Welcome back to Seek The Joy Podcast!

Day one at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training in Denver, Colorado March 2017

Today's episode is a special one and it's jam packed! First, you'll hear my conversation with my friend Divya Nawale. Divya and I met last year in Denver, Colorado when we attended the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training with The Climate Reality Project. Then, you'll hear from five Climate Reality Leaders who I also met in Denver.

Back in Episode 1 I talked about my passion for the environment and being part of the solution to the climate crisis. I've been following the Climate Reality Project for some time now, and for years I wanted to attend a leadership training. The opportunity to learn directly from former Vice President Al Gore, world class scientists and communicators was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Out of 3,000 applications I was invited to sit in one of the roughly 900 seats in Denver. To say that I was honored to be there and to attend would be an understatement.

We started off by experiencing the presentation that sparked a global movement – VP Gore’s presentation on the climate crisis and its solutions. His two-hour presentation was inspiring, moving, and at times shocking. From panel discussions, breakout sessions, climate storytelling, and the opportunity to hear directly from scientists about the climate crisis and its solutions, the three days spent at the Colorado Convention Center provided me with the reboot I needed to turn my determination into action.

I know the topic of climate change can be heated and at times alienating. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to include this episode on Seek The Joy. So I just want to say this. I really believe that climate change is not a liberal or conservative issue - we have to take it out of the partisan framework. At its core, it's a human issue and a social justice issue. There's a new sustainable world ahead of us, and I'm really excited for it.

So no matter what side you're on when it comes to climate change - I hope you'll give today's episode a listen.

You can learn more about The Climate Reality Project here and the Climate Reality Leadership Corps here

Divya Nawale

Divya in front of Ocean Endeavour in February getting ready to depart on her second expedition to Antarctica!

Divya is an environmentalist at her core and one of the kindest people I know. It's been so fun to keep up with her over the last year, and as I type this she is actually on her way back from her second expedition to Antarctica with 2041 ClimateForce.

Divya first traveled to Antarctica with 2041 ClimateForce in 2009 as a recent graduate. The expedition gave her a sense of direction - and from there she threw herself into a career in environmental sustainability. Her adventure to Antarctica gave her purpose and meaning - and she hasn't looked back since.

Her passion for the environment was first sparked when she saw An Inconvenient Truth in 2008. Growing up in India, Divya saw climate change in action. The movie resonated with her, and ever since she's been committed to doing her part to protect and preserve our environment.

Divya has worked with big companies in India and the US on corporate sustainability management, and she's coordinated 30+ CSR projects in areas of education, women's empowerment, and disaster management. After training to become a Climate Reality Leader last year in Denver, she went on to be a mentor at their Pittsburgh training. At that training she also was on a panel discussion talking about climate action with former VP Al Gore. It was SO cool to hear her talk about that experience - and the selfie she took with VP Gore!

I was so excited to have Divya on Seek The Joy to talk about her passion for the environment and her self-love and joy journey. She shares a great story about what she was doing the day I asked her to be on the podcast (talk about a serendipitous moment!) We also talk about how she stays grounded and true to who she is, how she builds up her self-love muscles, treating ourselves with kindness and patience during moments of uncertainty, her love for dance, and so much more.

You can learn more about ClimateForce: Antarctica here

Climate Reality Leader Catch-Up

When I was thinking about what episodes I wanted to put out in March - doing an episode about my experience in Denver felt like a no brainer. I thought it would be really fun to invite some fellow Climate Reality Leaders on to share a little bit about their experiences and takeaways from Denver. All five women are incredibly accomplished - I'm so happy that they are part of this week's episode.

Andrea McGimsey

Andrea is the Senior Director for Global Warming Solutions at Environment America. She was also my mentor at the training in Denver! She is a passionate and experienced advocate for the environment, and I feel lucky to know her. Plus she was a great mentor - I know everyone at Table 54 would agree on that!!

Karen Harrington

Karen is a passionate advocate for the environment. Since being trained in Denver last year she's given presentations all around the world. From Thailand to China, she's committed to spreading awareness about the climate crisis. I am so impressed by Karen and admire her passion, tenacity, and endless commitment to being part of the change.

Linda Kraemer

Born and raised in Orange County, Linda is a psychotherapist by trade and committed to climate activism. She left the training in Denver committed to changing careers, and she has so much drive to learn every day. She's really involved in local action in Orange County, including OC Clean Power at www.occleanpower.org Citizens Climate Lobby https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ and OCClimateAction.org and OC Clean Power www.OCCleanPower.org.

If you're native to the OC area and want to get more involved, you can contact Linda at lkteamtalk@gmail.com

Joanclair Richter

Joanclair is part of the leadership for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Climate Reality Project and incorporates climate action into her business model at MovieMind Green. She is committed to helping others live a greener lifestyle, and it was so wonderful to hear her talk about not only her experience at the training, but also what it's been like to be part of the chapter in Los Angeles.

Mayela Manasjan

Mayela was the first person from Table 54 that I met - and she greeted me with a hug. Her energy is infectious - and I've had the best time following her environmental journey over the last year. She's been an environmental advocate her entire life, and has worked diligently to protect the environment.

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Ep. 23 Connecting Through Activism and Sharing Our Stories with Divya Nawale - Plus a Climate Reality Leader Catch-Up