Intersectional Environmentalist: Growing the Movement

In the face of global crises, historically-excluded communities are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. Luckily, there is a growing movement that looks at this issue through an intersectional lens, and the individuals behind it are working hard to educate others and spread awareness to take action. 

We spoke with Sabs Katz, Co-Founder and Partnerships Lead at Intersectional Environmentalist, about how this collective is amplifying the intersectional environmentalism movement through content creation, activations, education, and community-building.

What was the “spark” that inspired you to start creating Intersectional Environmentalist content?

Intersectional Environmentalist (IE) was founded during the resurgence of the civil rights movement back in 2020. After the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, there was little vocal support from the environmental community. Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) created an Instagram post that would end up going viral, calling on climate advocates to stand in solidarity with Black lives and defining intersectional environmentalism. 

With the momentum and support from the climate justice community online, Leah connected with fellow environmentalists like Diandra Marizet (@diandramarizet), Phil Aiken (@philthefixer), myself (@sustainablesabs), and our larger community to develop a resource hub and Instagram page for learning more about the intersections between climate and social justice.

What do you consider to be your biggest success? Can you share any stories of the impact your work has had that have surprised you?

There are so many things we’ve been proud of, but if I have to choose one I’d say it’s the community we’ve built. Being in community with and having support from 500K individuals across the world has been so affirming. Seeing folks engage with and use our resources, as well as start clubs and groups dedicated to intersectional environmentalism, seeing students change their school curriculum, and even hearing the White House speak to the importance of intersectionality in the climate space shows just how prolific this movement is and how much it’s needed!

How do you feel having a platform and community help to make the world better?

It’s been incredible to have a pulse on our reach and to see how people are taking the message of intersectional environmentalism and really embodying it. By leading with climate optimism, storytelling, and solutions, our community has taken these environmental justice learnings and empowered themselves to start community groups, join local gardens, and participate in wealth distribution for grassroots organizations.

What are some of the challenges you typically face in creating content or building out your audience?

Challenges like the ever-changing algorithm, emerging trends, and digital burnout have encouraged us to get creative and reimagine how we disseminate and share our resources with people. Content creation and education/awareness will always be a part of our offerings, so we’re excited to continue navigating the digital landscape and using social media as a tool for building this movement.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We’re currently re-imagining the next chapter for IE, and through that process are focusing on continuing to support our online community with educational assets and fostering more in-person activations that bridge communities with their local environmental justice (EJ) leaders through offerings like Earth Sessions (@earthsessions.ie), workshops, campus visits, and book giveaway meet-ups.

How can people help support your mission?

Following and engaging with our content, joining local environmental justice initiatives, taking action toward the things you’re passionate about (e.g. joining a community garden, supporting frontline communities, voting, etc.), amplifying climate optimism and solutions, and supporting grassroots climate justice organizations are all ways we, as individuals, can support a more equitable and inclusive future.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better Magazine: