Speaker: Zelalem Adefris, CEO, Catalyst Miami
How (and why) are you taking action on climate change solutions in, for, and with your community?
Zelalem Adefris: Hello, my name is Alala Madaris. I'm with Catalyst Miami here in Miami, Florida, and I take action on climate solutions because first of all, this issue is one that's existential for us as a region, um, and I also think that climate solutions are some of the most exciting ways that we can forward social equity and social justice.
Describe a moment when you felt the real-world impact of your work in climate solutions.
Zelalem Adefris: I think a moment in which I felt real world impact of our climate solutions is seeing the advancements in our extreme heat work. Um, when I, when we started about a decade ago, Miami was really focused on sea level rise, um, but had Yet address extreme heat and together with the community members we work with, we were able to conduct citizen science to prove that heat was an issue in Florida, um, and established the world's first chief heat officer uh in a in a really great extreme heat action plan that we're really proud of.
Who or what inspires/inspired you to care about climate change and climate solutions?
Zelalem Adefris: Uh, it's the people of Miami that inspire me, uh, to care about climate change and climate solutions. It's the love I have for this place. I've made this place my home. I wanted to stay in my home for as long as possible, and so that means, uh, it's absolutely critical that, uh, we address this issue.
