To beat the climate crisis, we must acknowledge that it is an intersectional issue, meaning that injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. One of the ways we can begin to tackle this is by diversifying our social media feeds by following more BIPOC sustainability influencers. Now, I don’t mean clicking a few follow buttons and calling it a day. I mean following BIPOC influencers, understanding their platform, actively listening to their content and then sharing that with your own community.
Below is a curated list of BIPOC sustainability influencers who provide essential, digestible information on how and why the fight for racial justice is a critical piece of the fight for a healthier planet.
@greengirlleah
Leah Thomas is an environmentalist with a love for writing and creating. Leah coined the term “Intersectional Environmentalism” when she began to recognize the similarities between feminism and environmentalism and how neither movement appropriately represented people of color. Soon enough, Intersectional Environmentalism became an international movement bringing attention to the intertwining of climate and race.
@ahealthyblueprint
Belinda Chiu is an activist & sustainability content creator. She focuses on on food, environmental & social justice, public health and zero waste.
What inspired you to start your page?
I’ve been writing for a while and used to write content related to my volunteer abroad experiences. It was my experience volunteering in Ecuador that exposed me to the world of public health. I decided to pursue public health during my graduate school career, and while I worked abroad, I noticed some households in these communities burned their trash. This was not only harmful to the environment and wildlife, but also posed a health risk for the people in the community. I decided to shift my content toward sustainability and low impact living. I began talking about the intersections between public health and environmental justice as I could see the connections both abroad and at home in the US.
What is your favorite part about running your page?
Meeting people! There is a huge community of passionate individuals who are committed to taking action to leave the planet in a better place than they found it. I’ve had the fortune of connecting with people in other states and countries, and learning and sharing knowledge and aspirations for the future.
What would you tell people who don’t recognize the importance of intersectional environmentalism?
I’d invite them to check out Intersectional Environmentalist. Our intersectional identities (our race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.) can contribute to advantages or discrimination in our daily lives. BIPOC communities and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change but their voices, and their solutions, have often been left out of the narrative for climate action.
What is the number one thing you would recommend people do to support the fight for climate justice?
Be open to learning and unlearning. There is so much that wasn’t taught in our traditional education system that frontline communities can share with us. And of course, be supportive of others who are in the fight for climate and environmental justice with you!
@allaboutastyn
Astyn is an intersectional environmentalist who talks about a variety of topics including veganism, sustainable living, yoga, spirituality, body positive, sex positivity, BLM and more. She gets real about her experiences with disordered eating and aims to dismantle the stigma that veganism is a diet and instead position it as a lifestyle choice that will help animals, people and the environment.
@sustainablystudious
Tayina is a med student who talks all things low-waste. If you’re a student yourself, she is a must follow as she gets real about how to balance school life & sustainability. She also regularly shares study tips and even hosts live study sessions.
What inspired you to start your page?
I originally was posting about my life in school. I just happened to be living a low-waste lifestyle. People got really interested in the low-waste stuff, so i ran with it. Plus, I wanted to show people a different example of being eco-friendly. It didn’t have to be stereotypically “hippy-dippy”. I wanted to make it seem normal and attainable for people with busy lives.
What is your favorite part about running your page?
Seeing people actually adopt some of the things I suggest and telling me about them! I’ve gotten to connect with some pretty cool people.
What would you tell people who don’t recognize the importance of intersectional environmentalism?
You can’t truly be an enviromentalist if you’re not practicing intersectional environmentalism. You have to understand how the policies and practices you promote effect different communities, and you have to give those communities a seat at the table so that we don’t continue the legacy of disenfranchisement that’s already built into most of our institutions.
What is the number one thing you would recommend people do to support the fight for climate justice?
Be politically active. It’s not as hard as you may think. I think people get intimidated thinking that they’ll have to do all the heavy lifting themselves if they choose to be more involved, but there are already so many people doing the hard work, they just need our support.
@black.nutritionist
Dr. Kera Nyemb-Diop is a professional nutrtionist who encourages her clients to embrace their cultures and expand the idea of what healthy eating looks like. If you’re looking for great informational posts that dive into the correlation between race, food and health, she is a must-follow account!
@plantawhisperer
Jessica is a vegan blogger who focuses on environmental reproductive justice, food sovereignty, racial equity and DIYs. Her content brings levity to the topics without negating their importance. In a nutshell: she’s a ray of sunshine serving up thought-provoking information.
What inspired you to start your page?
I wanted to see someone like me talk about environmental justice in a fun and accessible way. I thought my voice was unique and I love creating graphics so Instagram was a great place to start!
What do you love most about running your page?
My favorite part of running my Instagram is the messages I get! I get to talk to so many people everyday and connect with more Vegans of Color!
What would you tell people who don’t recognize the importance of intersectional environmentalism?
I would say that in order to achieve a sustainable future for the environment and people, we MUST utilize intersectional perspectives. Obviously the old ways of environmental justice are not working and we cannot wait for justice!
What is the number one thing you would recommend people do to support the fight for climate justice?
I recommend people interested in climate justice to support educators! If you can’t support someone monetarily, share their work, like / comment, and tell your family and friends!
@queerbrownvegan
Queer Brown Vegan is run by Isaias Hernandez, who graduated from UC Berkley with a B.S. in Environmental Science. As a queer, brown, vegan, he aims to make accessible environmental content and provide a safe space for like-minded environmentalists. You can find his page filled with a variety of easily digestible text posts and Reels that serve up quality sustainability education.
@theflippside
If you’re looking to add a pop of color to your feed then you need to follow Kara. She shares slow fashion, clean beauty & lifestyle content and is a great resource for discovering new ethical BIPOC owned brands. Her bright yet sophisticated aesthetic will likely have you rethinking your decision to build a neutral toned wardrobe.
