communicating with empathy: climate crisis

FEATURED ALUM RESEARCH TALK🦙

communicating with empathy: climate crisis adaptation in Louisiana  

Facilitator: Jessie Fay Parrott, SR Class of 2016, MSc student at LSU

4:00 - 5:00 pm EST

Louisiana is facing arguably disparate impacts of the climate crisis than many of the 50 states. Some of these are rapid land loss, saltwater intrusion, coastal and inland flooding, increased precipitation, tornadoes, hurricanes, subsidence, extreme heat, sea level rise, and more (technological hazards are also extremely dangerous because of the chemical industries dominating the state).  Its population, relatively stagnant to even other gulf coast states (especially neighboring Texas), is seeing this slowing trend largely due to very real and constant climate hazards. The most famous of these climate hazards is likely hurricanes, and for good reason; 2005 saw a record breaking hurricane season and those records were broken in 2020 with more storms seen in the Atlantic hurricane season than ever before and more hurricanes making landfall in Louisiana than ever before on record. Of course, not everyone in the state cares about climate change �" or says they do. I think otherwise. In my thesis research I argue that everyone in Louisiana cares about the climate crisis, just maybe not by that name. I guarantee to you that everyone in this state cares about hurricanes. Everyone cares about flooding, land loss, tornadoes, saltwater intrusion, and all of these climate related issues - but the language around them is so critical. How you present and communicate an issue can make or break whether someone understands and cares about it ultimately, no matter who the person is - your neighbor, your grocer, your pharmacist, or your state legislator. Climate communication means many things, including presenting the information about the climate crisis in an accessible way in which no one is alienated from the information and is met with empathy. This issue affects every single Louisianan and is the future of our state and our communities. My work is about communicating equitably, empathetically, and through listening to use the most thoughtful language in order to adapt and to mitigate the climate crisis in the way that works for Louisianans. This event is open to all of the Simon’s Rock and Berkshire communities.

Zoom Link: https://lsu.zoom.us/j/3479572289