Climate Mic Drop Summit
Climate Mic Drop is a day-long, participatory summit designed to reshape how we tell climate stories— moving from top-down messaging to people-powered narratives that center justice and gender equity and drive real action. Bringing together leaders from philanthropy, climate finance, grassroots activism, conservation, media, and Indigenous communities, the event will blend panels, creative labs, and hands-on workshops to generate tangible narrative tools, campaign concepts, and cross-sector alliances.
Let’s Rewrite the Climate Narrative Together
Join us to unlock your next phase of Earth positive, purpose-driven impact, and engage with leading communications strategists, creators, design thinkers, and thought leaders shaping the future for generations to come.
📝 The Day Includes:
ACT I: THE OPENING CHAPTER — Setting the Stage
🕣 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Locked 9:00–9:15 | Why Stories Move Us
Welcome from summit organizers + UN Representative
Opening performance/Opening Invocation by Grandmother Joan Henry (Tsalagi)
Locked 9:15–9:40 | Panel – Indigenous Storytelling as Lineage, Legacy & Protecting Future Generations
Speakers: Sachem Hawkstorm, Eriel Deranger (Indigenous Climate Action), Cherie Tirikatene Le Cheminant (Tāmata Hauhā)
Moderator: Mitzy Clementina Bautista
For Indigenous peoples, storytelling creates lineage, law, and a living guide for protecting what matters most. This conversation brings together Sachem HawkStorm (Schaghticoke First Nations hereditary Sachem and advocate for land rights and sovereignty), moderated by Mitzy Clementina Bautista (Quechua Aymara communicator and cultural strategist). Together, they will share how ancestral knowledge and storytelling traditions carry forward resilience, protect future generations, and illuminate pathways to climate justice rooted in reciprocity and belonging.
Locked 9:40–10:00 | Fireside Chat - Stories from the Frontlines: Community, Civil Rights, and Action
Elizabeth Yeampierre (UPROSE), Reverend Lennox Yearwood (Hip Hop Caucus)
In this fireside chat, two of the most influential voices in today’s climate justice movement—Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, and Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus—will come together to reflect on how stories from the frontlines can unify and mobilize the climate movement. Drawing from legacies of civil rights, community organizing, culture, and faith, they will explore how narrative can bridge divides, honor lived experience, and chart a path toward collective action and justice.
10:00–10:25 | Behind the Byline: Climate Journalism & Centering the Rights of Nature
As climate change accelerates, journalism is not only a tool for informing the public but also for shaping cultural values around what—and who—needs protection. This session brings together leading voices in environmental reporting and advocacy to explore how the “rights of nature” framework can move from courtrooms and community struggles into headlines and newsrooms. Journalist Karla Mendes (Mongabay), movement leader Osprey Orielle Lake (Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network), and Ponca Nation elder and activist Casey Camp-Horinek will share how storytelling rooted in justice and reciprocity can challenge extractive narratives and amplify Indigenous leadership. Moderated by Aparna Mukherjee of the Society of Environmental Journalists, the conversation will probe how media can more responsibly reflect Earth’s inherent rights and inspire readers toward deeper accountability and care.
Karla Mendes (MongaBay), Osprey Orielle Lake (WECAN), Casey Camp-Horinek (Ponca Nation)
Moderator: Aparna Mukherjee (Society of Environmental Journalists)
Locked 10:25–10:50 | Interactive Panel – Uncovering Forms of Justice in Circularity
Atossa Soltani (Amazon Sacred Headwaters), Reema Nanavaty (SEWA), Emily Janoch (CARE) Moderator: Deirdre White (Pyxera Global)
There’s more to circularity than meets the eye. Circularity provides a justice framework that links people, livelihoods, and the planet. In this interactive panel, Atossa Soltani (Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative) brings the perspective of Indigenous-led stewardship of forests and waters; Reema Nanavaty (Self-Employed Women’s Association, SEWA) shares lessons from organizing hundreds of thousands of women workers in India’s informal economy; and Emily Janoch (CARE) highlights how humanitarian and development work can integrate climate justice. Moderated by Deirdre White (Pyxera Global), this conversation will surface how circular systems can honor labor, protect ecosystems, and create pathways toward equity across communities worldwide.
