Resilient Roots:
Climate Leaders Summit
Climate Leaders Resilient Roots Fellows Present Vision for Resilience At Climate Leaders Summit in Solano
Over 100 people came to celebrate the first group of Resilient Roots fellows and learn about their vision for resilience in their communities, last Saturday, in Suisun City. The Summit marked the culmination of our inaugural Resilient Roots: Climate Leaders Network program, presented by Greenbelt Alliance and Sustainable Solano, with support from the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).
The room was buzzing with excitement, as attendees explored the fellows’ projects presenting their approaches to local climate resilience, inspired by the 10-month climate leadership training they took part in. From a native plants seeds library, to a user-friendly app that helps to communicate complex climate data and provide opportunities for local residents to get involved, and the revival of a local park, the fellows applied the skills and concepts they learned over the past months to make valuable contributions to their own communities.
Local community leaders were invited to be “guest judges” and select the projects that stood out in terms of concept, originality, and implementation for honorary mentions. The panel selected:
Jonathan Gomez
Fellow Jonathan Gomez’s project “Compost for Climate: Turning Waste into Waterfront Resilience” won the Innovative Solutions Award - for demonstrating the most innovative and creative approach to solving or advancing a local climate issue.
Andrew Perez
Fellow Andrew Perez’s project “Climate in Context: An Application for Integrated, Localized Climate Data” won the Community Impact Award for the greatest potential to impact the local communities of Fairfield and Suisun City, especially environmental justice communities or those historically left out of the decision-making processes.
Edlin Simental
Fellow Edlin Simental’s project “Common Roots: A Community Seed Library for Ecological Connection” won the Action-Oriented Award for showing a clear and compelling path to implementation and impact.
“This isn’t a one-time program—it’s a movement,” explained Devin Murphy, leadership coordinator at Greenbelt Alliance. “Our vision is to expand the Resilient Roots network across Solano County, to keep nurturing leaders who are rooted in their communities and ready to drive change.”
Climate Leaders Summit
While the event marked the culmination of the first cohort of the program, this is just the beginning. Solano climate leaders joined the Summit to congratulate the emerging leaders and to encourage them to start their journey of impact in their own communities.
“As a professor myself, I’m a huge fan of the Resilient Roots fellowship. What you have accomplished, not just for what you now have the ability, skills, and knowledge to do, but for the entirely different voices and experiences that you are bringing to this fight and we so desperately need. Thank you and congratulations, in the urge that we all continue to work together,” said State Senator Christopher Cabaldon.
Led by Suisun City’s own poet laureate, Excalibur, the Summit featured keynote speaker Air Copeland, experienced filmmaker, storyteller, and Executive Director of the Intersectional Environmentalist organization. In a deeply personal testimony, Copeland brought the crowd on an emotional journey, highlighting the importance of going beyond data and science to inspire climate action and activate the power of sharing stories and conveying emotions to move people to action.
“People move because of feeling, because of story, because something touches them, personally, deeply(...) It reminds us we're not just trying to save the planetl; We're trying to connect with each other and that's how the planet saves us,” Air Copeland said. "Joy is the ultimate climate solution. Not escapism, not a distraction, but a declaration of joy.”
Copeland then joined Dr. Kerby Lynch, Director of Research and Facilitation for Ceres Policy Research, youth activist Sehinne Yohannes, Core Youth Leader at Youth vs. Apocalypse, and Sadie Wilson, Director of Planning and Research at Greenbelt Alliance, for a panel discussion on intergenerational and intersectional climate action in Solano.
Finally, Solano Supervisor Wanda Williams and Vallejo Councilmember Dr. Tonia Lediju presented certificates to the fellows and congratulated them on their achievement.
Arts and Nature
Connecting people to nature and art was at the heart of the Summit. Sustainable Solano’s Landscaping Program Manager Nicole Newell connected participants to a nature-based solution that the fellows helped implement: a brand new rain garden to improve soil permeability of stormwater and plant biodiversity, at the Joseph A Nelson Center.
To mark the occasion, local artist Sheree Rayford painted live an original design titled “Rooted in Action”, inspired by the values of Resilient Roots, and that elevates local elements such as the Suisun Marsh.
