Reimagining the Climate Movement: From Black Girl Environmentalist to Beyond

WHAT: The Lowell Lecture Series at the New England Aquarium welcomes Rhodes Scholar, climate activist, and entrepreneur Wawa Gatheru for a talk about climate activism. Gatheru will explore the intersection of climate change and environmental justice, why inclusive leadership matters in building climate solutions, and how we can reimagine the climate movement in our collective image. Drawing on lessons learned building Black Girl Environmentalist and her own personal climate advocacy journey, she will share what it takes to create a more accessible, representative, and impactful environmental movement.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 29 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a cash bar available.

WHERE: In person at the New England Aquarium’s Simons Theatre, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. The lecture will also be livestreamed via Zoom.

HOW: Register here for in-person and virtual attendance to the event. Advance registration is required. This New England Aquarium Lowell Lecture Series event is free to the public and presented through the generosity of the Lowell Institute.

WHO: Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru is a climate storyteller passionate about making the climate movement relevant and accessible to everyone. Drawing on her background as a Rhodes Scholar and youth climate activist, Wawa works to bring climate justice into the mainstream.

She is the founder and executive director of Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE), the only national organization dedicated to addressing the pipeline and pathway challenges facing Black girls, women, and gender-expansive individuals in the climate sector. Under her leadership, BGE has over 3,000 members, 120+ nonprofit and corporate partners, and has hosted some 250 events across 14 hub cities. Forbes has recognized BGE as “one of the largest Black youth-led organizations in the country.”

The daughter of Agĩkũyũ Kenyan immigrants, Gatheru grew up in rural Connecticut on Mashantucket Pequot land. As a graduate of the University of Connecticut, she became the first Rhodes Scholar in the history of Connecticut’s public university system. She remains the only Black person to have received the Rhodes, Truman, and Udall Scholarships. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from UConn and a master’s degree from the University of Oxford in environmental governance.

MEDIA CONTACT: Pam Bechtold Snyder—psnyder@neaq.org