Brown Girl Green Brown Girl Green

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 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 Daphany Rose Sanchez. Daphany is an experienced community organizer and an expert in climate and housing. Born and raised in New York City public housing, Daphany witnessed and lived through the intersections of housing discrimination, climate divestment, and economic injustice. Her experience moved Daphany to fight for climate resiliency in the communities she grew up in, organizing neighborhoods across every borough in the city while working alongside renewable energy companies to provide people with the tools they need to reduce their energy bills and keep their homes protected from natural disasters. She graduated from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management from the New School.

-We learn about Daphany’s story in public housing

-We learn about addressing energy justice in energy insecure communities

-We learn about the policy and organizing to achieve energy justice

Follow and connect with Daphany on socials:
Instagram: @daph_nyc_
X: @Daph_NYC_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphanysanchez/

Check out KC3 and what they do:
https://kc3.nyc/what-we-do

An important article to check out:
https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/survey-reveals-extent-energy-insecurity-new-york-city#:~:text=More%20than%20one%20in%20four,in%20debt%20for%20energy%20costs.

Learn about how eligible households can receive energy services:
https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/energy-assistance.page

A podcast episode to check out:
Just Energy: Energy poverty and energy insecurity with Destenie Nock
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Jpo6qwYZwUtrHgYr6DGmZ?si=WooP0oYXRj-ZPDXscih2wg

In this episode, we meet Bodhi Patil. Bodhi Patil is a UN-recognized, award-winning GenZ ocean-climate “Solutionist” dedicated to improving the interconnectedness between ocean health and human health. He is the Founder & CEO of Inner Light, empowering a generation to build resilience from the inside out for people and planetary wellbeing. He is co-creator/cofounder of Ocean Uprise and SeaDragon Studios and advises several love-based climate organizations on a mission to protect our blue planet. He has been featured by the United Nations, Forbes, Economist Impact, Wildlife Conservation Society, Oceanic Global, and has presented to world leaders at over 10 global climate conferences. Connect with him and learn more about his mission here.


We learn about the Tom’s of Maine Incubator Program and how to apply!
We learn about Bodhi's love and passion for the ocean
We learn about why the ocean is so important for life in all forms

Follow and connect with Bodhi on socials:
Instagram: @bodhi_patil
Twitter: @bodhi_patil
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bodhipatil/

Apply to the Tom's of Maine Incubator Program!
https://www.tomsofmaine.com/incubator

Check out Bodhi's amazing website:
https://www.innerlight.tv/

Organizations Bodhi mentioned to check out:

Ocean Uprise https://oceanuprise.com/
Sustainable Ocean Alliance https://www.soalliance.org/
Earth Echo https://www.earthecho.org/

Bodhi’s book recommendation:

Blue Mind - Dr. Wallace J. Nichols

In this episode we meet with Jaegi Lissade. Jaegi is the Partnership Coordinator of Reclypt. Jaegi is passionate about circular fashion and reducing fashion waste. She first began attending Recylpt events during Climate Week in 2022 and over the past year has evolved from participant to ambassador to now being a member of the Reclypt team! She is currently a student at Queens College studying Economics and Environmental Studies with plans to work in sustainable finance. Bearing this in mind she was wary of developing her sustainability experience in the financial sector and instead has entrenched herself in community based initiatives to develop a strong foundation of intersectional environmental justice.

We learn about circular fashion and why it’s so important
We learn about the harm of microtrends and fast fashion
We learn about the power of community learning and workshops

Follow and connect with Jaegi on socials:
Instagram: @thisisjaegi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaegilissade/

Follow Reclypt on Instagram and check out their website:
@reclypt
https://www.reclypt.com

An informative article about the fashion industry to check out: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/new-york-exposing-fashion-industry-what-it-climate-nightmare

Remake is a global advocacy organization fighting for fair pay and climate justice in the clothing industry. Check them out:
https://remake.world/

Check out the Fashion Act and their fight against the harmful sides of the fashion industry:
https://www.thefashionact.org/

In this episode, we meet with Angely - a climate and environmental journalist from NYC. Her work is featured in national and city publications including The New York Times, The Nation, Rolling Stone, Vogue, The Guardian, and more. She focuses on primarily environmental science, environmental justice, social media, and culture. Her fact-checking work is featured in various publications like The Nation, Rest of World, Mother Jones, and Gimlet among others.


We learn about the power of social media and fact checking
We learn about the challenges of the journalism industry 
We learn about how you shouldn’t let your job define you

Follow and connect with Angely on socials:
Instagram: @angely_mercado
Twitter: @angelymercado
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelymercado/

Check out Angely’s posts on Gizmodo: 
https://gizmodo.com/author/angelymercado

Check out Angely’s profile on Muck Rack:
https://muckrack.com/angely-mercado

Check out a very important recent article written by Angely: https://gizmodo.com/hurricane-idalia-makes-landfall-in-florida-lost-power-1850786952

Check out some of the best environmental journalism stories of 2022:
https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2022/12/23/best-environmental-journalism-2022/