Greetings Community! 

May this message bring you good spirits as summer descends upon us! As we commemorate the recent Juneteenth, I’m holding deep gratitude for the ancestors' plight that affords me the opportunity to prioritize rest and joy–simple, yet measured acts in what has been an immensely challenging time. As uncertainty persists and its impacts compound, we are choosing to lean into joy, not as a means of escape, but rather as a steadfast reminder of why we stand firm in our commitments to community and justice. 

“Joy as resistance,” a concept Audre Lorde invited us to embrace, is a guiding light that reminds us of our resilience and what remains possible for the world we are determined to keep building. This new world is one where principles of justice and liberation are not reduced to merely buzzwords or viewed as coded threats, but are simply ways of being and existing. 

It is a constant invitation to be rooted in systems and practices that protect and prioritize the needs of those closest to the margins, and thus all people. Especially at a moment when the faces of the oppressed may change from here at home to those of our relatives abroad, our shared struggle remains, and our superpower is solidarity. We must continue acknowledging and standing in solidarity with immigrant and undocumented communities who are being ruthlessly targeted, and with our Congolese and Palestinian siblings, because while our struggle may change faces, it remains intertwined. 

In the recent national No Kings Day of action across the country and in my Bay Area hometown, they all shared a glimpse of what was really happening in LA that the mainstream media didn’t want many to see so that it could be weaponized - the beauty of organizing rooted in joy, cultural heritage and expression. Amidst the chaos, it’s these moments that remind me of the power we all have when we lean into, lead, and live into our joy in ways that honor our ancestral connection or the “real AI,” as Ms. Denise Fairchild references, "Ancestral Intelligence."

When this stolen country is turning on itself as a means to turn on others, what might it look like to truly turn toward each other to turn the tide? At Climate Innovation, as we continue moving through the year, we remain steadfast in our work to mobilize support and amplify community-led solutions, manifesting abundance of funding, resources, energy, ideas, and connection to ensure we can sustain and expand our impact. As such, as you read through this newsletter, you will find exciting updates over the last several months across our programs that make me very incredibly proud. From the recent gathering of members across our National Association of Climate Resilience Planners (NACRP) network in April for the first time since 2019 to preparing to launch the application cycle for our next Young Climate Leaders of Color (YCLC) Cohort, we continue to make moves that center communities, justice, and show the scalable impact that can be achieved. 

Continue reading below to learn more about our recent programmatic updates, in-person and virtual event opportunities, our growing team, and more! We have much more in store for 2025 and look forward to sharing more as good things continue to unfold. 

In solidarity,

Corrine 

See the photo above? It's from our February 2025 Young Climate Leaders of Color Cohort Convening, and YOU could be part of the next cohort, so get excited because applications officially open next Tuesday!

Rooted in radical transformation and collective liberation, YCLC mobilizes the next generation of climate leaders of color—young people who are dreaming, building, and organizing for a just future. We recognize that climate justice takes many forms— whether you're a community organizer, artist, storyteller, scientist, or cultural worker, there is a place for you in this movement!

This opportunity is available for a cohort of youth across the nation between the ages of 18-28, each of whom will receive a stipend of  $5,000 to participate in the year-long YCLC program. These funds will support the cohort members for their time and, if they choose, may be used for direct implementation of a project. In addition to the stipend, young people in the cohort will be matched with a mentor, receive project support, participate in monthly training/learning sessions, connect with a national network of peers, and much more!

Funding is available for new projects or initiatives already in motion that need additional support and may cover training, classes, workshops, certifications, education costs, the purchase of tools and equipment, etc. Projects must be completed in a community or group setting. All awards will be considered based on the merit of each application. Fund recipients will be selected following a panel application review and (if needed) an interview process.

Mark your calendar, get ready to apply (or spread the word) and look out for the official announcement and full details on application and eligibility requirements, due dates, and more!

In April, the National Association of Climate Resilience Planners (NACRP) hosted its first in-person member gathering since 2019, marking a powerful moment of reconnection and renewal. Held in Atlanta, Georgia, the gathering brought together 70 members from 16 states and one territory, marking the network’s largest in-person turnout to date.

Members participated in breakout sessions and peer cyphers that created space to celebrate community wins, share stories, strategize within regions, and learn from Atlanta-based organizations leading impactful, community-driven planning efforts.

The gathering also offered a unique opportunity for People’s Climate Innovation Center to pilot elements of the new NACRP curriculum — a tool designed to help practitioners deepen their understanding of bottom-up planning and apply it within their own communities. Member feedback from these sessions is already shaping the development of the curriculum.

What stood out most? Participants shared that they deeply valued the chance to hear real victories from the field, build meaningful peer connections, and reflect and learn together in a space rooted in trust and collaboration.

Following the member gathering, the 2025 Facilitator Certification Training Cohort arrived in Atlanta to continue their nine-month learning journey. This new cohort of 20 members is developing their facilitation skills as they lead community-driven planning processes in real time.

