About thirteen years ago I was a teen poet somewhere in Los Angeles pouring my heart out on stage to an audience of peers; fellow artists, thinkers, disruptors, all eager to make a difference through our writing. We were Brave New Voices. I was one of the spoken word contestants performing about global warming in a competition in partnership with the Robert Redford’s Sundance Center.
And what a time it was to be in community with brilliant artists about the issues that mattered to us most.
My poem was about my family’s relationship to land, natural disasters, survival, and my concerns about our collective future.
It was the first time I spoke publicly about my climate fears.
And it went over well. People resonated with my message of urgency, fear, awe, and nostalgia.
While I was one of a handful of people who won this climate poem competition, it was the same year that program was cut, and we never did get the chance to go to Denver to network with and learn from other climate change communicators.
I wonder what would have happened if that program funding had continued. Perhaps it would have changed the trajectory of my art career.
What I know for sure is, my career priorities would have been different if I’d heard more climate messaging geared towards me, felt the urgency for climate action in every area of my life, and been introduced to ways to build a climate career as a creative.
While this competition was an incredible and rare opportunity to be engaged in climate conversation within my community, outside of that one instance, people in my creative circle were not speaking about climate change.
Our proximity to climate change preparedness depends on who is in our environment, what information is coming though our feed, and most importantly who the messenger is. That’s why YOUR voice matters.
As a teen, I was vaguely aware of our climate crisis. But as I grew up, I became increasingly aware of the threats of climate catastrophe and natural disaster to my family members living in Puerto Rico and in Honduras.
I knew the feeling of relief when a Hurricane missed our particular county in Florida, and the quick onset of amnesia days after as we settled into ‘business as usual’. Since we were safe, the threat seemed less urgent.
In all truth, nothing about my everyday life demanded I act on climate.
And sadly, over ten years later that’s the case for many of you too.
Nothing will DEMAND you act on climate.
It is a deeply personal decision.
It is conviction that leads to action.
The more I matured and learned about the vastness of our climate crisis, the more I could not unsee the danger we were all steadily heading towards. Increasing heat surges, flooding, more pollution, inflation of prices, all while experiencing reduced access to the things we need to thrive. I began realizing global warming was a compounding issue that I couldn’t ignore.
I started sharing more and more about climate through Purposerosa, but eventually wanted to take it a step further…
So, I made a few radical decisions (like cutting all my hair off) and pivoted my creative director career to work in climate. While it was not a clear cut path that was simple and quick, I can say confidently that it’s been the most effective way for me to build climate action into my daily life while honoring my creative practice.
Of course you can address climate change without making it your entire career. But, this letter is specifically for those who know they are interested in climate becoming a major part of their professional lives as creatives.
Our voices connect climate issues to our very real communities, amplifying news, policies, forecasts, and climate solutions to those who need it the most.
This masterclass is designed to position BIPOC creatives to make a meaningful impact by equipping you with the tools to build purpose-driven portfolios, articulate your unique value, and navigate the climate communications space with confidence.
This masterclass focuses on the practice of creating a portfolio that lays the foundation for a sustainable approach to building a climate career so you don’t burn out before you begin.
You can be the difference between someone never hearing about climate change, and someone engaging in meaningful climate action.
Register for my upcoming masterclass Build Your Climate Portfolio with Purpose. I’m hosting it live on Zoom on 12/9 EST.
a short list of awe-inspiring content to help you through your week
📹 Toda Cor - Anaiis, Grupo Cosmo, and Luedji Luna - this song gave me chills
🎧 Jonathan Chan Choong’s Awe Cast episode on honoring heritage in climate is 💎
🎵 Palm Wine Club on NTS Radio for great vibes to get ya thru a long workday
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