R.E.D PHONE BANK!!!

Rochester residents now know that we can vote out the foreign-owned corporation that owns and controls RG&E. The multinational corporation called Iberdrola extracts over $107 million in profits from our region every year. Rochester for Energy Democracy (RED) is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Rochester with a not for profit public utility.

Since the election in November, hundreds of Rochesterians have signed the petition to support the call to replace RG&E with a locally owned and community-controlled public utility! Members with RED have hosted a RED report card rally in April and just attended the May Speak to Council Event. Let's take some time on May 28th instead of having our biweekly RED meeting and have a phone bank instead. We will meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM to follow up with our neighbors who have signed the petition and let them know what other great events and opportunities we have to get involved!! 

Please bring a laptop or a tablet to track calls as you make them, and a headset if that's helpful for you. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. Please email [email protected] with any accessibility questions. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed!

Directions to our office: 

- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it. 

- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.

We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

Did you know that we can vote out the foreign-owned, for-profit corporation that owns and controls RG&E? RG&E and their foreign owners continue to overcharge and fail our community without accountability. The solution is a tried and true one: a non-profit, locally owned, public utility. 

Despite an epidemic of ongoing billing errors and dysfunctional customer service, state regulators rewarded RG&E with a 34% rate hike over the next 3 years. We deserve a future in which we are no longer beholden to a profit-driven, foreign company for our basic energy needs. We deserve to have the chance to make an informed choice on whether we maintain the status quo with RG&E or establish a public, locally owned, non-profit utility instead!

The first step is a comprehensive feasibility and implementation study. City residents are the hardest hit by RG&E’s insane bills and neglect, so our RED (Rochester for Energy Democracy) Campaign for a public utility is returning to its roots as a city-based campaign. Because the City of Rochester has set aside 500 thousand dollars to reduce energy burden on city residents, we must push for the City to use those funds to commission an implementation study. The vast majority of public utility studies are funded and initiated at the city-level, even if the study covers a larger region. Rochester can do this too; our City leadership owes it to residents to study a publicly owned alternative to the persistent greed and incompetence of RG&E. 

It’ll take a lot of public pressure from residents to outweigh RG&E's political influence and convince the City to lead where the County failed. So, join us for this outreach day! 

The outreach day is on Saturday, May 31st, from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, starting at the Metro Justice Office. 

We'll kick off with a comprehensive training on how to have compelling, in-depth conversations with people to move them towards action. Then, we'll go knock on doors in pairs to speak with residents! Snacks and beverages will be provided! Here is the guideline for the door-to-door conversation and an FAQ to address common concerns. We encourage you to review them in advance as well! 

Accessibility note: The office is up a flight of stairs. If this presents a barrier to you, please contact [email protected] so we can find an alternate location. 

RSVP below!

Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!

RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.

At our biweekly organizing meetings, we discuss aspects of our strategy to win, determine collective action items, and delegate work. This committee is the heart of our campaign, and a great way to get involved to make a difference and meet our community of volunteers leading this fight. 

We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

For some background on RED: For-profit, investor-owned utilities like RG&E keep raising our rates, only to neglect maintenance of the grid and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. On top of that, oil and gas continue to lobby against a fast and massive transition to renewable energy. As a result, we all pay more than we should in energy bills while the continued use of fossil fuels pushes us towards catastrophic environmental damage. 

In R.E.D., we believe that in order to combat the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in the long-term, we must fundamentally transform our energy economy. We need to build an energy system that meets the needs of communities instead of meeting the greed of distant investors and CEOs. We also need a shift to energy that is 100% clean and renewable. We believe this is possible if we takeover RG&E with a public, local, and community controlled utility. This will give communities a say in what kind of energy we use, whom we get it from, and how the money we pay is used to benefit our community. Furthermore, everyone could only pay what is necessary to develop and maintain energy infrastructure, taking millions in profits for investors and CEOs out of the picture. We can also make sure that all jobs associated with the utility are local union jobs that pay family-sustaining wages with benefits. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed. To join us at our next meeting, please RSVP below!

Directions to our office: 

- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it. 

- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.

Tell City Council: Study Public Power Now! 

City residents are the hardest hit by RG&E’s insane bills and neglect. Let’s tell our City leadership that we don’t need the County to save us – we can look out for ourselves and initiate a public utility study on our own.

The City of Rochester has already set aside funds that expire this June for a study, so we are making a big push over the next two months to get the City to commission a Phase 1  study without the county. We deserve a future in which we are no longer beholden to a profit-driven, foreign company for our basic energy needs. It’ll take a lot of public pressure from constituents like you to outweigh RG&E's political influence and convince the City to lead where the County has failed.

