THE LEGACY FUND: Building & Backing Houston Energy & Climate Week's Future

The Allies in Energy Legacy Fund supports the long-term mission of Houston Energy & Climate Week — building bridges between industry, community, and the next generation of energy leaders.

It all started on a flooded Houston lawn.

When Hurricane Harvey tore through Houston in August 2017, Katie Mehnert watched floodwaters swallow her home and business. Evacuated by boat with her young daughter, she took to social media with a clarion call of anger, grief, and resolve — a voice that resonated with thousands across the city.

A year later, on the anniversary of Harvey's landfall, a remarkable conversation began — right back on that same lawn. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat, and Katie, a Republican, stood together as political opposites united by shared stakes in Houston's future. The discussion wasn't about partisan politics. It was about the energy capital of the world, and the power of the ampersand: energy & climate, people & planet, profit & purpose — not opposites, but partners.

The Ampersand Effect.

The Ampersand Effect is what happens when you stop choosing sides and start building bridges.

Houston Energy & Climate Week was born from that realization. Every conversation that follows — every connection between industry and community, every opportunity unlocked for the next generation — traces back to that fundamental insight: the hardest problems don't get solved by picking winners and losers. They get solved when unlikely allies work together..

Help us Build the Future.

The &nd-Bassadors Legacy Fund will fund three interconnected moves:

An Executive Director to chart strategy, deepen community relationships, and unlock opportunities
Operating Capital for sustained HECW programming that builds lasting trust in a annual event
Additional Granting Rounds that empower platforms focused on energy education, community dialogue, and workforce development

The window to make this move is open now. The communities we serve are ready. The talent is available. The Legacy Fund says this work is permanent and worth investing in — because Houston's future depends on it.

Houston Energy & Climate Week &nd-Bassadors Legacy Fund

Building HECW's Future

Team Leaderboard

Team Members