In collaboration with Facilitating Power, along with facilitators Rosa González, Julian Mocine-McQueen, and alumni of past certification cohorts, participants explored the principles of popular education through role-playing, dialogue, reflection, arts, somatics, and embodied practice.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who traveled, contributed, and brought their energy, wisdom, and heart to this long-awaited gathering. We’re excited to carry this momentum forward!

We’re already halfway through the 2025 Vision, Power & Solutions (VPS) Series — a dynamic learning space for organizers, planners, and educators to strengthen facilitation skills, advance community-driven solutions, and challenge top-down planning approaches. On May 15, NACRP and Facilitating Power welcomed 40 registrants for a powerful session on Community-Driven Planning Rooted in Culture & Ecology: Envisioning a Living Democracy with guest speaker Marcus Briggs-Cloud of Ekvn-Yefolecv. The session was rich with insight, offering accessible tools for analyzing complex issues, prioritizing solutions, navigating consensus-building, and sharing clear examples of communities actively creating new models. 

Don’t forget, each VPS session includes access to a Peer-Cypher — a follow-up space where participants can bring a real-world challenge from their work to a circle of facilitators, staff, and apprentices for reflection and feedback. In May’s Peer-Cypher, for instance, we explored what community-driven planning tools were most suitable to impel initiatives in a place deeply affected by racism, displacement, and colonization. 

Interested in joining the next VPS session? You still have time to register! We’ll be diving into the importance of building community power and sharing actionable tools to help participants move from ideas to real impact. More information here. 

The Community Climate Shift (CCS) initiative, a joint effort with the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), aims to transform how communities and local governments collaborate to achieve equitable, community-driven decarbonization. In May, the CCS Fund re-granted a total of $600,000 to community-based organizations. 

The CCS steering committee has approved funds to continue supporting community-driven decarbonization and energy justice initiatives nationwide. Projects range from supporting local community engagement, financing energy retrofits and community resilience hubs, to stewarding equitable redevelopment of abandoned buildings and empty lots in low-income communities of Color. There are also projects focused on workforce development that support energy transition and electrification education initiatives for youth.

Congratulations to the grant recipients:

• ISAIAH based in Minneapolis, MN
• Community Builders Network based in St Louis, MO
• Bridging the Gap based in Kansas City, MO
• People for Community Recovery based in Chicago, IL
• Washington Interfaith Network based in Washington, DC
• Concerned Citizens of Charles County based in Charles City, VA
• Avalon Village based in Highland Park, MI
• JC Legal Resources Center based in Milwaukee, WI 
• The Chisholm Legacy Project and NAACP Chicago Southside branch based in Chicago, IL
• The Induction Cooktop PLUS Project (TIC+) based in Oakland, CA

CCS and its partners continue to strive for and work towards a just energy transition, and just held its annual partner convening (see this 2024 convening video for context!) in New Orleans, LA June 9-11, 2025, so stay tuned for a recap of all that came out of that time. Click here to learn more about CCS and support the work.

Calling all Bay Area folks! Our friends at Coliberate are hosting an in-person workshop, Theatre of the Oppressed in Participatory Action Research, tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Oakland! Facilitated by Levana Saxon and Tatiana Chaterji, this workshop aims to expand your approach to inquiry, research, assessments and planning with methods that spark connection and create the conditions for authentic sharing. This in-person training in the Coliberate curriculum will focus on tools for using Image Theatre for collective problem identification and research design and Forum Theatre for collecting data. Participants will be guided through a mini simulation of each stage of entire PAR process, with time to reflect on how you might adapt the tools to your context. You'll leave with clear examples, facilitation tips, and guidance on how to ensure that your community-led project is actually community-led.

Learn more and register for the workshop here. 

Community, please join us in welcoming not one, not two, but three new members to the Climate Innovation Team!

Aisha Farley (left), she/her/ella, joins us as Youth Programs Manager! With a strong background in youth development work, Aisha has a love for facilitating spaces and programs where youth can be their authentic, full selves and creatively envision, process, and reflect on resilience based solutions to the climate crisis. She will co-steward our Young Black Climate Leaders and Young Climate Leaders of Color programs. 

Génesis Sánchez (center), she/her/ella, joins us as NACRP Program Manager, bringing a wealth of expertise in human rights, environmental justice, philanthropy, community organizing, and program creation. A champion of community-led environmental justice initiatives by Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, working to ensure access to clean water, air, healthy foods, and increased climate resilience, we're thrilled to have Génesis leading the NACRP!

And finally, Tamiera (TC) Nash (right), she/they, joins us as Communications Manager! An experienced communications strategist whose work is grounded in equity, narrative power, and community engagement, TC's career spans nonprofit communications, digital strategy, and organizational development. TC will support our core programs' communications needs, leveraging messaging and media efforts to reflect the organization’s commitment to frontline-led climate solutions and transformative systems change.