In this episode of The Joy Report, host Arielle V. King sits down with Brittany Jefferson, an LA-based classroom educator and the teacher behind EJEDU (Environmental Justice Education), to explore education as a powerful climate solution.

Brittany shares how she developed her passion for environmental justice through her ancestral roots in the Seminole and Choctaw Tribal Nations, and how a single viewing of An Inconvenient Truth at age 18 helped her connect the dots between modern society and environmental harm. She walks us through how she built climate literacy into her fifth grade curriculum, weaving together history, science, and social studies, and how the convergence of COVID-19 and the racial justice uprisings of 2020 gave her the language to name the intersection of colonialism, capitalism, and the climate crisis.Together, Arielle and Brittany discuss the importance of justice-centered climate literacy, social and emotional learning, the ongoing literacy crisis in U.S. public schools, the impact of ICE raids on school communities, and why civic engagement, including understanding the Constitution, is an essential part of environmental education. Brittany also shares why she's celebrating community wins against AI data centers, and leaves us with a call to read more books, visit your local library, and find your own entry point into climate action.Resources Mentioned107 Days by Kamala Harris - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/107-Days/Kamala-Harris/9781668086803 An Inconvenient Truth (2006 documentary) - https://www.algore.com/library/an-inconvenient-truth-film All We Can Save by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson - https://www.allwecansave.earth Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, writer, marine biologist, and policy expert - https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes (novel) - https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jewell-parker-rhodes/paradise-on-fire/9780316458474/ NAACP Climate & Environmental Justice Program - https://naacp.org/campaigns/environmental-climate-justice Catherine Jejo, climate journalist & newsletter writer (search her newsletter for the latest)The 17 Principles of Environmental JusticeWays to Stay ConnectedBrittany Jefferson / EJEDU:

Instagram: @britt.theejeducator - https://www.instagram.com/britt.theejeducatorPatreon: patreon.com/theejeducator

Follow The Joy Report & Intersectional Environmentalist:Instagram: @intersectionalenvironmentalistYouTube: Intersectional EnvironmentalistSubstack: Intersectional Environmentalist00:00 Welcome to Joy Report01:24 Joy rituals and reading03:23 History and identity05:12 Black teachers and belonging07:02 What is EJEDU08:19 Ancestral roots in nature10:38 Finding environmental justice14:03 Teaching climate in class16:43 Student stories and books20:18 Defining climate literacy22:48 Censorship and priorities25:25 A climate literate future26:46 Renewables Everywhere27:29 Constitution and Climate Civics31:24 Social Emotional Learning Basics32:49 SEL in the Classroom35:58 ICE Presence and Student Safety38:27 The Literacy Crisis Explained45:11 Adult Climate Action Steps47:27 Resources and Where to Follow48:32 Wins Against Data Centers49:56 Closing Thanks and Call to Action

In this episode, host Arielle V. King sits down with Dr. Margot Brown, The Environmental Defense Fund’s Senior Vice President for Justice and Equity, to talk about the enduring legacies and stories of Black people throughout history whose work helped propel the environmental justice movement forward, even before the traditional movement began.

You can find out more on Dr. Margot Brown and the Environmental Defense Fund by going to their website www.edf.org or following them on social media @brown_margot @environmental_defense_fund

Referenced in episode:

Fannie Lou Hamer

Bill Clinton's EJ Executive Order

Hazel M. Johnson's Story- People for Community Recovery

Peggy Sheppard's org, WeAct

Dr. Beverly Wright's org, Deep South Center for EJ

Vernice Miller Travis at Metropolitan Group

Sharon Levine's org, Rise St. James

17 Principles of Environmental Justice 

Toxics Waste and Race Report (1987) @ 55:45
Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality book @ 56:36

Maya Angelou's Still I Rise poem @ 58:07

Alvin Ailey's Revelations: video

Additional resources:

• It’s time for Environmental Studies to own up to Erasing Black People (Vice)

• The 1619 Project (The New York Times)• Why Every Environmentalist Should be Anti-Racist (Vogue)

• A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and the Assault on the American Mind by Harriet A. Washington

• Before the Street Lights Come On: Black America’s Urgent Call for Climate Solutions by Heather McTeer Toney

• Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists by Leah Penniman

•Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney

• From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement by Luke Cole and Sheila Foster

• The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein 

To stay connected, follow IE on Instagram @intersectionalenvironmentalist, Substack @intersectionalenvironmentalist , and YouTube @IntersectionalEnvironmentalist 

If you have topics you would like to hear explored or guests you think should be featured on The Joy Report, please DM us @intersectionalenvironmentalist on Instagram, or send an email to [email protected] with “TJR Submission” as the subject line.

