The latest [EM]POWERED COMMUNITY features California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Bloom Energy CEO KR Sridhar for an informal, but in-depth, conversation on how California can best provide clean, resilient energy for our communities through wildfires, a historic drought, PSPS events, and rolling blackouts. Our dynamic leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities facing our state – ranging from the COVID pandemic, the high cost of housing, homelessness, traffic, and the economy. This virtual [EM]POWERED COMMUNITY event was moderated by Executive Vice President of Government Affairs & Policy Carl Guardino.
Video Synopsis
Empowered Community Series: featuring California Attorney General Rob Bonta
Video length: 01:00:28
Talking Points:
- Wildfires, PSPS, Drought And Blackouts: How To Protect Californians And Their Clean Energy Security
- Ethnic Minority In Major Roles: Do You Feel An Extra Responsibility
- The State Of California’s Biggest Challenge: What Is The Solution
- Leadership: Your Leadership Style And Traits You Look For When Hiring
- A Professional Or Personal Mistake You Have Made: What You Learned
- Lightning Round: Favorite Breakfast You Make For You And Your Family
- A Song Or Lyrics That Motivates You And Gets You Moving
- A Place You Would Take A Friend Who Is Visiting California For The First Time
- Favorite Holiday To Celebrate With Family
- A Movie Classic That You Have Watched More Than Once
- Your Biggest Pet Peeve
- Your Favorite Professional Athlete: What You Would Say If You Met Them
- A Quote Or A Saying That Inspires You
- Next Travel Location On Your Travel Bucket List
- Times Your Personal Beliefs And Your Job Responsibilities Conflict
- Affordable Housing In California And Equity Disparity: What Is Your Solution
- Power Outages: Derailing Of California’s Equitable And Clean Energy And How Bloom Energy Can Help
- Droughts: What California Government Can Do To Help Increase Access To Clean Water
Speakers
- Carl Guardino, Former Global Government Affairs & Policy Executive, Board Member, and Community Builder, Bloom Energy
- Rob Bonta, California Attorney General, California Department of Justice
- Amy Mmagu, CA Government Affairs Director, Newlight Technologies
- Dr. KR Sridhar, CEO, Founder, Board Chair, Bloom Energy
- Kendal Asuncion, Government Affairs, Transportation, and Sustainability Policy, Bloom Energy
- Manaal Shafi, Government and Community Relations Coordinator, Bloom Energy
Transcript
Carl Guardino:
Good afternoon Everyone.
Rob Bonta:
Pleasure. Good to see you.
Carl Guardino:
Good afternoon, Bloom Energy colleagues. Welcome to our employee town hall with our CEO, founder and board chair, Dr. KR Sridhar, and the Attorney General for the state of California, the honorable Rob Bonta. My name’s Carl Guardino, I’m the executive Vice President for global government affairs and policy. We’re delighted that so many of our colleagues are joining us today. We thank you for your flexibility in adjusting the time for today’s empowered communities, employee town hall. As you know, from our past town halls, we will be streaming live on Facebook. We always like to make sure that everyone is aware of that and is comfortable with that before we continue. As always in our empowered communities, employee town halls are in three distinct parts.
First I get to ask five or six questions to two incredibly bright and articulate leaders. Second, we then move into what we lovingly call our lightning round, which is usually eight to nine questions that only require one word to one sentence responses and a reminder, no run on sentences. And then third, my favorite part, that’s hearing from our colleagues here at bloom energy with their questions that you can place right into the chat box and we will get to as many questions as we can. Also as always, we will continue our bloom energy tradition of starting on time, ending on time and respecting your time. With that it is a great honor again, to introduce the Attorney General of the state of California, Rob Bonta, our CEO, founder and chairman, Dr. KR Sridhar, and my colleague Amy Mmagu, who leads our efforts in Sacramento with the legislature, constitutional officers, and the governor to introduce our special guest. Amy Mmagu, If you could take yourself off of mute and turn on your camera, thank you for joining us
Amy Mmagu:
Course. Thank you and welcome everybody. Attorney general, Rob Bonta is self described as a dad of three kids, a lucky husband of the better Bonta, a teller of dad jokes, a soccer dad fan and loosely interpreted player, and the California Attorney General . Attorney general Bonta was born in Quezon city Philippines and immigrated to California with his family as an infant. He is a son of a proud native Filipino mother and a father who taught him the value of public service to his community. Attorney general Bonta’s passion for justice was instilled in him by his parents who served on the front lines of some of America’s most important social justice movements and part United farm workers and the civil rights movement.
Through this, he decided to become a lawyer in order to help write historic wrongs and fight for people who have been harmed. Inspired by characters like Atticus Finch and To Kill a Mockingbird and the stories of farm workers, he decided to become a lawyer to make a positive difference for the most people. He worked his way through college cleaning laundry rooms to pay for books and tuition. And as a public school kid, and one of the few Filipino Americans in an Ivy league school, he didn’t always feel like he belonged, but he rolled up his sleeves, put his head down and dove in. He helped mentor children of color in the surrounding neighborhoods of New Haven and played soccer at Yale where he captained the team. He graduated with honors from Yale and earned his JD from Yale law school. He returned to California in 1999, where he practiced law in a variety of areas, including civil rights and crime among other issues. And then served as deputy city attorney in San Francisco for almost a decade.
