Remembering Al Weinrub

Allen S. Weinrub (1943-2023) served as Coordinator of the LCEA from March 2011 until he lost his battle with cancer on August 30, 2023. During that time, the impact of his actions was both wide-ranging and deep. From writing seminal papers about Community Choice Energy and co-editing the book Energy Democracy to speaking at public hearings, Al was an intellectual who liked to roll up his sleeves and march in the streets. You could find him organizing and networking tirelessly at LCEA’s Clean Power Healthy Communities conferences. Or you might see him at neighborhood community events to ensure that grassroots voices and values were never overlooked. In addition to his work with LCEA, he also founded the CA Alliance for Community Energy, which recognized him as a “Lifelong Energy Justice Champion” a few months before his death.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Al moved to California after completing his doctoral studies at Harvard in applied physics. He later became a resident of Oakland, California where he spent the remainder of his life as an embodiment of all things Oaklandish. Learn more about Al’s life and personal history by visiting this webpage.

Shortly before his death, Al donated his collection of papers to the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center (SCUA) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Now known as The AL WEINRUB JUSTICE PAPERS, the documents reveal his extensive legacy as a social activist and organizer. For nearly 50 years, he defended anti-war, civil rights, labor, and climate justice principles. The digital archive is now available for public access at the SCUA website. In addition, you can find some of the papers he wrote during his tenure with the LCEA by visiting our Research Reports webpage under Resources.