Refresh, Renew, Regenerate
In the face of the daunting challenge that is climate change, four prominent environmental justice leaders - Mustafa Santiago Ali, Dallas Goldtooth, Elizabeth Yeampierre, and Tamara Toles O'Laughlin - have adopted deliberate self-care practices to avoid burnout and recharge while advocating for climate justice.
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, North America Director of 350.org, recognises the exhaustion that comes with covering the climate crisis, particularly in the context of marginalized communities and an election watched by the world. To combat this, she ensures her work is sustainable by planning rest from the beginning and combats burnout with dark humor.
Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, values self-care by prioritizing community care, checking in with loved ones, telling stories, joking, and sharing food daily. Yessenia Funes, the climate editor of Atmos, is another advocate who emphasizes the importance of self-care in the climate movement.
Common themes in environmental justice leadership self-care include mindfulness and nature connection, periodic self-check-ins and wellness evaluation, community and peer support, setting intentions and meditation, and promoting sustainable movements. Retreats such as The Resilient Activist's Spirit of Activism Retreat offer environmental activists guided nature walks, solitude, and contemplation to nurture the spirit, process eco-anxiety, and build emotional resilience.
Leaders and individuals regularly assess their personal definitions of self-care, evaluate supports for wellness, and set aside intentional quiet time for reflection and rest. Encouraging supportive team environments through peer groups, debriefing sessions, buddy systems, and cultural expression helps sustain well-being and counter emotional exhaustion. Intentional practices like meditation, setting daily balance goals, and adopting purposeful self-care routines are recognized as key to sustaining activism.
Environmental justice leaders emphasize modeling self-care to promote sustainability in social justice movements, linking personal transformation with broader systemic change. Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice at the National Wildlife Federation, runs five days a week and meditates when needed. Tamara Toles O'Laughlin practices meditation, journaling, and long walks in green places as forms of rest before any campaign, mobilization, or training. Dallas Goldtooth disconnects from social media for at least two hours every day.
Amidst the relentless pursuit of climate justice, these leaders serve as a reminder that self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity. As we continue to fight for a sustainable future, let us remember to take a day to rest and recharge, just like the author is doing today.
- Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, the North America Director of 350.org, uses dark humor to overcome burnout and ensuring her work is sustainable by planning rest from the beginning.
- Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, prioritizes community care and finds solace in storytelling, joking, and sharing food with loved ones.
- In line with environmental justice leadership, leaders like Yessenia Funes, the climate editor of Atmos, emphasize the significance of self-care in the climate movement.
- Dallas Goldtooth, one of the environmental justice leaders, combats emotional exhaustion by disconnecting from social media for at least two hours every day.