The next City Council meeting is Thursday, June 12th at Rochester City Hall (30 Church Street, Rochester, NY, 14614). The Public Comment period begins at 6 PM, so please plan to arrive by 5:40 PM if possible so that you have time to park, go through security, and find the Chambers. 

To join us:

- The first step is to RSVP below to let us know you're coming! Whether you're speaking or coming to show to your support in the audience, we want to know that you'll be joining us! 

- We highly encourage you to sign up to speak: hearing constituents share their RG&E stories and directly call on them to initiate a study is most effective in moving City Council to take action. To sign up to speak, you must either call 585-428-7538 or 585-428-7421, or email [email protected], as soon as possible. Please include your first and last name, mailing address, phone number, and the topic of your comments: urging City Council to commission and fund an implementation study for a public utility. If you sign up to speak, please email Michelle Wenderlich ([email protected]) to let them know! 

You will have a strict 2 minutes to speak, and people will speak in the order in which they signed up. Here is a guideline to help you prepare your remarks. 

Can't make it to this event? But still want to help?

Here's what you can do: Use this link to - Take Action Now

• Sign the petition for the City to move forward with a Phase 1 study go to metrojustice.org/redpetition 

• It’s important that City Reps hear from us more than they hear from RG&E - will you also send them an email now with this one-click tool? You send an email right now at this link bit.ly/replacerge 

You are cordially invited!  We hope that you can join us for our organization’s most celebrated fundraising event: The Metro Justice Annual Dinner on Saturday June 14, 2025 at AFSCME Local 1635 (1956 Lyell Ave.). Doors open at 5:00pm, program to begin at 5:45 pm.

Your ticket purchases and sponsorship will help fuel and support the campaigns that Metro Justice stands for. Your generosity can help our organization maintain its strong and uncompromising voice in the community; fighting for social, economic, and racial justice.  We hope you will join us for an evening of food, fun, and community.

Our Keynote Speakers this year are Cassandra Bocanegra and Grandell "Bird" Logan.

Dinner will be catered by Agatina's Restaurant. Beer & Wine will also be available.

Please join us on June 14th! Tickets, sponsorship, and dinner booklet ads for the dinner can be purchased below. The deadline for ticket orders received by mail is June 1st.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday June 14, 2025 for an evening of delicious food and stimulating conversation.  If you’re unable to attend, please consider purchasing an ad or greeting in our 60th Anniversary program, or making a contribution to Metro Justice to ensure we remain an independent grassroots organization for years to come.

To volunteer, or to donate a silent auction item or dessert, please contact [email protected].

Thank you for purchasing an ad in our 60th Anniversary program booklet! Your greetings will be shared with all of our diners, in full color. Please see below for ad formats and prices, and use this link to upload the image you wish to share.

Your donation will help to ensure Metro Justice remains an independent grassroots organization for years to come.

For any questions, please contact Alice, Annual Dinner Committee Chair at [email protected]

In order for your ad to look its best, please submit your image in the format recommended for the size of the ad:

1/8 page (business card, 2 x 2 ½ inches): 600 pixels high by 750 pixels wide

1/4 page (4 x 2 ½ inches): 1200 pixels high by 750 pixels wide

1/2 page (4 x 5 inches): 1200 pixels high by 1500 pixels wide

Full page or back page (8 x 5 inches): 2400 pixels tall by 1500 pixels wide

Did you know that we can vote out the foreign-owned, for-profit corporation that owns and controls RG&E? RG&E and their foreign owners continue to overcharge and fail our community without accountability. The solution is a tried and true one: a non-profit, locally owned, public utility. 

Despite an epidemic of ongoing billing errors and dysfunctional customer service, state regulators rewarded RG&E with a 34% rate hike over the next 3 years. We deserve a future in which we are no longer beholden to a profit-driven, foreign company for our basic energy needs. We deserve to have the chance to make an informed choice on whether we maintain the status quo with RG&E or establish a public, locally owned, non-profit utility instead!

The first step is a comprehensive feasibility and implementation study. City residents are the hardest hit by RG&E’s insane bills and neglect, so our RED (Rochester for Energy Democracy) Campaign for a public utility is returning to its roots as a city-based campaign. Because the City of Rochester has set aside 500 thousand dollars to reduce energy burden on city residents, we must push for the City to use those funds to commission an implementation study. The vast majority of public utility studies are funded and initiated at the city-level, even if the study covers a larger region. Rochester can do this too; our City leadership owes it to residents to study a publicly owned alternative to the persistent greed and incompetence of RG&E. 

