Climate narratives we need to hear
Jothsna Harris is the founder of Change Narrative, an organization devoted to helping people understand and share their climate stories. She works individuals, organizations, government and community groups to bring creative climate programming that balances the science with art, empathy, and emotion as critical translators in this time.
Jothsna has become a dear friend to Eco-Anxious Stories over the last year, and I’m constantly in awe of her warmth and determination when it comes to uplifting the voices of others – especially those on the frontlines of climate impacts. She brings a clear focus on the stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Colour as they navigate the climate crisis in the context of white supremacy and colonialism.
As Jothsna points out in the video, we absolutely need to be listening to the voices and experiences of people on the frontlines of climate impacts – that means people who have been historically cut off from access to power and privilege due to their race, ethnicity, ability, gender, income, location, or other social factors. These stories are a pathway to solutions, and without them, we risk entrenching the same power dynamics that got us into this mess. Don’t miss Jothsna’s video and check out her work!
– Rachel
Jothsna created this video with Drawdown’s Neighborhood, a city by city video series, hosted by Project Drawdown to shed light on the value of sharing our personal stories as we work to shift the climate trajectory toward justice.
In Jothsna’s words::
“For a long time, the way that we have communicated about climate change has mostly been through a scientific perspective and led by “experts” and those credentialed to talk about it—sending the implicit message that we are not all equipped to be part of the climate conversation. Yet, we are in a time when climate change is all around us, so we are experts in our experiences. Our personal stories are an important way to balance the science, bring the data into context, and create the combination of head and heart, which is essential for sparking and sustaining action.” – Jothsna Harris (as shared with host of the series, Matt Scott, Director of Storytelling and Engagement at Project Drawdown)
Check out the full Drawdown’s Neighborhood series, which has 4 seasons worth of stories. Change Narrative supports this work by collaborating on the discussion guide, and supporting community engagement through premier events in each city.
Watch the video now and follow Jothsna and Project Drawdown for more stories like this!
