The Power of Us: Storytelling as a Climate Solution
When the path forward feels uncertain, stories can guide our steps toward more just and hopeful futures. By clarifying the sometimes faltering progress of the past, illuminating the dilemmas and opportunities of the present, and painting an irresistible picture of the future, telling our stories reveals our true power. Join Project Drawdown and Grist for an evening of unforgettable stories from Bay Area climate activists, artists, organizers, and innovators on the frontlines of climate solutions.
This event is presented by Grist and Project Drawdown
Featured Speakers:
Ashia S. Ajani (Writer & Director at YvA) Ashia A is a sunshower, an overripe nectarine, a carnivorous plant, a glass bead. They are the author of one poetry collection, Heirloom (Write Bloody Publishing, 2023) and a forthcoming collection of lyric essays, Tending the Vines (Timber Press, TBA). Her writing is a kaleidoscope of her work as an eco-griot & abolitionist.
Grace Anderson (Founder; The Lupine Collaborative) is a writer and world-builder curating at the intersection of queerness, resource mobilization, climate & environmental justice, and Black dignity & imagination. Grace created and stewards The Lupine Collaborative (TLC), an organization for Black women, transgender, and non-binary climate & environmental writers.
Rachel Bouton is the Senior Manager of Events at Grist where she creates events and experiences that bring climate storytelling to life and invite audiences to envision climate futures where equitable solutions flourish. Beyond her work at Grist, Rachel is an active performer and improv instructor. She's a Moth StorySlam winner and veteran improviser. She's also proud parent, raising her kiddo in the world's borough (Queens!).
Layel Camargo (Yaqui and Mayo of the Sonoran Desert) was born on the unceded lands of the Kumeyaay in San Diego, CA, and has spent 15 years working at the intersection of climate justice, storytelling, and nonprofit leadership. They co-founded Climate Woke and Shelterwood Collective, where they secured significant funding for climate justice initiatives and forest restoration projects, while also advocating against gender-based violence and challenging patriarchal norms. A widely recognized Indigenous storyteller, Layel uses their platform to advance cultural change through impactful oration and land connection.
Josh Healey is an award-losing writer, performer, filmmaker, and co-executive producer with Offsides Productions. He has created digital series and comedic campaigns with nice people like Rosario Dawson, Daveed Diggs, and Lewis Black that have reached over 25 million viewers and amplified grassroots movements across the country. Healey wrote and produced two seasons of The North Pole, a digital series about gentrification, global warming, and gluten-free donuts that featured Boots Riley as a revolutionary polar bear.
Favianna Rodriguez (Artist and President of Favianna Studios) is an interdisciplinary artist, cultural strategist, and social justice activist based in Oakland, California. Her art and praxis address migration, gender justice, climate change, racial equity, and sexual freedom. Favianna's practice includes visual art, public art, writing, cultural organizing, and power building.
Matt Scott is the director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, where he leads the Drawdown Stories program, helping everyday people find their role in climate solutions and justice. He hosts Drawdown’s Neighborhood, a climate solutions documentary series featured on The Weather Channel’s Pattrn network, highlighting climate heroes across U.S. cities. Previously, he was the global community lead and storyteller for NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest global problem-solving hackathon, engaging 100,000+ participants in 150+ countries. A two-time NASA award winner, he has also worked with the Australian Government, Pivotal Ventures by Melinda Gates, USAID, the UN, Nike, Walmart, and the Obama White House. He has interviewed hundreds of changemakers to-date and produced 20s & Change: San Francisco, recognized at three film festivals.
Calvin Williams (Advisor, Social Impact and Advocacy) Calvin is a Dynamic cultural strategist & policy futurist with 15+ years' experience in building immersive, irresistible narratives for justice, equity and inclusion. Skilled in organizing creative, story-based campaigns that activate diverse constituencies to exercise their power to achieve their vision for the future where Justice and Joy thrive.
This event is supported by University of California Press.
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