Through the turbulence, Sustainable Hudson Valley remains all-in on direct action projects that build climate solutions and hope. To expand public understanding of the work to be done, we have created a new community education and support resource for you. On July 16, we are launching this new program: Climate, Your Community, and You. Its premise is that people build understanding and find their voice to take public stands by exploring the issue in a community of peers and connecting our local experience to the bigger picture, from the hyperlocal we can see directly, to the regional and global dimensions we are part of. Program offerings include:

• a community forum and planning workshop drawing on the Regional Climate Action Road Map and Tool Kit, looking in parallel at the Hudson Valley bioregion and the host community’s particular issues;
• a communications training on climate communications designed especially for people under 30 (but welcoming anyone);
• and an outreach campaign aimed at building widespread commitment to continue the Hudson Valley’s leadership in implementing state climate policy through local creativity.

The sweet spot for all these efforts is creating group experiences that show how local actions can resonate and replicate through a regional network, and provide support as participants uncover their specific role in making that happen. With generous support from the Jordan Liebhaber Scholarship Fund, we will be offering it this fall in five Dutchess County communities as the first step toward regional coverage over a year.