When I arrived in Dubai after 22 hours of air travel and layover I was fatigued, anxious about being in a new country and I was hungry.

The good news – I came to Dubai with a business associate turned trusted friend, and at 3:21am Dubai time, we ventured to Fillet King.  

My reasons for attending COP include networking with folx across the globe working on climate change, to gain skills on partnership building within my community, and to build personal and professional capacity in order to increase activism across my workplace and within my realm of influence.

So far, my most important experiences include developing the bonds between my COP family and understanding the importance of people in this climate movement, all of which magnify the necessity of relationships, and the collective for climate response work. Building social capital is a must, and on the global scale, the COP provides a large return on this investment.

So far, who’s missing from COP? Young people. Youth education, language, buy-in and action are required to advance the Climate movement. Having youth centered and lead forums like YOUNGO provide space for coalitions of young folx to gather and dismantle barriers to engagement and involvement in climate change solutions. Their presence at the COP would be just that barrier, removed. Youth space and engagement cannot occur without their presence, their proclivity to push back against unjust systems and for risk taking momentum. We need them at COP.

Black Americans. Much of my experience and grounding in this work originated from a community of African American Minneapolitan experts in environmental justice, energized to deconstruct systems of racism, climate injustice, and inequities. As I explore the pavilions of COP presentations, I feel alone and unrepresented in this space. The myriad of coalitions in Minneapolis like CMEJ, EJCC, and the Green Zones working diligently to educate, support and interrupt activities that leave BIPOC residents out of the equation are vast, have legendary representation, and can workshop frameworks for capacity building and much more, that would have tremendous impact.

What I knew before COP, but has become more elevated is that everyone, in every position has a role in climate change mitigation.

When black people and youth are not a part of any conversation, key elements, historical context, experience and future considerations are missing. Representation, inclusion and anti-racism are not only acts of resistance, they are climate change solutions.

Markeeta Keyes is the Workforce Director for the Minneapolis Health Department and leads the Department’s Green Careers Exploration Program. The program advances equitable and inclusive education and training opportunities that lead to Green sector careers.

With the aim to reduce inequities, Markeeta leads a Green Career program that centers BIPOC representation and participation by reducing barriers to access, elevating local industry representatives of color and enlisting a framework that mitigates trauma.

Markeeta believes experiential learning opportunities and investment in strong, collaborative relationship building ensures this program is instrumental in gaining ground for environmental justice across our communities. The GCEP endeavors to collaborate and strengthen relationships with those leading the environmental justice movement through education, awareness and career readiness, offering students experiences that prepare them for a just and sustainable future.

Markeeta is a Climate Generation Window Into COP delegate for COP28. To learn more, we encourage you to meet the full delegation and subscribe to the Window Into COP digest.

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Representation & Climate Change Solutions