Three Black Girl Environmentalists First Time at NYC Climate Week

Written by three Hazel M. Johnson Fellows, Kike Sanni, Emma Abercrombie Peters, and Amelia Linton

Kike

I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that I am still processing New York Climate Week. That’s because I made defining memories that will stay with me as I assert myself in the environmental space.

For those unfamiliar, it is a week-long worth of climate events sprawled across New York City every year, one of the biggest of its kind. It brings together a world of activists, global leaders, businesses, tech-savvies, civil society, and everyone interested in enforcing climate action. A pressing matter of our time that needs adequate attention.

I happened to just move to NYC a little less than a month for graduate school before attending what would be like the most important event of the academic year. But I wasn’t overwhelmed, in fact, I was quite ready. The summer beforehand I completed the Hazel M. Johnson fellowship, which gave me confidence that voices like mine are needed in the climate sector. So when the founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, Wawa Gatheru, invited me and a few other fellows who would be in the city to shadow her during this period, I was excited to see what this space had for me. 

By attending a lunch co-hosted by Wawa in collaboration with META and Support & Feed, we started the week off strong with community. A recurring theme throughout but especially at the Green Jobs Pavilion hosted by Brown Girl Green. The Green Jobs Board organization focuses on creating accessible pathways between jobs seekers and employers. The event was the first time networking had felt natural. I was able to hear organizations talk authentically about their mission. I made connections with people simply by telling my story and hearing theirs. We were all united because we want to see a change in our system. The event reminded me how everyone’s unique skillset is needed in this industry. Whether you plan to go into tech, law, storytelling, engineering, etcetera. There’s a place for everyone. Diversity is essential for change.

Emma

The first event I had the pleasure of attending was the Earth Sessions NYC: Climate Week Kickoff, and it was the perfect one to begin with! Earth Sessions are community-based, environmental justice-centered, musical spaces first launched in 2022 by Intersectional Environmentalist. This earth session featured Diana Lopez, the GAIA String Quartet, and Earthgang as the headlining musical guest.

As someone who works in sustainable fashion, another one of my favorite events was the Stella McCartney Sustainable Market. Originally debuted at Paris Fashion Week and the COP28 UN Climate Conference, Stella McCartney’s Sustainable market features designs from their collection as well as booths dedicated to emerging materials technology. Some of the featured innovators that caught my eye were NFW and Keel Labs. NFW produces a plastic-free leather alternative called Mirum and Keel Labs (whose founder I actually had the pleasure of speaking with!) produces Kelsun, a cotton alternative made from regenerative seaweed. At the booths we were able to see and feel samples of these sustainable materials, which was very exciting as someone who has spent a long time learning about them from afar!

Amelia

NY Climate Week was also a space for Black creatives and entrepreneurs to showcase their contributions towards climate and sustainability. Rebundle, a brand that sells sustainable, non-toxic braiding hair, hosted an event to bring awareness to an alternative option on the market. Synthetic braiding hair often becomes waste after a single wear, contributing to the overburden of plastic on our planet. It also has been found to contain carcinogens, making it an environmental justice issue. This event was filled with such passionate and talented Black people from all walks of life, all interested in creating a world that centers care, creativity, mutual support and dedication to making our communities stronger and more sustainable. 

Another highlight was speaking on the Black Girl Environmentalist panel hosted by the Marketplace for the Future. Here, us fellows and our internship managers were able to share with the audience the importance of supporting Black women in the environmental field. We were all able to reflect on how empowering it felt to bring our whole selves to the work place this summer and to know that our teams valued all that we bring. This fellowship has been life changing. It was an opportunity to develop deep bonds of friendship with other Black women and gender expansive environmentalists since so often we are the only one in the spaces we inhabit. This fellowship encouraged us to embrace our wholeness so that we are prepared for jobs that don’t exist yet and to live in new realities that we will create.