He was elected by the people of Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro for the state legislature in 2012 until his recent appointment. On April 23rd, 2021, Rob Bonta was sworn in as the 34th Attorney General in the state of California, the first person of Filipino defense and the second Asian American to occupy the position. He’s recently completed his first 100 days where he has worked on a settlement for families affected by the opioid epidemic, appealed the overturning of state assault weapons ban, expanded the environmental justice bureau, and turned the state justice department focus to policing and racial justice. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be with us.
Carl Guardino:
Amy Mmagu, thank you for fighting through IT Challenges. Dr. KR Sridhar, our CEO, thanks for serving as our IT department just now to make sure that Amy could effectively communicate that introduction and Attorney General , Rob Bonta, we are honored that you are with us today. We appreciate your time. We are going to go ahead and start our empowered community employee town hall. As your team, it looks like they’re adjusting your computer real time. So as they finish doing that, let me just remind our bloom energy colleagues that if you can join us virtually or in person this Sunday morning, August 22nd for our inaugural bloom energy stars and strides community run to benefit and celebrate our frontline hospital and healthcare workers through the valley medical center foundation and the 3 county hospitals, 14 healthcare clinics, and more than 1 million of our neighbors that they serve annually with their healthcare needs.
We’d love to have you join Dr. Shrider myself and already more than a hundred of our bloom energy colleagues and their families, and close to 2000 people in our community for our 5k run and walk, our 10 K run, our kids fun run, or our virtual participation run. You can still register at starsandstridesrun.com again, that starsandstrides run.com. Now it looks like the Attorney General’s computer is now ready to go. Attorney general.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
His audio is not working is what he texted.
Rob Bonta:
I’m Back on. Thank you.
Carl Guardino:
Wonderful. After 18 months of a zoom existence, it’s amazing how good we’re all getting at this. Thank you again for joining us. We will now jump right in with the first of three segments, which are my questions to our Attorney General, Rob Bonta, and to our CEO, founder and chairman, Dr. KR Sridhar. KR and Attorney General Bonta, how do we empower Californians to protect their own clean energy security during a time of increased wildfires, historic drought, PSPS events, and rolling blackouts. KR let’s start with you and then we’ll hear from our Attorney General.
Wildfires, PSPS, Drought And Blackouts: How To Protect Californians And Their Clean Energy Security?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Thank you and welcome Attorney General . It’s really nice to be with you here on this panel with our employees. Thank you for joining us. Are you able to hear me okay? I’m just doing a sound check. Great. Awesome. With the PSPS and wildfires, unfortunately, it’s the beginning of a trend that’s going to be with us for some amount of time because of climate change and globally what’s happening. This is reality, the climate veering is going to have a direct impact on our power lines and the stability, the reliability, and the resilience of bringing energy to our people, especially at a time when everything is going digital which runs on electricity. Bringing that secure power is easier if you’re more affluent with all the backup that you can have, as opposed to, if you’re not affluent, if you’re renting a home, if you’re renting an apartment or you are barely making ends meet. And oftentimes the dirty diesels that are used as backup get located in those kinds of neighborhoods.
So I think as a state, as a community, as people who are thinking about this the right way, we need to bring clean microgrids as safe zones for those people to exist, endure, adapt and thrive. Even when these kinds of situations happen in the state. That’s how we prepare ourselves. So demanding that of your local community, demanding that of your leaders, demanding that of your utilities, I think is the key to not only surviving it this year, but adapting. So in the future, it doesn’t interrupt our life as badly as it does right now.
Carl Guardino:
KR Shrider thank you. Attorney general, Bonta, we’re hoping that your audio now works. We’d love to hear from you. Same question. How do we protect and empower Californians against wildfires, PSPS events and historic drought and rolling blackouts when it comes to their clean energy security?
Rob Bonta:
Well, thank you for that question, Carl and also KR, nice to be with you. It’s an honor. I’m looking forward to our conversation today. I agree with the points that KR made. I also come at it from a little bit of a different perspective in that I am a believer, I work in government, I believe in government, I believe in the ability of government to help address some of our common challenges and issues. I certainly believe that we do want to empower Californians to protect their own energy security, but I think we can only ask individuals to do so much. So I think it’s important for the government to step in and to help provide more hardening, more strength and protection, support, and also provide more options. Our clean energy future certainly demands investments and energy storage. I diversify clean energy systems, grid modernization, smart grids, microgrids, as mentioned by KR appropriately, and more. I think that the government could have a role in really helping address some of these challenges.
We see them coming. We know that the outcomes have been unacceptable with blackouts and other events. We need to be more resilient and have more hardening of our system so that it doesn’t become an issue where the wealthier have the resilience and are able to protect their own energy security, but those with less are not, and that the government could provide a floor, a baseline of support for folks to make sure that they have energy security across the board. That also means empowering our business leaders, our innovators, our doers. Like you, like all of you at Bloom Energy to drive solutions forward. Government can play a part and has an important role, but certainly is not the solver of all problems and challenges.
Our business leaders have long been that and you’re at the cutting edge of that. So unleashing the business community to help solve our common problems and help shape our future is going to be important as well. And to that end, it also means that partnership, that collaboration. The common challenge we have, we commonly own, and the solutions we can co-create. So the government working with business leaders can really be a powerful driver of solutions to greater energy security for the people of California going forward.
