“Your task as the young… is to reinvent the universe, the universe made out of stories — to change the stories, to tell them, to bury them, and to give birth to them. A difficult task, but not an impossible one.” – Rebecca Solnit
Why a Creative Challenge?
We believe that people understand and shape our world through stories, and that as young people we have significant power in our ability to build a different story for the world we live in – one that is free from systemic injustice and supports thriving ecosystems. That’s why our application process for our youth delegation to COP23, the 2017 UN Climate Negotiations, is a creative storytelling challenge to write op-eds and generate creative media. Last year’s COP22 Delegation was selected in this format, and we found it very successful in both forming the team we want and building the youth climate movement across the country.
We will work with you to tell your own story about why you engage in movements for climate justice, as well as to amplify narratives that support a just transition from a fossil fuel energy system. This is your chance to be vulnerable, take your work to the next level, and try out expressing your passion in different mediums.
What does the Challenge consist of?
From April 4 – June 1, the Creative Challenge window is open. There will be two waves of the challenge during that time, with supporting webinars and resources to jog your brain and help you deepen your storytelling skills along the way. During the two waves of the challenge, you’ll send us the things you create. These can vary from an opinion editorial or a blogpost, to a video, podcast, photo essay, protest artwork or songs, a series of social media posts… Surprise us! Our final delegation will be selected in mid-June from those actively participating in the Challenge.
Ready to begin?
The Creative Challenge registration closed on April 5, 2017.If you missed this deadline but would still like to apply, contact Dineen (dineen.orourke@sustainus.org) and Karina (karina.gonzalez@sustainus.org) to explore this possibility.
Step two: Now the real fun begins. Round One, a personal storytelling challenge, is the core requirement for the Challenge. Submitting one piece for Round One is all you need to do to be considered active in this challenge and be eligible to join the delegation. However, the more submissions you submit, the more we get to know you and the better chance you have at becoming apart of our team.
Step three: When your piece is complete & published, submit here!
Step three: Move on to Round Two – your chance to amplify arguments, demands or analyses of the movements for climate justice.
Be sure to read through our FAQ and supporting resources!