Thank you!

In this episode, host Arielle V. King sits down with Director of the Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, NAACP, Abre’ Conner,  to discuss the growing threat of data centers and their impact on vulnerable communities. Together, they explore how grassroots organizations are pushing back and demanding equal enforcement, regulation, and environmental protection.

In this episode, we're diving into the world of artificial intelligence or AI exploring the present and future impacts this technology has on people and the planet. The topic of AI is unavoidable in our current world and political landscape, and we want to take a moment to acknowledge the people and institutions working towards creating more equitable outcomes using AI and other machine learning technologies.

Dylan is the lead research engineer at DAIR Institute, an independent organization of globally distributed academics, activists, and engineers who conduct community-rooted research and believe in technology that benefits everyone.Follow Dylan to keep up with their Possible Futures workshops.https://dylanbaker.com/Bluesky: dylnbkrMastodon: @[email protected] Futures socials:ig: dair.futuresbluesky: dairfuturesSome referenced materials from the episode:Empire of AI: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/Dr. Keolu Fox: https://anthropology.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/faculty-profiles/Keolu%20Fox.html

the Joy Report 2026 is coming...

In this episode, host Arielle V. King sits down with Alexis Nikole aka @blackforager and Nicholas Kee of @keefarmshq to explore seaweed as a regenerative solution and imagine what a thriving future looks like for people and the planet!  

Our current political climate has shown us (yet again) that philanthropy isn’t built on enduring and sustainable principles. Corporate Social Philanthropy (CSR) initiatives— historically notorious for PR stunts— are facing philanthropic accountability for things like white saviorism and initiatives that don’t adequately advocate for and support local communities. Yet the role of philanthropy is more vital than ever, given federal funding cuts for community organizations. We find ourselves in a precarious and liminal time, and this moment offers us an opportunity to reimagine CSR initiatives that work for both this point in time and the future. In this episode, we explore what environmental CSR beyond conservation looks like, and how companies can more effectively build relationships with and support grassroots communities and organizations working to protect people and the planet.

Access the full script and show notes on our Substack HERE

🗣️ Hosted by @ariellevking

🌐 Scripted + Researched by Marisa Orozco

🦋 Audio Engineering + Music by @awesomenostalgia

🌿 Graphic Design by @enzo.enez

🍄 Produced by @diandramarizet + @sustainablesabs

🤎 Sponsored by @keen

In this episode, we explore the environmental legal wins and resources keeping us hopeful. Learn what keeps us hopeful amidst the start of a new Presidential administration, how young people are creating pathways for environmental success through the courts, and ways we can all stay involved in the fight to protect people and the planet. Laws are certainly not the only climate solution, but they are one of the many tools we have at our disposal to help create a better world. Tune in to explore how radical imagination is propelling new solutions in the courts and through legislation.

Hosted, Scripted + Researched by @ariellevking

Audio Engineering + Music by @awesomenostalgia

Produced by @diandramarizet + @sustainablesabs

Graphic Design by @enzo.enez

Sponsored by @earthjustice

In this episode of The Joy Report, we dive deep into the different innovations that have emerged from the ocean justice movement. Learn why regenerative ocean farming is a climate solution that already exists, and meet the individuals and organizations that are reimagining our relationship to the sea. From online resources that promote sustainably sourced seafood to seaweed textiles, we explore the various ways people are taking action to protect our beloved ocean.

Hosted by @ariellevking,
Script by Marisa Orozco,
Research by Marisa Orozco, + @ariellevking
Audio Engineering + Music by @awesomenostalgia,
Produced by @diandramarizet + @sustainablesabs,
This episode is sponsored by @montereybayaquarium

Visit https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/together to join the Aquarium and learn more about how you can help protect the ocean for generations to come.

Please visit https://intersectionalenvironmentalist.com/the-joy-report for show notes and a full episode transcript.

In this episode of The Joy Report, we dive deep into ocean conservation and the emerging movement for ocean justice. Learn why oceans have been overlooked in climate solutions, how they are a powerful tool in fighting climate change, and meet the leaders reimagining our relationship with the sea. From the Blue New Deal to Indigenous wisdom, we explore how protecting our oceans can pave the way for a just, equitable, and sustainable future.

Please visit intersectionalenvironmentalist.com/podcast for this episode's transcript.

Hosted by @ariellevking
Script by Marisa Orozco
Research by Marisa Orozco, @ariellevking + @diandramarizet
Audio Engineering + Music by @awesomenostalgia
Produced by @diandramarizet + @sustainablesabs
This episode is sponsored by @montereybayaquarium