Welcome Remarks by:
John Wear, Catawba College
June Blotnick, CleanAIRE NC
Land & Water Acknowledgement by:
Mercedes Quesada-Embid, Catawba College
Speakers:
Candace Cahoon, Program Coordinator/Respiratory Therapist Case Manager, Vidant Health
Andrew Harver, Professor of Public Health Sciences, UNC Charlotte
This panel discussion features community leaders who are working on the frontline to address the impact of climate change in their community and beyond.
Moderator:
Sherri White-Williamson, Environmental Justice Policy Director, NC Conservation Network
Panelists:
Courtney Woods, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill
Bonita Green, Community Leader, Merrick Moore Community Development Corporation (Presentation PDF)
Rev. Jimmy Melvin, Pastor, Mt. Zion AME Church
Alexis Raeana Jones, The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Alexis Raeana LLC
Richard Moore is a widely respected national environmental justice leader who shares his expertise gleaned from decades of fighting for healthier lives for people of color, low-income communities, indigenous peoples, and other disenfranchised groups.
Moderator:
Stan Meiburg, Director of Graduate Programs in Sustainability, Wake Forest University
Keynote Speaker:
Richard Moore, Co-Coordinator, Los Jardines Institute and Co-Chair, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Presenter:
Stephanie Cleland, PhD Candidate, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill
Student Presenters:
Sophia C. Ryan, Appalachian State University
Qasim Mehdi, Syracuse University
Lindsay Savelli & Amy Kryston, UNC-Chapel Hill
During this keynote address, Dr. Wilson discusses drivers of environmental and climate injustices and differential air quality and related health impacts. Additionally, he tells how technology can be used to help engage communities of concern, assess and visualize impacts, and help mitigate and reduce impacts associated with environmental and climate injustices including differential air quality.
Moderator:
Andrew Harver, Professor of Public Health Sciences, UNC Charlotte
Keynote Speaker:
Sacoby Wilson, Director, Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health; Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health; University of Maryland School of Public Health
This panel discussion focuses on how the use of innovative mapping tools and applications can be used by individuals and organizations to collect environmental health data to advance health and equity solutions. The panel discusses best ways to communicate climate change issues to different audiences.
Moderator:
Andrew Jacobson, Assistant Professor of GIS & Conservation, Catawba College
Panelists:
Max Cawley, Program Manager, Public Engagement with Science, Museum of Life and Science (Presentation PDF)
Rebecca Fry, Director, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute for Environmental Health Solutions
Eric Klos, CEO, Founder, DailyBREATH (Presentation PDF)
Julia Kumari-Drapkin, CEO, Founder, ISeeChange
Ron Ross, AirKeeper Leader, Historic West End Green District/Northwood Estates Community Organization, Charlotte (Presentation PDF)
This panel discussion focuses on the new multi-institutional effort to develop climate resilience solutions in frontline communities in the Carolinas. Researchers from North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Museum of Life and Science, Furman University and South Carolina State University, are tasked with building community partnerships to advance climate resilience and health equity in the region.
Moderator:
Sen. DeAndrea Salvador, NC Senate District 39, Charlotte
Presenter:
Jennifer Runkle, Co-lead Director, Carolinas Collaborative on Climate, Health, & Equity
Panelists:
Crystal Dixon, Assistant Professor of the Practice, Wake Forest University
Mercedes Quesada-Embid, Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Advocacy, Catawba College
Kirsten Minor, Health Manager, CleanAIRE NC
Angie Shatas, Associate National Program Director for Air, Climate, and Energy, US EPA
This panel discussion focuses on youth-directed climate and advocacy action across North Carolina and highlights the evolution of their strategies and experiences working with their communities.
Moderator:
Madison Fragnito, Education Manager, CleanAIRE NC
Panelists:
Nina MacKinnon, Catawba College
Bekah Nielsen, Appalachian State University (Presentation PDF)
Issac Smith, North Carolina State University (Presentation PDF)
Jessica Aguilar, UNC-Wilmington (Presentation PDF)
Speaker:
Dr. H. Kim Lyerly, George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Immunology, Duke University (Presentation PDF)
Speaker:
Dionne Delli-Gatti, NC Clean Energy Director
Speakers:
Catawba College Students
