Mark your calendar for CleanAIRE NC’s eighth annual NC BREATHE conference, sponsored by Atrium Health and the US EPA Air, Climate, and Energy Research Program. This year’s theme is “Climate Justice: Our Path to Healthier Communities.” The hybrid event takes place Thursday, April 6, at the 658 Center in Charlotte, N.C., and brings together a diverse group of North Carolina influencers, policymakers and community members who care about the earth, the air and the health of North Carolina and its people.
We’re lining up community leaders and change makers to inspire you. Dr. Aaron Levy, DO, a pediatrician at Atrium Health, will kick off the event, sharing his perspective on caring for children who struggle with asthma — and how air pollution and climate change can exacerbate the health conditions of the patients he treats. He’ll offer a call to action to encourage other health professionals to become advocates and help find solutions.
Mustafa Santiago Ali, founder of Revitalization Strategies and executive vice president of the National Wildlife Federation, will offer guidance on partnering with environmental justice communities and sharing tools for community-driven projects like CleanAIRE NC’s Historic West End Green District partnership. Additional speakers and panelists will be announced in the coming weeks.
NC BREATHE brings together health professionals, researchers, students, frontline communities and policymakers to talk about issues at the intersection of health, equity and climate change.
Come to learn, to make connections, and to advocate for a cause you care about. The more we know, the better we can advocate for health and environmental justice at the local, state and federal level.
Our goal is to fulfill CleanAIRE NC’s mission to advocate for the health of all North Carolinians by pursuing equitable and collaborative solutions that address climate change and air pollution. That’s why, during the conference, using evidence-based science, attendees will advocate in real time, developing recommendations to share with decision-makers.
Students interested in our mission are invited to submit posters showcasing their research abstracts. Three student abstract authors will be selected to give short presentations about their work during the conference.
Research abstracts should focus on public health, environmental health, health equity and/or climate change. Abstracts don’t have to directly relate to all the conference themes, but we do encourage researchers to consider how their work may intersect with conference themes of climate justice and healthier communities.
Submit posters of abstracts by Monday, March 6, at 11:59 p.m.
Registration is now open! Early-bird registration ends Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Reserve your spot today!
Students attend free. Attendance fees are $100 (in person) and $50 (virtual).
