Silence & Supply
One topic was sorely missing from the conversation: the genocide in Gaza.
LISTENING: to the waterfall flow into the koi pond
FEELING: hot and sweaty
SEEING: a bunch of butterflies float through the botanical garden
Guess who's in Miami? I know, so much traveling! I'm attending the annual Aspen: Ideas Climate event on South Beach. For those who aren't familiar, this event brings together folks from around the globe who are working to address the climate emergency. That includes journalists like me — but also investors looking for new shiny tech toys or frontline activists hoping to raise awareness about their local battles.
This year, the list of attendees and speakers also included a few folks with the Biden administration. While it's worth celebrating the president's work around carbon emissions and renewable energy, we can't ignore his ongoing support of the Israeli government's attack on Gaza. I was disappointed that no activists took to the stage to interrupt his team around the genocide unfolding in Gaza. I've been underwhelmed by the silence on Palestine here. When I was in Italy for the award ceremony last week (I didn't win, by the way), everyone was talking about the crisis on stage. That hasn't been the case here in Miami.
On my panel, at least, the homie Naveena Sadasivam from Grist mentioned Palestine. I've also seen little stickers posted here and there — in bathroom stalls and outdoor posts. "PALESTINE IS A CLIMATE ISSUE," they read.
That it is.
Welcome to Possibilities, a creative climate newsletter on the possibilities that lie where crisis meets community. I’m Yessenia Funes, and I'm back to discussing the genocide in Gaza.