“If somebody's really empowered, it's from within.” Former Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado joins the Climate Humans podcast to share why true climate leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about building movements. In this conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Carlos explores the risks great leaders must take, the power of coalition building and allyship, and why real change comes from both the top and the bottom.

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Edited by Ben Beheshty.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“I think many parents are everyday heroes,” says Our Kids’ Climate co-director and Mothers Rise Up co-founder, Maya Mailer, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Maya shares how parent-led campaigning style is rooted in intergenerational love, duty, and care, how it is expanding around the world, and memorable moments demonstrating with her daughter.

Further resources

Open Letter to World Leaders - ourkidsclimate.org

Our Other Mother - ourkidsclimate.org

Mothers from around the world demand action on fossil fuels, The Guardian

India’s Warrior Moms demand right to clean air at Cop27, The Guardian

Our Kids’ Climate

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Mothers Rise Up

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Edited by Ben Beheshty.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“If this work isn't valued now, what hope do we have as a humanity?” asks Lucy von Sturmer, the founder and director of Creatives for Climate, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Lucy shares how she’s mobilizing and upskilling the creative industry to drive solutions and not pollution, what it means to be an activist communicator, and why being a hero is all about “lifting while leading”.

Visit the Creatives for Climate hub.

00:27 Meet Lucy von Sturmer, the founder and director of Creatives for Climate

02:21 Quick fire questions

05:01 Lucy's climate success stories

08:36 Lucy's journey into climate advocacy

21:30 Building Creatives for Climate

25:40 Funding and philanthropy in climate 

26:23 The importance of stories and strategic narratives 

27:32 Lessons learned becoming a non profit 

30:02 Balancing idealism with practicality 

33:28 The importance of funding and support

41:47 Supporting creative activism and creating "pockets of possibility"

43:56 Final thoughts 

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Produced and edited by Ben Beheshty.

Executive produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“I had that rebellious understanding that nobody was going to come and solve this for us,” shares Lauren MacDonald, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Lauren shares their experiences as part of the #StopRosebank and #StopCambo campaigns to stop new oil projects in the UK, why it’s important for activists to take rest, and processing the reality of growing up as a young climate activist in the media. 

Introduction and welcome (1m)

Quickfire questions (2m)

Lauren's personal journey into climate activism (5m)

Early lessons and burnout (2m)

Daily routines and avoiding burnout (2m)

Professional achievements and campaigns (1m)

The Stop Rosebank campaign (14m)

Behind the scenes of activism (10m)

The importance of funding climate activism (8m)

Final thoughts (5m)

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Produced and edited by Ben Beheshty.

Executive produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“No one is going to hold your hand through the process. So you need to figure out things for yourself,” shares Juanita Silva Mir, a Chilean sociologist and climate storyteller, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Juanita shares how she was thrown into the deep end of climate action at COP25 and the career insights she learnt along the way, why we must expand our understanding of climate activists as value creators, and how to reduce the divides in the climate movement.

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Ben Beheshty.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“Activism quite literally changed my life,” says Futerra chief solutionist and co-founder Solitaire Townsend, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Solitaire shares her story of climate mobilization, from getting started protesting nuclear waste being dumped in her neighborhood, to transitioning her climate activism skills from the frontlines to the boardroom of global businesses, and why accessibility is key to improving the success of the movement.  

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Ben Beheshty.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“It's really a process of continuing to believe that what we are doing is actually bringing about change. Sometimes it may be slow, but it eventually comes,” says climate activist Vanessa Nakate, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Vanessa shares personal stories from her early activism days, the importance of sustaining activists within the movement, and why we must redefine what it means to be a hero today.

00:23 Quickfire questions 

03:21 Vanessa's journey into early activism 

07:27 Overcoming fear and finding purpose

15:33 Challenges and realities of climate activism

19:36 The need for sustainable support for activists

23:38 Final thoughts

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Ben Beheshty.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“We need new ways of storytelling,” says founder and CEO of Kibbo Kift Agency, Sam Narr, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Sam shares why growing up in a single parent household on a council estate got him into climate, why standing out and daring to be different is central to his creative approach, and the Tuvalu digital nation campaign that captured his imagination. 

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Ben Beheshty.

Produced by Josie Colter.
Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“No one can accomplish anything on their own in this movement,” says co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atmos, Willow Defebaugh, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Willow shares how she’s bringing a fresh approach to climate storytelling and media, why passion alone is not a sustainable energy source for those working in climate, and why Fridays for Future is her favourite climate success story.  

Show notes: 

01:15 Meet Willow: A climate storyteller

01:27 Quickfire questions

02:38 Willow's early inspirations

05:00 Early career as an NYC fashion journalist 

07:31 The vision for Atmos: science and spirituality 

13:51 The power of nature in storytelling and healing

21:02 Symbiosis in climate action and the importance of paying people 

24:49 Defining heroism 

26:24 Thank you

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the first platform where you can directly fund people-powered climate solutions.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Ben Beheshty.

Produced by Josie Colter.

Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

“In order to fight for justice, you need to be nourished and not burnt out,” says climate justice advocate and educator, Samia Dumbuya, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, Samia shares why it’s important to remember that change doesn't happen overnight, why community is the only real antidote to burnout, and why she centres her work around joy, peace and serenity.