Carl Guardino:
Well said, Attorney General Bonta, and it fits the mission of bloom energy as well to have clean resilient energy that’s affordable to everyone on the planet. So thank you for speaking out for everyone who needs clean, resilient energy. We’re going to start our Attorney General with our next question, and then go to KR Sridhar. You both have backgrounds that are ethnic minorities who have risen to the tops of your professions. Do you feel an extra responsibility to be a role model for those who may follow in your footsteps? Attorney General, again, let’s start with you, and then we’ll go to Dr. Sridhar.
Ethnic Minority In Major Roles: Do You Feel An Extra Responsibility
Rob Bonta:
Thank you. I do feel a responsibility. It’s not a burden, it’s something I’m very proud of. Being the first Filipino American state legislator in the history of California and now being the first Filipino American Attorney General, It’s something that I’m very proud of. And I know that a lot of the Filipino American community, specifically Asian American community broadly, are very proud as well. They share that with me, they’ve told me, especially now in this moment, where we’re in a full on state of emergency and state of crisis when it comes to anti API hate violence, that my presence and my lived experience, my values coming from the Asian American community, gives them comfort and makes them feel seen and supported and valued. So that means a lot to me when I hear that. One of the things that drives me the most as the public elected official leader that I hope to be, is when I have the hopes and the faith of community members.
I want to deliver, I want them to know that I do see them and value them and will support them. And as the first when glass ceilings are being broken and people are in certain places of influence or power or authority for the first time, it’s really important to, in my view, create a brand that is one of success and effectiveness, getting things done, delivering, having the right values, being the right type of collaborator, so that it opens the doors for others. So that you create a brand that, while you might be the first, you won’t be the last and there’s other great leaders that might look like me, but just haven’t had a chance. So I definitely feel an extra responsibility, but it’s one I’m proud to have. And one that means a lot to me, that drives me to work harder and do better.
Carl Guardino:
Thank you, Attorney General Bonta, and it’s kind of amazing for a state that’s been around for more than 170 years that you were the first legislator of Filipino descent, let alone Attorney General. Thanks for serving our state in such an important way. Dr. Sridhar?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So Attorney General, I completely agree with you. It is a big responsibility, but not really a burden. You feel like what an ambassador should feel, is how I think about it, right? How you act, what you do, what you represent. To a large extent, not because of any other reason, just even from ignorance and having to learn, they watch you and learn that if they don’t have other places to look at, what you depict in terms of the community, outside of your community, within your community. What that does is it’s like the very first time a runner broke the four minute mile, it took forever, but once a four minute mile is broken many follow.
So the success really of the reason why that responsibility is a privilege and we carry it with pride is not what it does to us individually, but how it facilitates and opens up the opportunities for people that follow. So it’s a responsibility very much like yours, Attorney General, I carry it with pride but it is not out of self pride, but it is because of what we can do to enable people that follow us. Being an ambassador and showing what this country deeply inherently believes in, but sometimes forgets in the news cycles, but our deep inherent value in this country is that strength that comes out of diversity and for us to be able to represent that is wonderful.
Carl Guardino:
Dr. Shrider, thank you. We’re going to go back to Attorney General Bonta for our next question first. And I know this is a hard one to pick just one issue, just one of the challenges that our communities face, but Attorney General Bonta, what do you view as the biggest challenge impacting communities here in the bay area, as well as across our state, and what is your proposed solution to that particular challenge?
The State Of California’s Biggest Challenge: What Is The Solution
Rob Bonta:
You know, we faced so many, I definitely had a clearer answer to this. Before COVID, it probably would’ve been homelessness and housing affordability. COVID really changed everything for all of us, you know, being in an international pandemic that’s barking economic recession. We still have that housing and affordability and homelessness crisis, climate crisis that we’re battling with, including wildfires, we have gun violence that continues to be at crisis levels only in the United States of America, of all places in the world, do we have it at these levels and America’s disease in the form that it is and the rise of hate crime and violence as well. So a little bit of a politician’s answer, but, all of these are deep challenges. And when on climate, we can’t do enough fast enough.
There’s so much to do. It’s so urgent how we must act and how aggressive we must be. But you know, all of these things, at their issue, at the core of them, I believe is fundamental and systemic injustice. At their roots there are inequities that have been around for a long time lingered for generations, and they create disparate impacts and outcomes for certain communities. So that’s what I’ve been focusing on, in the California Attorney General’s role, is taking on injustice and knowledge in different forms. That’s why we started a racial justice bureau to take on hate crimes and the rise in hate violence to take on groups that are organized around hate and white supremacy. That’s why I expanded the racial justice bureau to make sure that polluters are not hurting communities that live at the intersection of poverty and pollution. It’s why we’ve been defending some of the common sense gun laws in California that have kept people safe for decades, and the like.
So taking on injustice in all its different forms has been what’s driven me. My parents, as was mentioned, were social justice activists and advocates, and they taught me that an injustice against one is an injustice against all, when something’s not right, it’s time to fight. So I don’t do well picking just one issue when I know that there’s so many that impact folks, and that matter in their lives. And if I have a chance to help with any of those, um, that’s my goal. And that’s what I try to do.