Locked 10:50–11:00 | Voyaj app introduction & Prompt Question (led by Yasmine El Baggari)
11:00–11:10| Stretch, Coffee Break, Networking
Locked 11:10–11:20 | Signature Voice – Science, Spirituality, Story & Unity
Mariko Pitts (Holomovement)
Mariko Pitts of the Holomovement will share reflections at the intersection of science, spirituality, and story—exploring how unity can serve as both a guiding principle and a practical force for climate action. Drawing on the Holomovement’s vision of collective transformation, her talk will illuminate how bridging disciplines and worldviews can help us move from fragmentation to coherence, and from isolated efforts to shared momentum. This signature voice session invites participants to consider not only the data and policies that shape the climate movement, but also the deeper stories and values that bind us together in the pursuit of a livable future.
Locked 11:20–11:45 | Rewilding Our Imagination: Climate, Culture, and the Spaces Between
Collin Cavote (Biome), Elizabeth Thompson (Visions2030), Miranda Massie (The Climate Museum)
Moderator: Susan McPherson
What if our cities and cultural spaces could breathe, dream, and inspire transformation? This panel brings together visionary leaders who are reshaping the built environment to expand what’s possible for climate action. Collin Cavote(Biome) is pioneering living walls and rewilding the indoors, scaling biology to turn our buildings into ecosystems. Miranda Massie (The Climate Museum) is harnessing art, science, and public engagement to spark cultural change through the nation’s first climate-dedicated museum. Elizabeth Thompson (Visions2030) is behind large-scale, participatory installations like The Lumisphere Experience that invite communities to imagine equitable futures. Together, they’ll explore how imagination, physical space, and storytelling can converge to create worlds where both people and the planet thrive.
11:45–12:10 | Solutions Panel – Regenerating Our World: From Story to Systems Shift
Julia Jackson (Grounded.org), Chad Frischmann (RegenIntel), Carrie Hutchison (re:wild)
Moderator: Brittany DeGirolamo (Phocus Creative Group)
How do we move from powerful stories to transformative systems change? This panel spotlights leaders driving solutions that regenerate our planet and communities. Julia Jackson (Grounded.org) is mobilizing a global network of changemakers to accelerate scalable, nature-based climate solutions. Chad Frischmann (RegenIntel, and formerly Project Drawdown) is a leading voice in designing and implementing systemic strategies and regenerative solutions to the polycrisis. Carrie Hutchison (Re:wild) is advancing worldwide efforts to protect and restore biodiversity by connecting people with the wild places and species that sustain life. Together, they’ll share how science, storytelling, and collaboration can shift culture and policy, and chart a regenerative path forward.
12:10–12:15 | Musical Performance & Q&A
Lila Goes Viral
Pre-Lunch Story Spark: Johanna Salzazar (Foodstream)
LUNCH
🕛 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM
ACT II: CATALYSTS — Science, Activism & Innovation in Motion
Locked 1:00–1:30 | Panel – Reimagining Science for All of Us: The Future of Science for Inclusive Climate Action
Led by NRDC
The event is a science communication and community outreach focused panel highlighting early to mid-career women of color. We will create a platform for their thoughts on the future of science, policy, community, ecosystems and communication related to climate action, given the state of science in the wake of the 2024 election.
Locked Lightning Activism Talks (led by Cecilia Pagkalinawan, Earthlings)
Fast, fiery, and focused—these lightning talks spotlight activists and thinkers pushing climate action forward from different angles. Hannah Barisonzi of Green Crew shares how youth are leading on-the-ground climate projects. Dr. Dana R. Fisher explores how people power can be harnessed for large-scale social change. And Creatives for Climate calls for creative integrity and a cleaner information supply chain in the fight against misinformation.
