Thursday, May 30, 2024, 1-2pm ET
Virtual
Discover how frontline communities are overcoming environmental challenges in the face of climate change. Join us for an inspiring talk featuring Marquetta Dickens, co-founder of Freedom Org in historic Princeville North Carolina, the first town in America chartered by formerly enslaved Africans after the Civil War. Learn firsthand about the experiences and efforts of Princeville locals as she shares innovative strategies her nonprofit employs to empower the community with ancestral wisdom and research-based approaches as they deal with flooding from the Tar River worsened by climate change. Justin Cook, a passionate climate journalist and photographer from nearby Durham, NC, will shed light on the intersection of climate change and colonialism and share stories of hope and climate solutions. Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired and informed!
register hereSpeakers
Justin Cook is a journalist, photographer and artist based in Durham, North Carolina. His long-term photographic essays and narrative journalism projects tell stories about resilience in communities living along the edges in America, often by focusing on environmental issues and climate change. He believes storytelling that not only shines light on these issues, but also investigates solutions is crucial in order for humans to live in a better relationship with the planet.
Justin is a 2006 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is a multiple Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting grantee, and his work has been funded by The Solutions Journalism Network Climate Solutions Fellowship, The North Carolina Arts Council, The Puffin Foundation; and honored by The Magenta Foundation, Pictures of The Year International, The Society of Environmental Journalists, The Society of Professional Journalists, and American Photography. His clients include Duke University, The Guardian, The Marshall Project, The National Audubon Society, National Geographic, The New York Times,The Washington Post, and others. When he is not making photographs, you can find him hunting for fossilized shark teeth in eastern North Carolina.
Marquetta “Coach Q” Dickens, a former Professional Basketball Player and esteemed Career Coach, is the innovative founder of Freedom Org, a Community Development Corporation dedicated to holistic solutions for under-resourced communities. Leveraging her advanced education in Student Affairs & College Counseling and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Dickens fosters environments that nurture personal growth and societal contributions. From coaching at renowned educational institutions to influencing policy at NCAA forums, her diverse experiences empower her to create spaces for potential leaders. Dickens embodies a vision of a world where everyone is equipped to carve their own path to greatness, applying her commitment and expertise to transform communities.
2024 public lecture series