Carl Guardino:
Attorney General Bonta. Thank you. Dr. Sridhar, one issue that you think is one of the biggest challenges here in the bay area in California, and what do you believe we should do about it?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So if I had to pick one issue, especially the bay area, and the communities. The communities are not inclusive communities. That’s what I would want to change. So what I mean by that is the following, in so many of our communities the teachers who teach in our schools, the firefighters who fight the fires, the police who safeguards, cannot live in those communities, they can not afford to live in those communities. And they come from somewhere else to be in that community to just offer that service, that essential service that builds the community and the bonds. When those people are not part of the community and are commuting in to offer that service, that’s not a close community, they don’t have the same ownership. At the end of the day, it’s a disservice to everyone. And I think it is something local communities can easily fix if they have the desire. And I think they’re not fixing it because we don’t want to deal with it. And it’s something we can fix and it’ll build for better communities.
Carl Guardino:
Let’s talk about leadership and each of your leadership styles. In addition to hiring people for their skills, what are the three key traits that each of you look for when you hire someone and why are those traits important for individual and organizational success? KR, let’s start with you.
Leadership: Your Leadership Style And Traits You Look For When Hiring
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So I think you laid that question really well, right? Without the necessary skills, they will not even come to the point of meeting with me and trying to check if they should be hired. Then you look for the following; Number one, are they a team player? I would not want somebody who’s extremely qualified, but can not get along with other people to get things done, right? Because we need that cohesive culture. The second thing I look for is that passion and native curiosity to learn, either you have it or you don’t. In today’s workplace, it’s about continuous learning, it’s about adapting, it’s about learning what the next thing is. That’s extremely important. And the third quality I look for, because of the kind of company we are and the mission that we have, is do they have empathy, right? That creates a different work culture. So those are the three things Carl that I would focus on.
Carl Guardino:
Team player, passion and empathy. Thank you, Dr. Sridhar. Attorney General Bonta, three traits that you look for.
Rob Bonta:
Wow, hearing Dr. Sridhar, mine are very similar just using different words. The first one I look for is a commitment to justice, a personal burning desire to want to right wrongs and take on injustice. That’s something that people have in their hearts from their own lived experiences. It’s something that fueled my parents, that has fielded me. I believe if people have that personal commitment, that fire burning to help people and right wrongs and fight for justice, then they’re going to be great at what they do. And if it’s something that they care about and that they want to do, it’s not a job where they’re clocking in and clocking out, It’s something that is more of a mission. So having a commitment to that mission based on justice, I think is very important to me. So that’s number one.
Number two is kindness. I look for people who are kind. I think Dr. Sridhar used the word empathy, and it’s something similar that I’m looking for. I want them to be treating the people that we serve with kindness. I want them to treat each other with kindness. I want them to see our common humanity in one another, and to provide everyone with the dignity and respect that they deserve, especially for those who are in roles that on the org chart are folks who report to them or that they supervise, they should be treating them with the most dignity and the most respect. So I look for kindness in how we treat one another. And then for me, to be a team player for sure as well. I grew up playing soccer, I had an opportunity to be recruited to play in college and that’s the only way I know how to do things, as a team.
And as a team you can do anything, you’re greater than the sum of your parts. You accomplish things that you never could on your own. You hide each other’s weaknesses and elevate each other’s strengths and support one another and get the job done together. And being a team player, being willing to jump in and help someone when they need help, always asking how you can help, not being siloed about your role, and not gate keeping, sharing information, sharing ideas, being open-minded to others. I think it makes us stronger in the teams that I’ve been on. So I really appreciate teamwork as well.
Carl Guardino:
Attorney General Bonta, thank you. Commitment to justice, kindness, and a team player. I’m always saddened in society when there are some who confuse kindness with weakness. When the strongest people I know can be kind through adversity and attack and you emulate that, and you model that. So thank you. Our last question, before we move on to our second segment, the lightning round, is more personal if you are comfortable doing so, please share a professional or personal mistake that you have made, and equally important, what you learned from that experience. Attorney General Bonta, let’s start with you.
A Professional Or Personal Mistake You Have Made: What You Learned
Rob Bonta:
I’ve made so many of both that they’re impossible to count. I think that we learn most from our mistakes and it’s not whether we’re going to make mistakes, we’re all going to make mistakes. It’s part of being a human being, when you’re trying to do great things, you’re going to fail. But it’s how you respond and what you do next that really matters. And for me, the thing that I ask myself a lot about and really drives me is the question of, am I doing enough in the role I have? And as an assembly member for almost nine years and as the Attorney General, now I’ve had the honor and the privilege of having an incredible opportunity to make people’s lives better with the authority granted to me in our democratic system and by our voters. And I really have a desire every day to make every second count, use every bit of that influence, power, authority, whatever you want to call it, to share it with others and to lift people up and to make their lives better. I always ask myself if I was aggressive enough?
Am I being urgent enough? Am I working hard enough? Am I using all of this influence that I’ve been given, that I won’t have forever, to make a difference in people’s lives every day and every way that I can? That is kind of always nagging at me, fueling me, driving me forward. Sometimes people ask, why do you work so hard? Or you’ve got a really strong motor. You’re always busy, you’re always buzzing. You always want to do things. And I hope that’s what they see, because that’s what I intend to do is never waste the opportunity and not squander it. If there’s a way I can use this authority to help people then that’s what I want to do. And there have been times that I haven’t been sure.