In just 10 minutes each, these talks deliver sharp insights and bold ideas designed to spark new thinking and fuel collective action.
1:30–1:40 | Hannah Barisonzi (Green Crew)
1:40–1:50 | Dr. Dana R. Fisher – Harnessing People Power for Social Change & Climate Action
1:50–2:00 | Creative integrity and Cleaning up information supply chain (Creatives for Climate)
2:20–2:20 | Wisdom Keeping
Panchita Calfin | (Mapuche Wisdom Keeper) Calfin
Moderator: Cecilia Pagkalinawan
2:20–2:30 | Climate Finance Speak - Putting Nature on the Balance Sheet: Rewriting the Climate Finance Story
Speakers: Katie Hoffman (SOSV, Regeneration.VC)
Finance is one of the most powerful levers we have to shift culture, protect ecosystems, and scale climate solutions. But the story of climate finance too often feels abstract or inaccessible. This session will bring the conversation back to what matters—people and the planet.
Katie will explore how capital markets can accelerate technologies and models that regenerate ecosystems, reduce planetary overshoot, and serve frontline communities. The dialogue will challenge participants to see finance not just as numbers on a balance sheet, but as a force that can rewrite our relationship with nature—humanizing investment, expanding who gets to participate, and unlocking solutions that can scale with speed and integrity.
Locked 2:30–2:55 | Climate Tech Panel: Wired for the Planet
Speakers: Tibet Sprague (Hylo), Jaclyn Wittal (SenseNet), Ori Shaashua (Gigablue)
How can technology accelerate climate solutions while strengthening equity, resilience, and community power? This panel features innovators pushing the boundaries of what climate tech can do—from Hylo’s platforms for collective action, to SenseNet’s real-time environmental intelligence, to Gigablue’s pioneering work in marine carbon dioxide removal through Marine Carbon Fixation and Sinking (MCFS). Together, these leaders will explore how digital tools, monitoring systems, and ocean-based innovations can scale nature-positive solutions. The discussion will also highlight the importance of cultural engagement, including how Māori perspectives are helping shape Gigablue’s work to ensure alignment with community values and ecological safety.
Participants will leave with a glimpse into the future of climate technology—wired not just for efficiency, but for justice, resilience, and long-term planetary stewardship.
Moderator: Kwasi Asare, Feedia
ACT III: THE PLOT THICKENS — Stories that Shift Power
🕐 2:55 PM – 4:30 PM
Locked 2:55–3:05 | Signature Voice – Owning Our Stories & Our Identity (add time)
Jamia Wilson (Penguin Random House)
What does it mean to claim our voice, and how can movements strengthen their identity through story? In this intimate conversation, Jamia Wilson (Penguin Random House) brings her experience as an author, publisher, and cultural critic to the climate stage. With a career spanning leadership at Feminist Press, authoring groundbreaking books like Young, Gifted and Black, and her current role shaping narratives at one of the world’s largest publishing houses, Jamia will share insights on how movements can refine their storytelling, align with their deepest values, and own the power of identity. Her guidance offers a vital lens for the climate community centering truth, creativity, and justice in how we speak and who we speak for.
3:00–3:25 | Interactive Panel – Climate on Screen: Media for Movement Building – led by Picture Motion
Emy Kane (Lonely Whale); TBD
Moderator: Juliette Richey, Picture Motion
Locked 3:25–3:40 | Interactive Exercise – All Hands on Set: Climate Screenplay Co-Creation
Kim Steele (Documentaries Don’t Work)
All Hands On Set is a hands-on session led by filmmaker and producer Kim Steele, designed for Climate Week participants across film, finance, philanthropy, policy, tech, and nonprofit sectors. Using a fictional climate rom-com as the case study, the workshop challenges attendees to apply their existing tools, influence, and networks toward accelerating climate action through the entertainment industry. This isn’t about awareness, it’s about activating media as a lever for advancing climate solutions.
