This year, The Solutions Project will host a virtual panel on Thursday, February 22, 2024 to bring together thought leaders from philanthropy, government, the media, and industry to examine their role in amplifying Black-led climate solutions.
“Before joining The Solutions Project in 2018, climate activism appeared to be dominated by an exclusive, white-male, upper and middle-class narrative. The reality, however, is that solutions have long been in motion, championed by leaders who share my background in underrepresented communities that are most impacted by climate change. Recognizing the lack of visibility for individuals like myself within the movement, I understood that others likely felt the same way. Effective movement building demands a diverse ecosystem of leaders.
Black Climate Week emerged as a powerful representation of what Black leadership looks like across various intersections of climate justice. It serves as a platform to highlight the diverse activism within Black communities, showcasing their contributions and emphasizing that they are integral parts in solving the climate crisis,” said Ena Coleman, Black Climate Week Campaign Lead and Digital Strategist, The Solutions Project
Black Climate Week is collaborating with Black Girl Environmentalist to expand the week’s impact and inspire others to join the movement to create lasting change.
“Through this partnership, Black Girl Environmentalist will be hosting an in-person event in New York City at The Climate Museum to create an intergenerational space for Black women in the climate community to connect, convene, and celebrate.
Black Girl Environmentalist is thrilled to co-host a two-part evening of community, connection, education and discovery alongside ClimateinColour and the Solutions Project at the iconic Climate Museum. Black Girl Environmentalist is a national organization dedicated to empowering early career Black women and gender expansive individuals in the climate movement. Our community ecosystem is invested in facilitating spaces for the next generation of climate leads of color to convene and connect. Our organization follows the Black Women’s Best framework which asserts that if our government brings Black women from the margins to the center and intentionally creates policies that pull Black women out of economic precarity and into economic prosperity, then everyone will benefit. We are so excited to work collaboratively with The Solutions Project and ClimateinColour in celebration of Black Climate Week and the continued role that Black women have had and will continue to have in the pursuit of climate justice,” said Wawa Gatheru, Founder & Executive Director of Black Girl Environmentalist.
Black Climate Week launched in February 2021 to draw attention to the under-representation of climate justice leaders of color at Climate Week NYC. In response, Climate Week NYC invited The Solutions Project to serve as its official environmental justice partner in 2021.
The week reflects The Solutions Project’s mission to support and elevate the work of Black communities and other communities of color in the climate justice movement. Last year, The Solutions Project hosted its first in person event to highlight Black abolitionist history and philanthropy in the U.S. Watch the highlights.
Check out The Solutions Projects’ grantee partners.