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Wawa Gatheru

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Wawa Gatheru
Born (1998-11-06) November 6, 1998 (age 26)
OccupationClimate justice activist
OrganizationBlack Girl Environmentalist
Websiteblackgirlenvironmentalist.org

Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru (born 6 November 1998) is an American climate justice activist. She founded the Black Girl Environmentalist.

Early life

Gatheru was born to Kenyan immigrants and raised in the rural area of Pomfret, Connecticut,[1] where she spent a lot of time outdoors gardening with her mother and grandmother.[2][3] She became interested in climate activism at 15 and took classes in environmental science.[4][5]

Gatheru attended the University of Connecticut. She received the Rhodes, Harry S. Truman, and Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation's scholarship in 2019.[6] She graduated magna cum laude in 2020 with a BA in Environmental studies and a minor in Urban and Community Studies.[7] She earned her Master's from the University of Oxford.[8]

Black Girl Environmentalist

Gatheru founded Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE) in 2021,[9] during a period when climate change in Kenya and heat waves in American affects the black communities.[10]

The idea for the organization started with her article written for Vice on her experience as a Black environmental student.[11] BGE started as a community on Instagram,[12] and has been considered by Forbes, as "one of the largest Black youth-led organizations in the country."[13]

Activism

The climate space is notoriously white and Black youth are quite literally at the sidelines. [BGE] programming works to empower the next generation of climate leaders of color through community empowerment, green workforce development, and narrative change – all created by the very demographic we seek to serve.

— [14]

Gatheru sought to advocate for Black women and non-binary people through writing and public speaking.[15][16][17] like Penn State[18] and Yale, plus prominent news organizations, like NPR[19] and WNYC[20]

In 2022, she hosted the black eco-feminist summit, which was featured in the British Vogue.[21] She was the board chair at the Environmental Media Association and member of the Earthjustice Council.[22]

Gatheru is a Narrative Fellow at the All We Can Save Project,[23] Revolutionary Power Fellow at the United States Department of Energy.[24][25]

Achievements

Gatheru was recognized as a Young Futurist by The Root in 2020, a Grist 50 FIXER, and Glamour College Woman of the Year.[26] In 2021, she was Victoria's Secret PINK Purpose Project Winner.[27]

In January 2023, she appeared on the cover of Vogue along Billie Eilish.[28] In March 2023, she was named one of five Tom's of Maine Incubator winners.[29] She was also named Climate Creator to Watch by Pique Action and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health,[30] became a member of the first-ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,[31] and won a Trailblazer Award at the annual Net Zero Conference.[32]

In 2024, Gatheru was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 List under Social Impact.[33]

References

  1. ^ Reitz, Stephanie (2019-11-24). "Student Leader Wanjiku (Wawa) Gatheru Named UConn's First Rhodes Scholar". UConn Today. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  2. ^ "Black Earth Podcast | Transcript: Becoming Black Girl Environmentalists with Wanjiku Gatheru". Black Earth Podcast. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  3. ^ "Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru". GBH. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  4. ^ "A Conversation with Black Girl Environmentalist Founder Wawa Gatheru". Earth Island Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  5. ^ "How this 22-year-old is creating an anti-racist climate movement: 'We're trying to create a new future'". Yahoo Life. 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  6. ^ Hirsh, Sophie (2021-11-23). "Why Community Is Key in Climate Justice Activism, According to Wawa Gatheru (Exclusive)". Green Matters. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  7. ^ "Wawa Gatheru: Keynote speaker for 2022 MLKjr Day festivities". The Davis Center. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  8. ^ "National Parks Conservation Association". National Parks Conservation Association. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  9. ^ "About". Black Girl Environmentalist. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  10. ^ Team, Y. C. C. (2023-12-22). "Black Girl Environmentalist is highlighting the contributions of Black women in the climate movement » Yale Climate Connections". Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  11. ^ staff, Fix (2021-06-07). "These environmental justice leaders are creating the spaces they wish they'd had". Fix. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  12. ^ Nast, Condé (2023-04-21). "Black Girls Deserve a Spot at the Environmental Decision-Making Table". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  13. ^ "Wawa Gatheru". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  14. ^ "Meet Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru, The Founder Of Black Girl Environmentalist". Essence. 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  15. ^ Gatheru, Wawa (2024-04-22). "Activist Wawa Gatheru on Championing Black Women as Climate Leaders This Earth Day—And Beyond". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  16. ^ Rich, Heileman (2023-02-10). "Gatheru to speak about environmental justice: Around The Town". cleveland. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  17. ^ "Climate activist Wawa Gatheru: Fight for an age of "unprecedented care" | Bryant News". news.bryant.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  18. ^ "Heard on Campus: Climate activist Wanjiku Gatheru at Penn State Behrend | Penn State University". www.psu.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  19. ^ "Wawa Gatheru on the Campbell Conversations". WRVO Public Media. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  20. ^ "The Work of Black Girl Environmentalist | The Takeaway". WNYC Studios. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  21. ^ Attlee, Joycelyn Longdon (2022-10-03). "Inside The UK's First Black Ecofeminist Summit". British Vogue. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  22. ^ "Climate activist Wawa Gatheru: Fight for an age of "unprecedented care" | Bryant News". news.bryant.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  23. ^ "National Parks Conservation Association". National Parks Conservation Association. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  24. ^ "Catching up with the "Revolutionary Power Fellows"". NEWIEE. 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  25. ^ "All welcome to hear SIU Green Fund winner announcement, environmental justice speaker". SIU News. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  26. ^ "Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru - Environmental Justice Advocate & Writer". PCMA Convening Leaders. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  27. ^ "Making Climate Work More Intentional and Creative: A Conversation with Wawa Gatheru". Environmental Media Association. 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  28. ^ Nast, Condé (2023-01-04). "Billie Eilish on Climate Activism and Radical Hope". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  29. ^ Dorisca, Samantha (March 3, 2023). "Gen Z Environmental Changemakers Aliyah Collins, Wawa Gatheru Win $20K For Their Efforts To Better The World". Afrotech.com.
  30. ^ Lundstrom, Kathryn (2023-01-31). "These 17 Creators Are Leading the Conversation on Climate". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  31. ^ US EPA, OA (2023-11-16). "EPA Administrator Regan Announces Members of First-Ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council". www.epa.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  32. ^ hello@verdicalgroup.com (2023-09-08). "Meet 2023 Trailblazer Awards Gala Keynote, Wawa Gatheru!". Net Zero Conference. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  33. ^ "Wawa Gatheru". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
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