In this episode, we meet with Jeremy Raguain. Jeremy is a Seychellois conservationist who holds a Bachelor of Social Science in International Relations and Environmental Geographical Sciences and Bachelor of Social Science in International Relations (Honors) from the University of Cape Town, a Diploma in Environmental Management from the Technical University of Dresden. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University. Jeremy is also an alumnus of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Fellowship and simultaneously served as the Seychelles Permanent Mission to the United Nations Climate Change and Ocean Advisor throughout 2022 participating in climate change and high seas negotiations. Before negotiating international environmental law on behalf of Seychelles, small island developing and African states, Jeremy worked with the Seychelles Islands Foundation for over five years coordinating the foundation’s projects - such as the Aldabra Clean-Up Project - and communications while contributing to national policy focused on climate change, biodiversity and ocean conservation, as well as environmental impact assessment. Jeremy is also a youth activist volunteering his time to the representation of young people - especially those from islands, Africa and Global South - in environmental and sustainability issues.
-We learn about the unique identity and cultural heritage of SIDS
-We explore the vulnerabilities faced by SIDS
-We learn about SIDS treaties and initiatives
Follow and connect with Jeremy: Instagram: @turtlecommuter
Check out AOSIS and their opportunities: https://www.aosis.org/
An important UN article to check out about SIDS: https://www.un.org/ohrlls/content/about-small-island-developing-states
Check out this document connecting climate change and SIDS: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/cc_sids.pdf
A podcast episode to check out: Small Islands, Big Picture: Why do small islands matter? https://open.spotify.com/episode/361tFdYc0qSQNYWeMNb1Rl?si=gASp_fguT4aexD6B0z_cqA
In this episode, we meet with Kiana Michaan. Kiana is a renewable energy professional, clean energy advocate, and climate justice organizer. Kiana previously worked at Sologistics where she provided permitting, utility interconnection, and project management for hundreds of solar projects across New York City. She worked with Black Girl Environmentalist on community building and with Our Climate Voices on climate justice storytelling. Kiana has worked with WE ACT for Environmental Justice on equitable solar development. She was a 2022 fellow with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. Kiana served as a member of the advisory panel for the non-profit Diversity in Sustainability and currently serves as a board member at Eco.Logic, a non-profit dedicated to environmental education and community building. She is currently producing and hosting a climate & energy justice focused podcast, called Climate with Kiana.
-We learn about the historical inequities in energy access
-We explore the need for financing structures in clean energy
-We learn about ethical concerns of mining for minerals used for renewable energy
Follow and connect with Kiana: Instagram: @kikisgroove LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiana-michaan
Check out Kiana’s Podcast - Climate with Kiana - https://open.spotify.com/show/2q5A05T45dz4vctflPrR6X?si=lYDpnpoyTlWRYxc2x9y0xw
Check out YPE - Young Professionals in Energy and their mentorship program: https://ypenergy.org/new-york-city/
Check out CELI - Clean Energy Leadership Institute: https://www.cleanenergyleaders.org/
Kiana’s book recommendations:
The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke
Revolutionary Power: An Activist's Guide to the Energy Transition by Shalanda Baker
In this episode, we meet with Matt Scott - the director of storytelling and engagement at the global nonprofit climate solutions resource Project Drawdown. Matt is also the founding director of the Drawdown Stories program where he helps everyday people find their role in climate solutions. Matt is the host of the climate solutions short documentary series Drawdown's Neighborhood, featured on the Weather Channel's Pattrn streaming network. Prior to his work at Project Drawdown, Matt was the global community lead and storyteller of the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the world's largest global problem-solving hackathon.