I’ve had bills that have been vetoed and I wondered. Specifically a bill called AB 1-76 that would’ve created disaggregated data for Asian American communities so more communities could be seen instead of being grouped into aggregated data where they’re rendered invisible and their experiences are concealed. And we didn’t get the governor’s signature on it. And so I wondered what I didn’t do well enough or strong enough. And to that point about how you come back, we brought that bill back the next year, we work closely with the governor’s office and got it into a position where it could earn a signature and it became law and now is benefiting the folks it was intended to benefit. So I always wonder if I’m doing enough and I always want to push harder and do more.
Carl Guardino:
Great example. Thank you, Attorney General, Bonta. Dr. Sridhar?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So, I agree with the Attorney General. If you’re trying hard, if you’re trying to push the boundaries, if you’re trying to do what you do, chances are, if you can write one book about things that went right, you can probably write an entire series on things that you did wrong. But if I had to pick one, something I’m more focused on these days, it may sound small, but it’s very important for me. In social settings, many times you’ll encounter, because you are in certain groups and what you do, people will say certain things which go completely against your values and you’re in a place where you choose not to say anything about it.
Not that you agree with them, but you choose not to speak at that moment because you seem like you may be the only one feeling that way for whatever reason. When I look back at some of those situations and how it could have made an impact in that entire conversation, if situationally right there, you spoke out. Again, not on little things, but on strong value things. And these days what I’ve learned is not to regret later, but to just speak up and share that I respect you, it is not about you, but on this particular issue, this is my value, this is where I stand, this is what I don’t like about what just happened.
Carl Guardino:
That is so powerful. It reminds me of that quote. I think it was Edmond Burke, who said “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing”. And wow, what a stark reminder, Dr. Sridhar. In a lighter moment, when I was going to ask you about a professional mistake, I’m glad you didn’t say hiring me.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
That was the best thing I did.
Carl Guardino:
Well, I’m glad we’re taping this on Facebook live. We are going to move to segment two of what we lovingly call our lightning round. One quick question with one word to one sentence responses, and again, I will rotate back and forth. So neither of you feel picked on, that you always have to go first. So we’re going to start with KR Sridhar. What is your favorite breakfast? but here’s the catch; that you personally prepare for yourself and your family? Dr. Sridhar.
Lightning Round: Favorite Breakfast You Make For You And Your Family
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Freshly squeezed orange juice with Belgian waffles. California orange juice.
Carl Guardino:
I’m free tomorrow morning. Attorney general, Bonta.
Rob Bonta:
Smoothies and omelets for the family.
Carl Guardino:
Very good. Attorney General, Bonta, a song or lyrics that motivate you and get you moving?
A Song Or Lyrics That Motivates You And Gets You Moving
Rob Bonta:
The show goes on by Lupe fiasco.
Carl Guardino:
Ah, nice. Dr. Sridhar.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Many of the Bob Marley songs. That’s what gets me.
Carl Guardino:
I learned something new about you today. I love that. Dr. Sridhar, a place that you would take a friend who is visiting California for the first time.
A Place You Would Take A Friend Who Is Visiting California For The First Time
Dr. KR Sridhar:
For me to be a toss up between the computer history museum and Yosemite. Two very different ones.
Carl Guardino:
Yeah. Attorney general, Bonta. Where would you take that friend?
Rob Bonta:
Crab Cove in Alameda, one of my favorite places. There’s so many to choose from in California, but I would want to start in my own backyard. And that’s a special place for me.
Carl Guardino:
Attorney general Bonta, your favorite holiday to celebrate with family.
Favorite Holiday To Celebrate With Family
Rob Bonta:
The Christmas holiday. Especially that week between Christmas and new year’s day, which is a mutual stand down day, I call it a time where everyone’s with family. I got my whole family under the same roof which is rare and very special.
Carl Guardino:
Thank you, Attorney General. Dr. Sridhar
Dr. KR Sridhar:
For me it’s Diwali, the Indian festival. And luckily we have a tradition here at bloom now that the Indian origin employees put together a lunch for all the employees and we have a Diwali celebration at work too. So it’s fun.
Carl Guardino:
Wonderful. Dr. Shrider back to you. A movie classic that you have watched more than once.
A Movie Classic That You Have Watched More Than Once
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Airplane it’s just hilarious.
Rob Bonta:
Definitely a classic.
Carl Guardino:
That is not what I expected to hear from a rocket scientist with a PhD.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
I love it.
Carl Guardino:
Attorney General, Bonta?
Rob Bonta:
To kill a Mockingbird.
Carl Guardino:
Wonderful. Atticus Finch, yes. Attorney general Bonta, your biggest pet peeve?
Your Biggest Pet Peeve
Rob Bonta:
When personal conflict gets in the way of us achieving great things.
Carl Guardino:
Well said. Dr. Shrider.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
When people say I cannot make a difference.
Carl Guardino:
Good. Dr. Shrider, as a parent, what is your biggest accomplishment thus far?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
When in large groups, people are referring to me as the father of my son.
Carl Guardino:
That’s beautiful, thank you. Attorney general, Bonta.
