About NCCJC

Our History

In 2013, we began envisioning and organizing the first North Carolina Climate Justice Summit—a space for grassroots leadership, collective learning, and transformative action. Since then, we have hosted five Summits and developed ongoing programs that cultivate holistic, experiential education and movement-building. This is a new sentence.

At the heart of our work is the 4Rs of Social Transformation: Reform, Resist, Reimagine, and Recreate. We bring together diverse communities across identities, strategies, and geographies—youth and elders, frontline organizers and elected leaders, BIPOC communities and white allies, direct action activists and policy advocates, rural and urban changemakers—to build shared power and advance climate justice.

We know that climate change does not impact all communities equally. BIPOC communities and people experiencing poverty are hit first and worst—by extractive industries, intensifying storms, floods, droughts, and rising seas. That’s why we center frontline leadership and prioritize resources for those most impacted.Everyone who engages with our work—whether through our Summits, Resiliency Organizing Hubs, Energy Democracy Leadership Institute, or cultural organizing initiatives—is a vital part of this movement. Together, we are winning the world we want: one rooted in justice, resilience, and collective liberation.

Inner Resilience

The health of body, mind, and emotions is continuously affected by trauma, violence, weather, diet, environment, daily news, and the challenges of life. The use of simple ancient healing skills can empower us to live with peace and wellbeing no matter what is happening around us. These exercises are offered to be used at times when we feel drained, scattered or depressed. These tools are for all of us, whether we are survivors of trauma, caregivers working with others, or persons overwhelmed and stressed by daily life.

OUR MISSION AND VISION

MISSION
The NC Climate Justice Collective cultivates a multi-racial, intergenerational grassroots movement ecosystem to address the root causes of climate change. Using popular education and cultural organizing, we ignite social transformation. We center all our work in the leadership of youth, Black, Indigenous and people of color, women, low wealth people, and LGBTQI+ people to create strategic alignment. We are bringing an end to fracked gas infrastructure, coal ash pollution, industrial agriculture and forest destruction while planting the seeds of a life-sustaining, regenerative society.
VISION
We are shifting the cultural paradigm, turning our society away from destruction and toward equitable, earth-honoring, inclusive community building. The current political and economic system is driven by – and reinforces – separation, alienation, and interlocking oppressions necessitated by greed and domination. Our animating principle is the experience of interconnection. As we live deeply into this principle, we experience love, joy, creativity, and authentic relationships in our movement. Together, we are healing the wounds of our separation from nature and understanding ourselves as nature. We can only create a thriving, regenerative economy if we embody mutual respect and practice reciprocity. The Collective is distinguished by our commitment to this way of being in all aspects of our work together.​

We also embrace the Bali and Jemez Principles.

We believe all people have a vital contribution to make in dealing with climate change.

Our Staff and Board

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Connie
Co Founder
Jodi
Co Founder
Samantha
Communications Director
Omari
Co Founder
Dasan Ahanu
Cultural Organizing Director
Samantha
Communications Director

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We connect communities across North Carolina affected by environmental injustice, grassroots organizations, Native Nations, and allies to act on the issues that matter to us all. BIPOC and low-wealth communities are hit first and worst by pollution and climate disasters, so we focus our work and resources to these communities through Summits, training, and cultural work.
GET INVOLVED
What is the NC Climate Justice Collective (NCCJC)?

NCCJC is an ecosystem of organizations, grassroots groups, and individual folks throughout North Carolina who are organizing in power together for climate and environmental justice. We collaborate to build the power of the communities first and worst hit by pollution and climate change –BIPOC and low-wealth communities.

What are the "4 Rs" of social transformation that you use to guide your work?

The 4 Rs stand for Reform, Resist, Re-imagine, and Re-create. This framework helps us to integrate strategies that: Resist the worst impacts of oppressive systems, Reform broken institutions, Re-imagine the world as we know it, and Re-create the new models needed to realize our vision of a just, equitable, and sustainable world.

What are the key frontline struggles that the NCCJC works on?

We strategize and take action to stop extractive and polluting industries from treating our communities as "sacrifice zones." This means working to end fracked gas infrastructure (pipelines, power plants), coal ash pollution, factory farm biogas, and forest destruction for the production of wood biomass.

What is the TapRoot Cultural Troupe?

The TapRoot Cultural Troupe is  NCCJC's cultural organizing program. We use the power of art — including music, drumming, giant puppets, and street theater – to fuel social transformation, engage and educate communities, and embed the 4 Rs into our protest actions and educational roadshows.

What are Resiliency Organizing Hubs?

Resiliency Organizing Hubs are interactive, culturally relevant spaces designed to provide training, respite, and healing for organizers. They're a place to build local climate power, support multiracial and intergenerational leadership, and build out for action as a hub of collective struggle for a just transition and just recovery.

How can I get involved with the NC Climate Justice Collective?

You can attend our NC Climate Justice Summits, participate in our workshops and trainings, join in our cultural actions, or volunteer to help support a local Resiliency Organizing Hub. Check our website for upcoming events and a list of Resiliency Organizing Hubs near you!

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