Follow and connect with Matt on socials: Instagram: @mattscottgw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-scott-6ba55a28/
Checkout Project Drawdown: drawdown.org
Email Matt: [email protected] Find Matt’s work: drawdown.org/stories Check out the docu-series: drawdown.org/neighborhood Submit your own story: drawdown.org/diary
In this episode, we meet with Alexa White - Alexa White's dedication to sustainable agriculture and environmental justice is clearly demonstrated through her Ph.D. candidacy in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. Her work, grounded in agroecology and biology, critically assesses sustainable agriculture's biophysical indicators and probes the efficacy of international climate governance, particularly in light of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Alexa's significant contributions were recognized in 2023 with the prestigious Federation of American Scientists Policy Entrepreneurship Award, an honor she shared with notable figures including Director Christopher Nolan, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Dr. Alondra Nelson. This accolade celebrated her pivotal role in establishing the AYA Research Institute, a think tank dedicated to progressive environmental justice policy. In her role as a Senior Harvard Climate Justice Design Fellow, Alexa has been instrumental in developing innovative environmental justice screening and mapping tools for governmental bodies in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Her expertise in this field also led to a collaboration with the White House Council for Environmental Quality, where she played a key role in developing the inaugural Justice40 tracker and report, further cementing her position as a leader in sustainable development and environmental justice.
Alexa's groundbreaking research in food sovereignty and justice earned her the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Conservation Leadership Award in 2020, underscoring her contributions to the field. Her active participation on the boards of the United Negro College Fund and the Edfu Foundation serves as evidence that her leadership goes beyond research.
Moreover, as a 2022 Columbia Mailman School of Public Health Agents of Change in Environmental Justice Senior Fellow, Alexa has harnessed her skills as a storyteller to eloquently share her experiences and insights, further amplifying her impact in the realms of environmental justice and sustainable agriculture.
Follow and connect with Alexa on socials:
Instagram: @alexabwhite LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-white-a1214987/
Check out Alexa’s website: alexawhite.co
Check out an opinion piece Alexa wrote: https://www.ehn.org/supporting-small-scale-farmers-2664302999.html
In this episode, we meet with Madeleine MacGillivray - Madeleine is a lifelong climate justice advocate and microplastics-focused science communicator. She is the Climate Communications and Policy Coordinator at Seeding Sovereignty, where she hosts the climate justice podcast Supersede. Madeleine is the founder of Superheroes Needed, a project that empowers individuals to realize our climate superpowers. She holds an MS in Sustainability Management at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies and a BA in Environmental Policy from Barnard. Madeleine has delivered keynote talks in Sydney, led workshops at Cornell and FIT, spoken at San Francisco Earth Day, and hosted conversations for UN Fashion x Oceans. Madeleine passionately communicates complex environmental issues with creativity, compassion, and empathy.
We learn about dating horror stories We delve into the loneliness pandemic We learn about attractive qualities in the climate space
Follow and connect with Madeleine on socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeleinemacgillivray?igsh=MXFsc254eWtqb2ZveA==
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleine-macgillivray-2a0533202
Check out the Supersede podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/68GNZd3goGOdRcLKfnQTuS
Check out Madeleines website for all the amazing work she does: https://www.madeleinemacgillivray.com/
In this episode, we meet with Sanjana Sekhar - Sanjana is an author, filmmaker, and climate activist on a mission to make climate action the hottest place to be. Her work amplifies “thrutopian” stories with a lens on climate justice, radical imagination, and Adrienne Maree Brown’s “pleasure activism.” As the founder of GARMI, a climate newsletter and creative studio, she leverages systems-thinking storytelling to reclaim extractive narratives and world-build towards a healthy human future on Earth. Sanjana has been featured in Grist’s Imagine 2200 Climate Fiction Anthology, the Hollywood Climate Summit, and the Webby Honorees, and she’s worked with organizations such as the Center for Cultural Power, Visit California, and The Washington Post. She is based in LA on Tongva land.
Follow and connect with Sanjana on socials: Instagram: s a n j a n a (@sanj___) LinkedIn: Sanjana Sekhar | LinkedIn
Check out and sign up for GARMI: GARMI | sensusal socioecology
Check out Sanjanas website: Sanjana Sekhar | author, filmmaker, climate storyteller