Minnesota climate activist selected to Obama Foundation's Leaders USA Program
MINNEAPOLIS -- We are all experts in our lived experiences, and that includes our experience with climate change.
Change Narrative LLC is a Twin Cities-based organization working to spread that message by building capacity in the climate justice movement through the power of stories. Its founder, Jothsna Harris, created the climate consulting business in 2021 after coming to terms with her own climate story. Now, she spends her time helping other people shape theirs.
"The work is really to work with people to craft powerful, personal narratives of climate change in ways to help them build their own confidence as leaders, but also as a tool to advocate for solutions," Harris said.
Harris helps people find their connection to climate change. It can then be shared as a public speech, a written piece of work, at legislative hearings or in the form of art or other creative expressions.
"It gives us a very tangible tool to be able to advocate for the world that we want to see and that we are actually building already," Harris explained.
Harris' work often involves those who are most affected by climate change, but whose stories traditionally go unheard. This includes communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities.
"In order to repair harm and shift damaging narratives in mainstream climate communications, we actually need to amplify the voices of everyday people," said Harris.
The work of Change Narrative stretches beyond just Minnesota. Harris has helped people in the Gulf South, Appalachia and California deal with the climate crises specific to those regions.
Soon, her work will be able to reach even more people.
Harris was selected as one of the 100 people in the United States - and one of just two from Minnesota - to be a part of the Obama Foundation's Leaders USA Program. The program provides training, practical tools and collaboration opportunities to reinforce values-driven leadership in our country. The six-month program is designed to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders across the country.
She says this is a chance for her to make an even greater change because she'll get to work with like-minded leaders across the U.S.
"It is really when we get to collaborate across sectors and across differences that we have the opportunity to create intersectional solutions," said Harris.
This is the first year of the U.S. leaders program, but cohorts are already creating change in other parts of the world through the Obama Foundation. There is already the same kind of program happening in Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Harris admits she does not yet know what will come at the end of the six-month program, but she is confident the work will be positive.
"That is one of the essential roles of storytelling is to reimagine what is possible and to reimagine a more vibrant and bright future," said Harris. "When I think about the opportunity to be a part of the Obama Leaders USA program, it is that feeling that we don't know what we don't know yet and we have an opportunity to be able to create it."
Harris' place in the program is a representation of more than just herself. As a woman of color, she is giving a voice to a group that is often voiceless.
"People have told me 'I need to see you. I need to see you in this movement and I need to see you on the stage,'" said Harris. "We all should be a part of this public discord on climate change in meaningful ways that bring in our human experience. We should also be a part of being at the decision-making table, helping to build the table and being part of these really critical discussions on climate change which have not included all of us."