It’ll take a lot of public pressure from residents to outweigh RG&E's political influence and convince the City to lead where the County failed. So, join us for this outreach day! 

The outreach day is on Saturday, June 21st, from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, starting at the Metro Justice Office. 

We'll kick off with a comprehensive training on how to have compelling, in-depth conversations with people to move them towards action. Then, we'll go knock on doors in pairs to speak with residents! Snacks and beverages will be provided! Here is the guideline for the door-to-door conversation and an FAQ to address common concerns. We encourage you to review them in advance as well! 

Accessibility note: The office is up a flight of stairs. If this presents a barrier to you, please contact [email protected] so we can find an alternate location. 

RSVP below!

Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!

RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.

At our biweekly organizing meetings, we discuss aspects of our strategy to win, determine collective action items, and delegate work. This committee is the heart of our campaign, and a great way to get involved to make a difference and meet our community of volunteers leading this fight. 

We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

For some background on RED: For-profit, investor-owned utilities like RG&E keep raising our rates, only to neglect maintenance of the grid and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. On top of that, oil and gas continue to lobby against a fast and massive transition to renewable energy. As a result, we all pay more than we should in energy bills while the continued use of fossil fuels pushes us towards catastrophic environmental damage. 

In R.E.D., we believe that in order to combat the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in the long-term, we must fundamentally transform our energy economy. We need to build an energy system that meets the needs of communities instead of meeting the greed of distant investors and CEOs. We also need a shift to energy that is 100% clean and renewable. We believe this is possible if we takeover RG&E with a public, local, and community controlled utility. This will give communities a say in what kind of energy we use, whom we get it from, and how the money we pay is used to benefit our community. Furthermore, everyone could only pay what is necessary to develop and maintain energy infrastructure, taking millions in profits for investors and CEOs out of the picture. We can also make sure that all jobs associated with the utility are local union jobs that pay family-sustaining wages with benefits. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed. To join us at our next meeting, please RSVP below!

Directions to our office: 

- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it. 

- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.

Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!

RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.

At our biweekly organizing meetings, we discuss aspects of our strategy to win, determine collective action items, and delegate work. This committee is the heart of our campaign, and a great way to get involved to make a difference and meet our community of volunteers leading this fight. 

We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

For some background on RED: For-profit, investor-owned utilities like RG&E keep raising our rates, only to neglect maintenance of the grid and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. On top of that, oil and gas continue to lobby against a fast and massive transition to renewable energy. As a result, we all pay more than we should in energy bills while the continued use of fossil fuels pushes us towards catastrophic environmental damage. 

In R.E.D., we believe that in order to combat the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in the long-term, we must fundamentally transform our energy economy. We need to build an energy system that meets the needs of communities instead of meeting the greed of distant investors and CEOs. We also need a shift to energy that is 100% clean and renewable. We believe this is possible if we takeover RG&E with a public, local, and community controlled utility. This will give communities a say in what kind of energy we use, whom we get it from, and how the money we pay is used to benefit our community. Furthermore, everyone could only pay what is necessary to develop and maintain energy infrastructure, taking millions in profits for investors and CEOs out of the picture. We can also make sure that all jobs associated with the utility are local union jobs that pay family-sustaining wages with benefits. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed. To join us at our next meeting, please RSVP below!

Directions to our office: 

- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it. 

- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.

Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!

RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.

At our biweekly organizing meetings, we discuss aspects of our strategy to win, determine collective action items, and delegate work. This committee is the heart of our campaign, and a great way to get involved to make a difference and meet our community of volunteers leading this fight. 

We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

For some background on RED: For-profit, investor-owned utilities like RG&E keep raising our rates, only to neglect maintenance of the grid and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. On top of that, oil and gas continue to lobby against a fast and massive transition to renewable energy. As a result, we all pay more than we should in energy bills while the continued use of fossil fuels pushes us towards catastrophic environmental damage. 

In R.E.D., we believe that in order to combat the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in the long-term, we must fundamentally transform our energy economy. We need to build an energy system that meets the needs of communities instead of meeting the greed of distant investors and CEOs. We also need a shift to energy that is 100% clean and renewable. We believe this is possible if we takeover RG&E with a public, local, and community controlled utility. This will give communities a say in what kind of energy we use, whom we get it from, and how the money we pay is used to benefit our community. Furthermore, everyone could only pay what is necessary to develop and maintain energy infrastructure, taking millions in profits for investors and CEOs out of the picture. We can also make sure that all jobs associated with the utility are local union jobs that pay family-sustaining wages with benefits. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed. To join us at our next meeting, please RSVP below!

Directions to our office: 

- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it. 

- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.