Climate Justice, Y’all Michael Hansen

Wrap up the third season with hosts Abigail and Maréshah as they discuss one of the foundational solutions to the climate crisis: community organizing. Listen to experienced community organizers Lindsay Harper and Celida Soto talk about how to effectively work with communities towards grassroots solutions.   



“Community organizing is knowing when to listen to lived experiences, when to step back, and when to step forward.”



Celido Soto works with many organizations such as Margins: Women Helping Black Women, Yellow Hammer Fund, S.W.E.E.T Alabama, Faith & Works. Celida's organizing work covers many different areas, but all are rooted in her community.



Lindsay Harper is the National Coordinator for Arm in Arm. Arm in Arm works to end the climate crisis by centering racial and economic justice.

In this special episode, hosts Maréshah and Abigail listen to Queen Quet, the Chieftess and Head-of-State of the Gullah Geechee Nation, explain how they are utilizing indigenous scientific knowledge to protect and adapt their Sea Islands from modern colonization and climate change.



The Gullah/Geechee Nation exists from Jacksonville, NC, to Jacksonville, FL. It encompasses the Sea Islands and thirty to thirty-five miles inland to the St. John’s River. On these islands, people from numerous African ethnic groups linked with indigenous Americans and created the unique Gullah language and traditions from which later came “Geechee.” The Gullah/Geechee people have been considered “a nation within a nation” from the time of chattel enslavement in the United States until they officially became an internationally recognized nation on July 2, 2000. At the time of their declaration as a nation, they confirmed the election of their first “head pun de boddee”-head of state and official spokesperson and queen mother. They elected Queen Quet, Chieftess, and Head-of-State for the Gullah/Geechee Nation.

In this episode, Abigail and Maréshah have a two-part discussion with folks from Water Wise Gulf South: Dr. Angela Chalk and Jeff Supak. Chalk and Supak work together to adapt and mitigate water issues in Louisiana. They know that solutions to flooding and rising sea levels are most impactful when communities and government work together.



“If we really want to live with water, we need to shift our relationship on how we view water in New Orleans and the region… (with flooding and worsening storms) we need to ask folks to view their communities as water-front properties, and to prepare for that.” - Angela Chalk



Jeff Supak is the co-founder and Executive Director of Water Wise Gulf Coast, and Angela Chalk is the executive director of Healthy Community Services. Water Wise Gulf South empowers individuals and communities to manage stormwater to reduce flooding, among other benefits. Water Wise uses green infrastructure to improve water quality and filter and detain stormwater runoff.

Join hosts Maréshah and Abigail in this enriching conversation with Ankur Shah from Climate Engine about technological and economic strategies for climate adaptation, where we cover everything from circular economies to using maps to influence banks to climate financing.



"The idea [at Climate Engine] is to 1. Let banks know how their assets are impacted by climate risks ...and 2. How their money is impacting the environment and climate change and 3. Tell banks what they can do ro mitigate and adapt." - Ankur Shah



Ankur Shah is a geospatial data scientist at Climate Engine. He received his Bachelor’s in Physics and Earth Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Ankur has a few years of experience in environmental education and video production and is passionate about environmental and social sustainability.

In this special episode, co-host Maréshah brings in a special guest co-host, her father, Reverend Michael Malcom, to talk about the effectiveness of community organizing with POWHR’s Russell Chisholm.



"I do believe that as long and as exhausting as this struggle has been, the community resistance has gotten stronger, and we will be strong for the next fight." - Russell Chisholm 



Russell Chisholm serves as Managing Director of the Protect Our Water, Heritage Rights coalition in the campaign to stop Mountain Valley Pipeline and dangerous fossil fuel expansion through Virginia and West Virginia.

In this episode, Abigail and Maréshah “get the dirt” from Cicada Calling Farm’s own Sierra Torres and Becks Hillard about the realities and joys of operating a sustainable farm in southeast Louisiana amidst climate change impacts. As the two young farmers discuss, dedicating labor and agricultural innovation in the Gulf South is an intentional decision to create alternative economies and food systems to nourish our communities.



"Instead of thinking about what we are losing, we need to think about what we can gain. How can we sink our roots deep into this land and continue traditions that our ancestors did?”



Cicada Calling is a 2-acre diversified vegetable and cut flower farm in Southeast, Louisiana run by Becks Hilliard & Sierra Torres. Find out more information about them through their website: https://cicadacallingfarm.com/