Rob Bonta:
Knowing that of all the titles I might ever have, including the one I currently have, the most important is always going to be dad. And letting my kids know every day how much I love them, whether it’s telling them or very often, much sugar and hugging them and kissing them, sometimes in front of others.
Carl Guardino:
I suffer from that same fault. Oh, that’s terrific. Attorney General Bonta, who is your favorite professional athlete? And what would you say to him or her if you met them?
Your Favorite Professional Athlete: What You Would Say If You Met Them
Rob Bonta:
Michael Jordan, and how did you have such an insatiable will to win?
Carl Guardino:
KR?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
You know, that would’ve been a close toss up, but since the Attorney General picked MJ, you know, I used to live in Illinois and watch him and he was playing for the bulls. So since you picked that, I’ll pick it close second. And that’d have to be Kobe, who I knew. When people who knew him earlier would talk about his flawed past, how did he get past that and how did he become a very different person with so much to give? And if I saw him, it would be very similar to that song from Elton John, you can’t pass very long before realizing you’re dead and that it’ll live for a long time, you know, he’s loved.
Carl Guardino:
Thank you. And Attorney General Bonta, you were close to being a professional soccer player, weren’t you? Weren’t you close to being a professional soccer player?
Rob Bonta:
Yes, I was. Thank you for saying that. And that’s why I wrote on my Twitter handle soccer dad, soccer fan, and loosely speaking, soccer player. I was a soccer player once, but it would be hard to justify such a reference now. But I played for the San Francisco Bay Seals for two seasons. And one was when we played in the A league, which is the equivalent of AAA. So I had a wonderful time going to venues throughout the nation and living my dream of playing professional soccer for a period.
Carl Guardino:
Incredible. We’re about to have our last of nine lightning round questions, and I would encourage our bloom energy colleagues on the line. Please use the chat box for your own questions, start loading those in now we’ll get as many of your questions in as we possibly can. And the last lightning round question, we’ll start with Attorney General Bonta. A quote or a saying that inspires you?
A Quote Or A Saying That Inspires You
Rob Bonta:
I’ve thought about this one a lot before COVID, but even more so during COVID. It’s Martin Luther King, Jr’s reference to the inescapable network of mutuality and the single garment of destiny that we share, how we are all so reliant on one another and need each other for our mutual and common success.
Carl Guardino:
And KR Sridhar?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
Carl Guardino:
That is so nice. I’m not sure who said that, but what a beautiful expression.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
It is Muriel Rukeyser, she’s a poet. It is not a very well known saying, but I thought it was good.
Carl Guardino:
Excellent. And we’re starting to get questions, both texted to me directly, as well as in our chat box. We’ll start with one in our chat box from bloom energy colleague, Rita Sadler, and it is almost the lightning round question that either of you can expand on it. What location is next on your travel bucket list now that we’re starting to loosen up and travel again? Who would like to take that first as other bloom energy colleagues, again, either text me directly or load up our chat box with your questions.
Next Travel Location On Your Travel Bucket List
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So since COVID started, I’ve not left home. It’s both because of COVID, but also because of everything at work and what had to be managed. So very soon I’m looking forward to going somewhere. And for me, it’s going to be Yellowstone park because I want to get away from everything and be somewhere in nature and hopefully not have a good cell connection so I’m not being called.
Rob Bonta:
That last part is really important. You know, I’m starting to be concerned more and more about traveling and starting to do a little bit less. I am still traveling now, but with the variant and what happens next of course, we all need to do what’s necessary to stay safe. But if the health conditions permit, my brother is scheming to take me on a trip for my birthday to London to watch English premier league soccer games together and enjoy the city as brothers. So that would be amazing if we could do that. He’s very special to me, he’s a year and nine months younger than me and has been my best friend my whole life. And so it would be incredible to be able to do that.
Carl Guardino:
Wonderful. Is he a soccer player as well?
Rob Bonta:
He is. We played in high school and in college together, we had that treat and joy.
Carl Guardino:
Oh my goodness. That’s wonderful. Our next question in the chat box is from Zaria Chapman who asks Attorney General Bonta, are there times when your personal beliefs and your job responsibilities conflict? And if so, how do you deal with that situation?
Times Your Personal Beliefs And Your Job Responsibilities Conflict
Rob Bonta:
Great question. And definitely, yes. My job and my official duty, obligation and responsibility as the chief law officer for the state of California, is to enforce the law and implement it. One law that we have in California that I don’t agree with, but it is the law is the death penalty. I am very strongly against it. I believe it’s racist. I believe it doesn’t deter. I believe that it’s both fallible and irreversible. When you’re irreversible, you can’t be wrong. And we know from data that there’s people on death row who should not be there. So that one’s difficult for me. I have to fulfill and will fulfill my official duties and responsibilities, but I’m always asking, what can we do here? What are the pathways here within my official duties to write some of the wrongs that I see? It’s an ongoing challenge and that’s just one example, but in the end my job is to enforce and implement the laws of the state of California. And that’s what I’ll do.
Carl Guardino:
Wow. What a great question from Zaria Chapman. And if I might mention, Zaria is a college intern with Bloom Energy this summer from Howard university.
Rob Bonta:
Amazing.
