Photo Credit: Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice
This issue of Frontline Momentum focuses on one simple fact: activists need self-care too! We explore the importance of seeking joy and prioritizing mental health with highlights from the Environmental Justice Groundbreakers award ceremony at the HBCU Climate Change Conference, insights from the Joy Report’s Arielle V. King, and a featured resource that focuses on support for climate anxiety.
A Letter from FRI’s Acting Director, Dr. Margot Brown
Joy is the justice we give ourselves. – Nikki Giovanni
Lately, I find myself coming back to Nikki Giovanni’s words about joy. So many of us are working in a moment that feels especially heavy, and I have been thinking about what it takes to keep going. When I was recently invited to speak with my colleagues at the Environmental Defense Fund about navigating stress, I found myself talking about joy. Not as a distraction from the stressors of world, and not as a way around what’s hard, but as something essential. Environmental and climate justice work asks a lot of us, and maintaining our individual capacity to show up every day requires intention and care.
That reflection led me to think more honestly about how I tend to joy in my own life. I’ve learned that it’s not something I stumble into or wait for. It’s something I must seek out and return to, often through small, everyday practices that help me stay grounded and able to show up again and again.
Music is often where that grounding begins. As a mother of three and an executive, my days are full and my attention is constantly divided. I spend a lot of time in my car, moving between meetings, school pickups, practices, and everything in between. Turning on music gives me a release I need because it helps me work through my frustrations, disappointments, and stress instead of carrying those feelings into the rest of my day. While my circumstances may not change, I do. Music helps me clear space and find my way back to joy, sometimes one song at a time.
That ability to reset and keep moving is something I also learn from environmental justice elders. Being in their presence brings me joy because they remind me that purposeful work is rarely easy or linear. They have taught me that there will be setbacks, detours, and moments of doubt, and that is part of the work. Still, when you are moving in the right direction, there is joy in staying aligned with your purpose. I was reminded of this while hosting a ceremony in New Orleans honoring founders of the environmental justice movement. Standing alongside people who have been with this work for decades helps keep me grounded. Their steadfast leadership is a reminder that joy and purpose are deeply connected.
“We must not let anyone or anything steal our joy and our love of community.” – Dr. Robert Bullard
I carry that reminder with me into my daily routines in quieter ways, too. Tea has become one of them. I love tea, and I have built a daily practice around it. Making it gives me a moment of pause I can count on, even when my days are full. The warmth of the cup and the aroma rising as it steeps slow me down just enough to take a breath and reset. Like music and like learning from elders, it helps me come back to myself so I can meet what comes next with steadiness.
Taken together, these practices remind me that joy is not incidental to justice work. It is something we must actively protect and return to, because it is what helps us stay connected to ourselves, to one another, and to the long view this work requires.
FRI Out Front: A Joyful Celebration to Honor Environmental Justice Legends
The 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference, organized by the Bullard Center for Environmental & Climate Justice for Environmental & Climate Justice and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice for Environmental Justice, united hundreds of climate scholars and activist from across the U.S. in New Orleans in March. The conference featured an Environmental Justice Groundbreakers award ceremony, moderated by FRI Acting Director Margot Brown, which honored 11 founders of the U.S. environmental justice movement.
Partner Spotlight: Arielle V. King on Why She Hosts The Joy Report Podcast
“I believe that for this work to be sustained, it must be done with sustainability in mind. In my opinion, this requires taking breaks and remembering what brought you to this work in the first place. Rest ensures we can stay in this work for the long haul.” — Arielle V. King
Arielle V. King is an environmental educator, creative director, and host of “The Joy Report”, a podcast produced by eco-media nonprofit Intersectional Environmentalist. During an interview, she shares that joy and rest are integral to the environmental justice movement’s success and hopes the podcast can be an antidote to climate anxiety.
Listen to “The Joy Report” episode featuring FRI’s very own Dr. Margot Brown on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share with your network! For more episodes, check out the Intersectional Environmentalist’s webpage.
From the Network: Self-Care Sustains Community Care
Tony DeFalco is the Executive Director of the Latino Network and the latest leader featured in our Conceptual Committee Member Spotlight series. He understands the common obstacles that frontline organizations face and encourages advocates to prioritize self-care when possible. This includes asking for help and searching for resources like FRI which he claims, “…are needed more than ever before given the scope of the challenges we face.”
In Case You Missed It: Celebrating Women Leaders at the Frontlines of Justice
“Whether we are doing it hands‑on or building partnerships with people who are mission‑aligned, we are working together to address these needs. We work with purpose and joy.” – Rashida Ferdinand, founder of Sankofa CDC
The accomplishments of powerful women leaders deserve to be celebrated in March and beyond! Check out this recent Women’s History Month blog for a dose of inspiration. It features Rashida Ferdinand, Isabel González Whitaker, and Shilpi Chhotray, three women who are pushing the environmental justice movement forward with radiance and resilience.
Featured Resource: Tools to Manage Climate Stress
How do you cope with climate anxiety? The Youth Climate Collaborative (YCC), an international organization supporting youth-led climate action, curated a list of resources to address eco-anxiety and prioritize “care before burnout” as one of its core values. The resource hub features community stories, guided journals, tools to navigate climate emotions, and a network of support groups.
YCC cohosted the Climate Courage event with FRI to support young women dealing with climate stress. The event created a safe space to reflect, share coping strategies, and reimagine a flourishing environment for all. Read more about our collaboration with YCC here!
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