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Wawa Gatheru
Born (1998-11-06) November 6, 1998 (age 25)
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. She is a beneficiary of the Rhodes Scholarship.[1]

Early life

Gatheru was born to Kenyan immigrants and raised in the rural area of Pomfret, Connecticut,[1][2] She became interested in climate activism at 15 and took classes in environmental science.[3][4]

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.[5] She graduated magna cum laude in 2020 with a BA in Environmental studies and a minor in Urban and Community Studies.[6] She earned her Master's from the University of Oxford.[7]

Black Girl Environmentalist

Gatheru founded Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE) in 2021,[8] during a period when climate change in Kenya and heat waves in American affects the black communities.[9]

The idea for the organization started with her article written for Vice on her experience as a Black environmental student.[10] BGE started as a community on Instagram,[11] and has been considered by Forbes, as "one of the largest Black youth-led organizations in the country."[12]

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.

— [13]

Gatheru sought to advocate for Black women and non-binary people through writing and public speaking.[14][15][16] like Penn State[17] and Yale, plus prominent news organizations, like NPR[18] and WNYC[19]

In 2022, she hosted the black eco-feminist summit, which was featured in the British Vogue.[20] She was the board chair at the Environmental Media Association and member of the Earthjustice Council.[21]

Gatheru is a Narrative Fellow at the All We Can Save Project,[22] Revolutionary Power Fellow at the United States Department of Energy.[23][24]

Achievements

Gatheru was recognized as a Young Futurist by The Root in 2020, a Grist 50 FIXER, and Glamour College Woman of the Year.[25] In 2021, she was Victoria's Secret PINK Purpose Project Winner.[26]

In January 2023, she appeared on the cover of Vogue along Billie Eilish.[27] In March 2023, she was named one of five Tom's of Maine Incubator winners.[28] She was also named Climate Creator to Watch by Pique Action and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health,[29] became a member of the first-ever National Environmental Youth Advisory Council at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,[30] and won a Trailblazer Award at the annual Net Zero Conference.[31]

In 2024, Gatheru was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 List under Social Impact.[32]

References

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