Carl Guardino:
Born and raised in Chicago and studying at Howard university. We’re so proud to have her as part of our Bloom Energy family. Dr. Sridhar, same question to you. Are there times when your personal beliefs and job responsibilities conflict? And if so, how do you deal with that?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
So for me, the spirituality with which I do, not a religion. People confuse religion and your spirituality, and sometimes they’re one in the same for people, but for me, it’s very different. The spirituality with which I grew teaches you there is no black or white, either shades of gray and it all depends on the context, right? This is the Hindu philosophy. And there for me, the question would be, what is appropriate and correct at home may not be the correct and appropriate for the common good for the company. And I’m hired to do what is in the common good for the company. So it is about the context in which you make those decisions, on a personal level you can make certain decisions, but for the common good of all our employees, I have to say, what is the best thing I can be doing? So that’s the way you resolve conflict, but in terms of core values, right, and wrong, like telling the truth, integrity, values, respect, there is no compromise between these two things. And if that compromise comes up, you are in the wrong job. That’s the way I would view it. So it’s not about the values, it’s not about the things that you shall not violate because you believe in these things, right. But when it comes to appropriate judgment and appropriate decisions on things, there will always be a difference between what you would do for your own personal self, as well as what you do for a company. For example, in my own life, I can be thinking about my risk in my own way, but for the company, I have to wear a different hat on how we think about risk.
Carl Guardino:
Good example. Our next question is from Bloom Energy colleague Kat Angeasastra. And I think this is for the Attorney General. My question is, how will you address affordable housing in California and equity disparity since these topics go hand in hand, what is your solution?
Affordable Housing in California and Equity Disparity: What Is Your Solution
Rob Bonta:
Great question. And something I’ve been working on as a legislator and in terms of creating laws, requirements, and protections and now enforcing many of those laws as a California Attorney General. But to me, it comes down to the three P’s that you may have heard about, production, protection and preservation, producing more housing units at all levels of affordability, certainly including affordable housing. We’re 2 to 3 million units short in California to meet the needs of Californians. So when you have such a restricted supply and high demand then you see some of the just incredible unaffordability that we have here in the state of California. We need to preserve the affordable units that we have and we need to protect tenants from being evicted into homelessness. And so those are sort of three areas of focus. And I was proud to be a co-author of the strongest tenant protection laws in the history of our state, one of the strongest in the nation with assembly member, David Chiu. It had some anti-rent gouging, components as well as just cause, eviction protections. And then also have worked to just build more housing locally including measures with the funding at the state level. We have a state now where people are making very difficult decisions around a roof over their head or food on their table. Where we worry about whether our own children can afford to live here. I worry about mine. We need to produce more, protect our tenants and preserve our affordable units.
Carl Guardino:
Our next question is from a wonderful colleague on our legal team, Arthur Hobbinstock, who asks, are you concerned that power outages may derail California’s equitable and clean energy transition, and how can our company Bloom Energy help California stay on course? Attorney General?
Power Outages: Derailing of California’s Equitable And Clean Energy and How Bloom Energy Can Help
Rob Bonta:
I’m worried about our power outages, but I’m not worried about derailing. I believe we will overcome as we often and regularly do. That the can do spirit of California and Californians, our business communities, our government will overcome the challenges, but it’s a challenge we need to confront and face the problem and fix it. I think Bloom Energy is perfectly primed to deliver the solution, or a very significant solution on this issue. Your mission is to deliver reliable, resilient, clean energy. And that’s what we need as an answer to these power outages. So this is where the dreamers and the doers and the innovators in California, do what they do. And that’s you, to help us overcome this problem.
Carl Guardino:
Attorney General Bonta, thank you. Dr. Sridhar, would you like to respond to that at all as well?
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Sure. Attorney General, thanks for that answer. We are a California company and we care about this state, we care about our local communities, and we need to start here and prove it. We have taken, I think, the biggest experiment in energy for a large economy, the top five economy in the world. To say, we can be clean, we can transition to new energy and still lead economically. The world is watching us. So to some extent, it goes back to the question. You and I were asked by Carl, being immigrants, are you being watched? And what responsibility do you have that comes to leaders and California as a leader, not only for its own state, but for the entire world, to experiment, this better be successful, right? Because the world depends on it. The key point is, it is an “and” and not an “are”. It is not sustainable or resilient. It is not sustainable or affordable. It’s not reliable or affordable. It’s and, and, and. The genius of the “and”. If we miss one of those “ands” the people who want it to fail will push hard to show that it needs to fail. So we need to keep our guard against it, and we need to protect them. Especially if that “and” solution only works for the wealthy and does not work for people who cannot afford it, the people will then be homeless. If they suffer at the expense of people, protecting themselves and that. A key issue I would say is, again, this is for all our employees, but between us, if you asked me, we as technologists and entrepreneurs will guarantee that we’ll bring those solutions forward. We need the regulations and the policies to afford us to be able to do it, because like any other new area, the key is regulatory and policy takes time to catch up. And that’s true about everything, whether it is computing, whether it’s information, technology has privacy with its Uber gig economy. We need the same change to happen, and we need it to happen fast so we can support. But I think we can play a big role.
