On March 29, hundreds of colleges, universities and K-12 schools all over the world will host a Climate & Justice Teach-In. This year, NAU will host its second annual event. The Climate & Justice Teach-In is an all-day event that encourages dialogue about climate change and climate justice.
“The Climate & Justice Teach-In has a broad, transdisciplinary focus,” said Nora Timmerman, associate teaching professor from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and researcher in Sustainable Communities. Timmerman is one of the several team members organizing this year’s teach-in at NAU.
“All of the sessions focus on issues of climate justice, but they dive into a range of topics from migration and refugees to local climate policy, protest, to health impacts of climate change. The overall message of the teach-in is that we are all hugely impacted by global climate change, we need to make time and space to talk about it across disciplinary boundaries, across the campus and community divide. The time to learn and act together is now.”
The Climate and Justice Teach-in is open to the entirety of northern Arizona. Last year’s teach-in had more than 300 people in attendance, and this year the event is expected to bring in close to 500 participants.
If you’re someone who is concerned about climate change but doesn’t know what you can do to get involved in the solution, the Climate and Justice Teach-in is a great place to start.
“The teach-in is important in this moment because we are all already being affected by climate change,” said Timmerman. “We need to address climate change and climate injustices in our lives, and to do so well, we have to come together to learn and dialogue.”
Event attendees can expect to make new connections and speak with highly knowledgeable individuals they might not have had access to otherwise. Additionally, they can also expect to learn a lot about what we already know about the impacts of climate change and the actions communities are already taking to address it.
The Climate & Justice Teach-In will take place at the DuBois center beginning at 9:30 a.m. The event will consist of panel sessions, keynote addresses, interactive workshops and live performances.
Review the full schedule of events below.
9:35 – 10:50 a.m. – Panels
“Food and Climate” – With Armando Medinaceli, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Anthropology, and Sara Sprague from Colton Community Garden
Room: Aspen A
“Climate Protest” – With Sean Parson, associate professor of politics and international affairs, Nora Timmerman, associate teaching professor of Sociology, and Madeline Trilling, Flag High Environmental Club President
Room: Aspen B
“Fossil Free Transitions” – with Jennifer Wade, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Brandon McNamara, graduate research assistant; Dara Marks Marino and Eric Souders
Room: Aspen C
11:10 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. – Panels
“Social Causes of Climate Change” – with Alder Keleman Saxena, assistant professor of anthropology; Kent Linthicum, assistant teaching professor of comparative cultural studies; and Brian Petersen, associate professor of geography
Room: Aspen A
“Local Climate Policy” – with Erik Nielsen, NAU Chief Sustainability Officer and Anna Vaughn, NAU grad student
Room: Aspen B
“Migration, Refugees & Climate” – with Leah Mundell, associate teaching professor of anthropology and Sydney Shevat, NAU grad student
Room: Aspen C
“Climate, Health & Human Rights” – with Sara Shuman, assistant clinical professor of public health; Matt Maurer, lecturer in the department of health sciences and Carmenlita Chief, senior research coordinator from the Center for Health Equity Research
Room: Aspen A
1-2 p.m. – Keynote Panel and Dialogue
“Visioning the Future We Want to Build” – In person at the du Bois Center and streamed on Zoom at this link, with password 706465.
Opening remarks from Timmerman on NAU’s student activists’ commitment to climate justice.
Keynote Panel of NAU student climate activists to include:
Phoenix Eskridge-Aldama, Ph.D. student of earth science and environmental sustainability; director of climate action, NAU graduate student government
Lindsey Falkenburg, MA student in sustainable communities, ecological restoration practitioner, visionary writer and community engagement minor graduate assistant
Brendan Trachsel, student body president of ASNAU, Parks & Rec Management and Outdoor Ed & Leadership senior
2:20 – 3:35 p.m. – Panels
“Indigenous Land & Water Futures” – with Cipactli (Candi) Corrales, assistant teaching professor of ethnic studies; Karen Jarrat-Snider, professor of applied indigenous studies; Nicole Horseherder and To Nizhoni Ani
Room: Aspen A
“Eco-Emotions” – with Kinney Anderson, Flagstaff Public Library; Jenna Gibson, psychology grad student; Alex Lange, construction engineering management student; and Mara Pfeffer, community herbalist and death doula
Room: Aspen B
“Fires, Forest Ecology, and Communities” – with Peter Fulé, Regents’ professor in the School of Forestry and Michelle Mack, Regents’ professor of ecosystem ecology
Room: Aspen C
3:45-4:45 p.m. – Interactive Activities
Art workshops
Seed workshops
Documentary showing
Tabling
6-8 p.m. – Performance
Tha Yoties Band Performance at the International Pavilion