Adwoa Addae

“For me, being a voice wasn’t as important as being accountable to those who couldn’t be in the room.”

  • Name: Adwoa Addae
  • Born: 1998
  • From: Kingston, Jamaica. Based in Florida, US.
  • Pronouns: She/her, they/them
  • Contribution/Impact: She advocates for Africa-diasporic people especially those of the LGBTQ+ community. In her work she, challenges what is framed as urgent in mainstream climate activism circles, aiming to stay accountable to those the most disenfranchised by the interconnected struggles tied to climate change. She has published numerous short stories, poems, and articles, and continues to organize through her art and work.
  • Occupation: Organizer, multidisciplinary performance artist.
Adwoa Addae

Adwoa would often visit her grandparents farm in Jamaica and see how harmful climate change was to their livelihood. Jamaican farmers, she said, farm on the lowest rank of a food chain that largely benefits western developed nations, that have large consumer and profit chains. She said that Hurricane Maria increased her need to take part in activism, especially after seeing the brunt of the storm fall on LGBTQ people, and those without as strong a support system. Addae became a speaker for the Sunrise Movement in 2018 with Nacy Pelosi about the impact of climate change on underserved and POC communities. Since then, she has challenged climate activists that are just focused on public messaging and direct action to consider taking leadership from more POC, and to think about how to create smaller communities that could then transform the larger level. 

I Am Handout

Handout

To download the Handout:

  1. Click on the image
  2. Right-click and select Save Image As…
  3. Print
  4. Write a description on the line and decorate.
  5. Cut out and use for a selfie to share on our social media page. 
  6. Download a card and envelope template and write about an idea this leader inspires.

This ASI Special event is an ongoing volunteer-led project made by people like you, using multiple educational sources regularly being revised and updated. We would love your assistance if you or your group would like to get involved, learn more here.