GreenFaith Interfaith Environmental Justice Convergence
Joelle Novey
US Convergence 2016: New Orleans, Louisiana
Coming Together for Climate Justice
June 20th-24th
What’s a Convergence?
It’s leadership training, and more. It’s a coming together of many voices and many perspectives into a powerful and effective network. It’s a gathering of emerging leaders who want to put their beliefs into action for the environment in meaningful ways.
Why New Orleans?
In 2005, the world watched as Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans and Louisiana with deadly force. Only a month later, Hurricane Rita decimated many of Louisiana’s coastal communities. The images that surfaced in these storms’ aftermath introduced the realities of environmental racism and climate injustice to a larger audience than ever, as people saw clearly that those who suffered the worst of the storms’ impacts were persons of color, and the poor.
New Orleans and its surroundings will serve as our classroom during the Convergence, and its faith and community leaders will be our instructors and guides.
Held at beautiful and historic Tulane University, the US Convergence will bring together leaders, ages 21 to 35, from diverse religious and spiritual traditions. Participants will learn about climate justice, visiting communities in New Orleans and the Bayou that were devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and are continually threatened by rising sea levels. Participants will hear stories of these communities’ resilience and responses, and receive training that will help develop the skills to become better religious-environmental leaders. Additional training will be offered digitally before and after the Convergence to help participants refine their voice and their skills.
The New Orleans’ Convergence is one in a series of Convergences which GreenFaith is holding for religious-environmental leaders from the Millennial generation. It follows last June’s Convergence in Rome, where 110 people from 30 countries gathered, and will follow a similar training in Rio de Janeiro in early June, 2016, for leaders from Latin America.
What is the Financial Cost for Participating?
GreenFaith will pay the costs of participants’ food and lodging while at the event. Participants are responsible for paying the costs of their own travel to and from New Orleans, or for raising the funds for that travel. Participants are also required to have an institutional sponsor – an organization such as a local faith community, denominational or judicatory office, academic institution, or religious NGO. While sponsoring organizations may pay for all or part of a participant’s travel costs, all sponsors provide moral support and encouragement for the participant’s environmental initiatives and overall growth.
How Do I Apply?
The application to the US Convergence must be submitted through Google Forms here.
The sponsorship form must also be submitted through Google Forms here.
Learn more about the US Convergence.
Email us with any questions.
The application is open to residents of the United States and Canada, ages 21 to 35. The deadline for submission of your application is April 18th, 2016, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance on or before May 16th, 2016.