In a time of incredible uncertainty, Community Climate Conversations (CCC) provide a vital sense of connection, collaboration, and agency. As the second event in this year’s CCC series, our fall gathering brought together residents, community leaders, agencies, and community-based organizations to support the County of San Diego’s ongoing mission to drive meaningful climate action across the region.
With evenings filled with music, powerful speakers, engaging panels, informative breakout sessions, and community resource booths, the Climate Conversations are instrumental in shaping and redefining how government initiatives can meaningfully engage communities and create impactful experiences.
Rooted in community, these Climate Conversations are a partnership among the Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability at the County of San Diego, Climate Action Campaign, the Urban Collaborative Project (UCP), and Bayside Community Center.
While UCP led the Climate Conversation on November 14th in South County, on November 19th, CAC led the Climate Conversation in North County at the Innovation Hub at Cal State San Marcos, a space prime for inspiration, collaboration, and, well, innovation. Officially open only since August of this year, we are thrilled to have been the first community event at the Innovation Hub; many thanks to our partnership with Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, the Director of Sustainability & Climate Justice at CSUSM.
We were honored and delighted to have featured Indigenous speaker and professor, Dr. Elena Hood, who led a powerful opening, and singer/songwriter CSUSM music student, Kolby Agpaoa (Kinjo,) who beautifully opened and closed the evening with a heartfelt live performance, bringing us all closer together with the magic of music and art.
Left to right: Elena A. Hood, Ed.D., Absentee Shawnee, Choctaw, Luiseño Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies, Palomar College | Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, Director of Sustainability & Climate Justice & Environmental Studies Lecturer, CSUSM | Kolby ‘Kinjo’ Agpaoa, Singer/Songwriter, CSUSM Music Student
At Climate Action Campaign, we are always pushing for implementation (as you probably know from our advocacy!), and together with our partners, we centered the fall climate conversations on how to take community project ideas to reality. Interactive breakout sessions allowed community members to share project ideas, learn more about the process of turning a project idea into action, and dive deeper into resources and questions around funding.
Then, in the spirit of collaboration, voices from multiple agencies and community perspectives came together for an informative and engaging panel discussion around Safe Routes to Schools, highlighting the process for how the program successfully went from idea to action throughout North County. Speakers included Jovita Serafin, local community advocate and leader; Kathy Rallings from the Carlsbad Unified School District; Samual Sanford from SANDAG; Nick Buck, Encinitas Mobility Manager; and the incredible moderator, Herminia Ramirez Garcillazo, Chief Regional Community Coordinator at the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
As we continue to embark on the era of a changing climate, we must do all that we can to ensure that those least responsible for causing the climate crisis are not the ones who will face the worst of the impacts. Uplifting underserved and Communities of Concern with the resources, capacity, and funding support they need are essential for creating a more resilient and equitable future. While much work still needs to be done, these heart-centered Community Climate Conversations help move the conversation in the right direction 💚✨
Comments