Meet The Woman Behind The Fight
Raya Salter
Raya Salter is a dynamic attorney, educator, and trailblazer at the intersection of energy policy and environmental justice. She serves as the Founder and Executive Director of the Energy Justice Law & Policy Center, the first public interest law and policy center in the U.S. solely dedicated to energy justice. An influential voice in state and national climate planning, Raya sits on the New York State Climate Action Council, shaping the state’s bold roadmap to a fair and equitable net-zero future.
A fearless advocate, Raya has testified multiple times before Congress, ablaze with conviction, confronting climate disinformation and championing environmental justice for marginalized communities
She also advises key congressional committees on environmental justice issues, ensuring the voices of frontline communities guide policymaking.
Raya extends her impact into the classroom as an adjunct professor at Cardozo Law School, teaching energy law, and she shares her insights widely through her influential book Energy Justice: U.S. and International Perspectives (2018).
Her leadership extends to regional and national environmental justice networks. She co-led the NY Renews Climate Justice Coalition, helping secure justice-based provisions in New York’s landmark climate law, the CLCPA. She also serves on advisory boards for prominent climate organizations including Evergreen Action, the Energy & Environmental Study Institute, and the Coalition for Green Capital.
Raya's advocacy has earned her coveted recognition. She’s been named a “Climate Hero” by the Human Impacts Institute (2019), received the Felix Fishman Access to Justice Award from New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (2021), and was listed in City & State NY’s “Energy & Environment Power 100” (2020 & 2021).
Her foundation in energy regulation began in private practice at Dewey & LeBoeuf in NYC, followed by powerhouse roles at the Environmental Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she shaped multi-state clean energy strategies. Behind the titles is a community builder: before law school, she designed youth and tech programs in Yonkers and Brooklyn, rooted in southern Westchester community spaces.
Academically, Raya holds a J.D. from Fordham Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Wesleyan University. She’s also widely known on social media as “Climate Auntie”, and continues hosting streaming programs on climate and justice, including live coverage from COP 26
Raya & Black Soil Rising
Raya Salter is an attorney, educator, and nationally recognized climate justice leader. As founder of the Energy Justice Law & Policy Center and a member of New York State’s Climate Action Council, Raya has spent her career fighting for communities on the frontlines of environmental harm. In Black Soil Rising, Raya serves as both a legal strategist and an on-the-ground advocate, connecting the urgent fight for land, legacy, and justice in rural Black communities to the broader national movement against environmental racism. Her voice bridges policy and people—making the stakes clear, the history undeniable, and the path forward possible.
The Mission
The mission of Black Soil Rising is to reclaim stolen legacy, confront environmental racism, and restore justice to Black communities. We fight to protect generational land, challenge the toxic industries that threaten our health and heritage, and create real pathways to economic dignity for those who’ve been denied it for far too long.
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