3:40–4:20 | Interactive Panel – Storytelling to Build Collaboration
Kristy Drutman (Brown Girl Green), Isaias Hernandez (Queer Brown Vegan)
Climate storytellers and educators Kristy Drutman and Isaias Hernandez will lead an interactive conversation on how storytelling can bridge movements, identities, and strategies to spark deeper collaboration. Drawing from their experiences building digital platforms and communities, they’ll explore how personal narrative, media, and cultural framing can foster trust, break silos, and bring more people into collective climate action.
Moderator: Lance Gould (Brooklyn Story Lab)
Youth Movement Panel – Youth, Story & Climate Funding
Wawa Gatheru (Black Girl Environmentalist) + Guests TBD
This session will spotlight the power of youth-led climate movements and the stories driving them forward. Leaders from Black Girl Environmentalist will guide a conversation on how young organizers are shaping the future of climate action, what narratives are resonating across communities, and why supporting these voices is essential for long-term impact. The panel will also explore the role of funding—how resources can be directed to nurture emerging leaders, amplify their stories, and sustain movements that are transforming culture and policy.
Attendees will gain insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the next generation of climate leaders, and how storytelling and investment can work hand-in-hand to accelerate change.
STRETCH & COFFEE BREAK 4:20–4:30PM
ACT IV: REWRITING THE NARRATIVE — Workshop & Co-Creation
🕒 4:30 – 6:10 PM
4:30–5:15 PM | Interactive Exercise – Climate Futures, Climate Optimism, Climate IQ
Facilitators: Natalia Vásquez (AutoDesk), Bernadette Woods Placky (Climate Central), Anne Therese Gennari (The Climate Optimist)
This immersive session invites participants to step into the future and practice building it. Guided by three dynamic facilitators, attendees will engage in exercises that expand imagination, sharpen understanding, and shift perspective:
Climate Futures with Natalia Vásquez: envisioning possible futures and exploring how storytelling can unlock creativity and agency.
Climate IQ with Bernadette Placky Wood: grounding those visions in science, data, and the knowledge communities need to act.
Climate Optimism with Anne Therese Gennari: reframing fear into possibility, and learning how hope can drive sustained engagement.
Through collaborative activities, participants will co-create narratives that blend futures thinking, literacy, and optimism—leaving with tools to inspire action, strengthen resilience, and imagine bold pathways forward.
Locked 5:15–6:10 | Roundtable Drop-ins & Narrative Audit
This interactive roundtable brings everyone into one shared conversation space, blending dialogue with practical “narrative audits.” Together, participants will examine the dominant climate stories shaping our culture and policy, surface what voices and perspectives are missing, and explore how reframing can lead to more just and impactful narratives.
Instead of breaking into smaller groups, this format keeps the energy collective—inviting drop-ins, shared reflections, and collaborative problem-solving. The goal is to leave with fresh insights, sharper tools for storytelling, and new connections across sectors, all rooted in a commitment to building narratives that drive equity and action.
Facilitated by Melissa Jun Rowley & Jasmine Davenport (Dream.org)
Energy Transition: Andrea Karelas (RE-volv), Madeline Weir (REVERB), Hindou Ibrahim, Holly Bender (Sierra Club)
Public Health: Pryanka Surio, Bruno Olmedo Quiroga (Good Energy), Eriel
Gender: Jackie Omotalade (Pyxera Global), Mona Hamdy (Harvard W3D), Sarah Yawanawa (Yawanawa)
Drop-ins: Nezha Larhrissi, Claire Charlo (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes)
ACT V: THE RESOLUTION — Closing Ceremony
🕓 6:15 PM – 6:30 PM | Reflections & Pledges
Yasmine El Baggari leads reflection and Q&A
closing song by Ryan Whitewolf
6:30 PM | Event Concludes