Carl Guardino:
Dr. Sridhar, thank you. This may have to be our last question before we make our closing comments. And it comes from our Bloom Energy colleague, Mark Stanton, Attorney General, because of climate change, droughts are a huge threat to the future of California. What do you think the California government can do to help increase access to clean water as our water crisis continues?
Droughts: What California Government Can Do To Help Increase Access To Clean Water
Rob Bonta:
This is an ongoing issue that we’ve been working on. We’re put on the ballot and voters have supported water bonds to invest in access to clean water throughout the state of California, especially in communities that are suffering from the impacts of drought. And it’s what Dr. Sridhar has been talking about, and what I subscribe to as well, which is our commitment to every single one of us, to a California for all. Not improvements and access to clean water for some, but for everyone. That is fundamental to who we are as Californians that we must provide that no matter where you live or what your income is or what your zip code is. And so California has that commitment. We’re in the middle of a world that’s changing around us, challenges that are growing, that we can actually see with the naked eye. It’s daunting but our governor and our government have stared these challenges in the face and have put solutions forward, and this is one. Droughts, unfortunately, are becoming more common. As the governor likes to say, the dries are getting drier, the wets are getting wetter, and we need to be prepared for that. And we need to think about those who will be hurt first and worst. Those who are the least able to withstand and absorb those challenges. They’re deserving of our support first. So that equity lens that the governor talks about, that I think we should all be seeing our world through, is very important. And that’s how California has acted up to this point. And as challenges change or grow we’ll have the same response that every California deserves access to clean water, and we’ll take the steps necessary to provide it
Carl Guardino:
Wonderful. At this moment, I’m going to ask two of our Bloom Energy colleagues to turn on their cameras, Kendal Asuncion, who helps represent the community and policy issues in the Los Angeles basin. And Manaal Shafi, who plays a similar role here in the bay area to help on policy and community issues. I’d like each of them in a moment to take themselves off of mute. If there are one or two quick thoughts, or what I call nuggets, take-aways, that they have heard today. My main one is that we are with two leaders, Attorney General Bonta, CEO and founder Dr. KR Sridhar, who lead with humility, and do it in such a successful servant leadership style that just makes me proud to be associated with this state and with this company. Let’s hear though, from these two young leaders Kendal Asuncion, would you mind taking yourself off of mute?
Kendal Asuncion:
Thank you so much Carl for inviting myself and Manaal to give closing remarks. Attorney General Bonta and Dr. Sridhar, these conversations are a really integral part of our civic responsibility. I want to thank you both. I’m constantly awed with the ground that we’re able to cover with our elected leaders during these town halls. As I reflect, I’m really looking forward to working with your office, Attorney General, and other government leaders, to be a part of the partnership with businesses and innovators to deliver clean micro grids that provide energy security for all, reduce our reliance on dirty diesel generators and being a part of that climate solution that we’re all searching for. And beyond the technical, the traits, each of you are looking for, being a team player, curiosity, kindness, and empathy, commitment to justice, are laudable traits that are going to carry us through this pandemic, lead innovation and foster strong community relationships. I could go on, but I’d really like to hear from my colleague, Manaal.
Manaal Shafi:
Hello, everyone. As someone who’s an ethnic minority and just starting out in their profession, I really resonated with Attorney General Bonta and Dr. Sridhar’s points about the immense value of representation for communities of color. Through working on our bay area community outreach at Bloom, I agree that inclusivity as well as fundamental and systemic injustice are some of the biggest challenges that we face. Many issues we encounter are intersectional and hopefully we can all work together to provide intersectional solutions. Thank you both for your insights. They’ve been incredibly valuable to me and I’m sure many of my colleagues. Now I’ll pass it back to our executive vice president, Carl Guardino, to say some final comments.
Carl Guardino:
Manaal Shafi, Kendal Asuncion, thank you so much for your thoughtful comments to today’s empowered communities, employee town hall. We all have a chance at Bloom Energy to continue to make a difference through what we do to bring clean, resilient energy affordable to everyone on the planet, and what we do as individuals and as members of our family and our company family in our communities. And that again is like this Sunday. If you can join us in person for our Bloom Energy stars and strides run in downtown San Jose for our Silicon valley bank 5k, our Synaptics 10K, our HP Inc kids fun run, or our bank of America virtual participation, please consider signing up and showing up by going to starsandstridesrun.com. We want to thank Dr. KR Sridhar, our CEO, founder, and chairman. And our Attorney General for the great state of California, Rob Bonta, for being with us today. And we’re going to continue our tradition to start on time, end on time, and respect all of your time. Thank you for joining us on this Facebook live empowered community, employee town hall.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Thank you very much.
Carl Guardino:
Thank you all.
Rob Bonta:
Thank you so much. Wonderful to be with you. Thank you, Dr. Sridhar. Thank you, Carl.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Very nice to meet you. Please call me KR. I’m really proud of what you have accomplished for a great career. So hats off and we don’t say this often enough to our elected leaders, but thank you for your service.
Rob Bonta:
Thank you, Dr. Sridhar, that’s very kind of you. I appreciate that very much. I’m a fan of your leadership. You have my admiration and respect and I look forward to working with you in the future. Thank you for all you’re doing and that equity lens and the heart and values that you bring to your work. You have an incredible business and we’re proud and thankful to have you here in California.
Dr. KR Sridhar:
Thank you.
Carl Guardino:
Thank you.