we can work together and inspire the next generations.