NJ Youth Climate Convergence

Our planet is heating up, but so is the movement for climate justice—especially here in NJ. For too long, politicians have failed to act on the climate crisis, but the next generation is ready to take charge.

That's why student climate organizers have planned the NJ Youth Climate Convergence, a day full of educational programming, with workshops about strategic organizing training, environmental justice, and how we're pressuring New Jersey lawmakers to take action on climate change.

Let's create an empowering space together for youth organizers and activists!

This event is geared toward high schoolers, college students, graduate students, and other young people not in school. All are welcome, especially brand-new youth activists!

Program:

Arrival

10:00

Get signed in, visit organization tables, get coffee and a snack, meet fellow participants.

Keynote Panel: The Sacrifice Zone

10:30 - 12:00 

We'll hear from Chloe Desir, an environmental justice organizer working in Newark's Ironbound, a vibrant and diverse section of Newark, NJ's largest city, which is also one of the most toxic neighborhoods in the country. This two-square-mile neighborhood has been treated as a sacrifice zone by toxic industry for decades, who think they can get away with dumping on low-income communities of color. Chloe is the Environmental Justice Organizer with the Ironbound Community Corporation that has been leading the fight for environmental justice in Newark. 

We'll screen the award-winning short documentary, the Sacrifice Zone, about the Ironbound Community and some of the incredible organizers and members fighting for their community.

Following the screening, we'll hear from the film's director, producer, and cinematographer, Julie Winokur, who will speak about the creation of the film and about using visual media to catalyze impactful social change. We'll also have time for Q&A with both Chloe and Julie.

Before the Convergence, you may want to familiarize yourself with some of these resources:

• The Sacrifice Zone website

• Ironbound Community Corporation EJ Organizing

• The Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing

Student Organizing 101 Training

12:15 - 1:30

You'll participate in an organizing training for students designed to help you learn how to do climate organizing on your campus. We'll discuss some of the history of student organizing and the impacts it's had on and off campuses. We'll talk about organizing basics and how to build a campaign and get your peers on board, and we'll have time for breakout scenarios so you can practice building a campaign.

Lunch

1:30 - 2:30

We'll have an hour break for lunch.

BrEAKOUT WORKSHOPS

2:30 - 3:30

After lunch, we'll have small group workshops centered on:

• Climate and Clean Energy Policy - How students can get involved in the legislative process to make big changes in NJ. Join representatives from CRAN (Climate Revolution Action Network) to learn how young people are getting involved in Trenton to move critical climate action legislation.

• Campus Organizing Tactics - Dive deeper into tactics you can use to organize on your campus. Join this workshop of seasoned student organizers to discuss how to start or grow a campaign on your campus.

• Building Public Narrative: Telling your climate story to grow our movement - learn about the principles of Public Narrative and why storytelling is integral to organizing strong movements. We'll discuss how to tell our own stories about why we're called to action and how to integrate this into areas of our work to help grow our movement. We'll also hear from a student organizer and filmmaker about how she uses multimedia to tell compelling climate stories.

Closing

3:45 - 4:30

Group wrap-up and debrief, get connected, make plans.

This event is sponsored by: Food & Water Watch, Climate Revolution Action Network, Piscataway Youth Progressives, Kean University Environmental Alliance, Rutgers Students for Environmental Awareness