On September 24, Grist hosted an event celebrating the publication of the 2024 Grist 50 list, an annual list naming 50 climate leaders to watch from across the U.S. The event was presented in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative and was held at the Hilton Midtown as part of Climate Week NYC.
The event featured personal stories of change, hope, and transformation from a few of this year’s Grist 50 honorees, produced in partnership with Back Pocket Media.
Hikaru Hayakawa shared a story about a high school debate tournament in Macedonia that led him to a deeper understanding of language justice in climate solutions.
“Language is a systemic barrier to climate action … To build a just and sustainable future, we must truly invite the global majority into the climate movement, and that means addressing the language barrier,” said Hayakawa.
Cate Mingoya-LaFortune told a story about working as a teacher in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where an interaction with a young student helped her see the importance of community led climate solutions.
“Our neighborhoods don’t look the way that they look by accident, and they aren’t going to change by accident,” noted Mingoya-LaFortune.
Watch the full video of the event here.
The event concluded with a networking reception for climate leaders from current and past Grist 50 lists, Climate Week NYC attendees, and Clinton Global Initiative commitment makers. The event was supported by Davis Wright Tremaine, Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, and Alaska Airlines. This was part of the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2024 Meeting, which convenes global leaders to address the planet’s biggest challenges. CGI’s 2024 Meeting included 50 commitments made by business, NGO, and government leaders in support of climate adaptation and mitigation, decarbonization, and just transitions. You can learn more about the commitments to action here.
