Jeff Masters Weather Blog

New fund aims to bring more people into the climate conversation » Yale Climate Connections


Many communities in the U.S. are working to reduce global warming and transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. But some people have been left out of the conversation.

“The whole polar bear PR campaign, you know, from many years back, it really didn’t resonate with people of color or people in urban areas. And so, what I want to be able to do is to start observing equitable and accessible conversations that really make climate digestible for people and clean energy a digestible topic,” says Leah Hudnall, director of the Ohio Climate Justice Fund.

The new fund provides grants for hosting community listening sessions to organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.

At these events, Ohioans will share their views about climate change, utility costs, air pollution, green jobs, and more.

“Many things I think are being done without resident voice and resident input. And so this is a fund that is completely invested in receiving that input and documenting it,” Hudnall says.

She says this information can be used to encourage policymakers to support climate action plans and craft equitable clean energy policies.

“We’re really excited to see what happens,” she says.

Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media



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