Climate activists from various Caribbean nations have joined together to participate in a storytelling program, which aims to highlight shared experiences among countries in the region and use storytelling as a powerful tool to promote climate solutions.

 

 

This innovative programme featured 9 activists from Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda. During the programme, participants created a series of videos and blogs documenting their personal experiences and the impacts of the climate crisis in their respective countries.

The stories cover a wide range of critical issues for the region, such as extreme heat waves, pollution of the Ozama River by a power plant, climate anxiety, and the growing problem of sargassum on Caribbean beaches. In addition to highlighting these challenges, activists also shared the actions they are taking in their communities to address the climate crisis.

For example, Princess Charles of Trinidad and Tobago spoke about her efforts to improve working conditions for workers who face extreme temperatures and heavy rainfall due to climate change. From Antigua and Barbuda, Genesis Whitlock highlighted her initiative to expand local agriculture in response to the ravages caused by Hurricane Irma. Meanwhile, Karina Cortijo of Puerto Rico shared her experience as an archaeologist, describing the devastating effects of hurricanes on archaeological sites.

Diara Springer from Barbados brought a cultural perspective to the programme, exploring how climate change is affecting the festivals and carnivals that are so emblematic of Caribbean identity. From Haiti, Jessy Alexander Becius shared a moving video about her childhood in the countryside and the effects of drought on rural communities, launching an urgent call for more people to join the climate movement: “Join us to make our voices heard in support of these families who in no way contributed to the climate crisis but who are sadly and unfairly paying the price.”

The stories, part of a series titled “I Love the Caribbean,” highlight the value of protecting the region and everything that makes it unique at a critical time for the future of the global climate. All content generated can be found on the Caribbean Climate Network ’s social media channels , available on Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube , as well as on the website es.caribbeanclimatenetwork.org . The network is part of 350.org , a global organization working for climate justice.

This programme has strengthened the use of narrative as a tool to amplify the voices of the Caribbean and raise awareness about the urgency of combating the effects of climate change in the region.