within the fellowship, students will work in an intensive collegiate environment to create a video, multimedia presentation, photo essay, or written story from and about their community. fellows will be rigorously mentored and coached on career trajectory and professional networking as they research, develop, and publish their work over six weeks at george washington university hosted by planet forward.

student work will focus on how issues of environmental justice, gender, and equity take on new urgency in the context of climate change and its impact on life in frontline communities. while revealing the special challenges and inequities that these communities confront, the stories also will shine a spotlight on local leaders and innovators who are pushing the boundaries, seeking solutions, and demanding action. these will be stories of challenge and resilience, injustice, and invention that connect students to their communities through on-the-ground reporting and research, and will provide important visibility for communities that are too often marginalized or ignored. 

meet the 2024 frontline climate fellows:

• kimberlee blevins, a master’s student in environmental science from sitting bull college
• emiliano mclane, a master’s student in agricultural & extension education at new mexico state university
• alexia nastasia, a sophomore majoring in international relations and sociocultural anthropology from boston university 
• kwame okoro, a sophomore majoring in africana studies and political science at george washington university
• dre pedemonte, a senior majoring in english and journalism at george washington university
• sareya taylor, a senior majoring in creative writing from the institute of the american indian arts

“these students will be the vanguard of environmental and sustainability journalism in areas that are too often ignored by other media,” said frontline climate fellowship director and george washington university professor jesse j. holland. “i hope these first fellows and subsequent ones are able to use their skills to not only tell stories but provide solutions in ways that only people who are intimately familiar with these neighborhoods and communities can.”

held over the summer, students will spend a week in d.c., followed by five weeks of full-time remote reporting. fellows will be receive a stipend and support for their travel to and from d.c.

this fellowship has been made possible by a genius grant from the helen gurley brown foundation.

meet the mentors

jesse j. holland

director of the planet forward frontline climate fellowship | george washington university

eva kotobuki sideris

planet forward sr. correspondent | california state polytechnic university, humboldt

victoria st. martin

instructor, planet forward frontline climate fellowship