Keynote and Closing — A Big, Bold, and Beautiful New World

Closing with spoken word and a keynote, this finale blends art, activism, and imagination to inspire collective courage and a just future.
About this Event

Join the Human Impacts Institute for this closing session of the Creative Climate Forum, part of New York Climate Week 2026—a powerful collective reflection on the day’s learnings and a bold call to action.

Introduction

This gathering will invite us to imagine the cultural architectures of a just and livable future, grounding us in the power of public imagination and the essential role of the arts in shaping what comes next.

Opening remarks from Sarah Tilatitsky, Regional Environmental Justice Coordinator,  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Live Performance – Spoken Word from the Climate Writers Collective and Climate Imaginarium

In this stirring spoken word performance, the Climate Writers Collective and the Climate Imaginarium transform climate reality into rhythm, voice, and shared breath. Their words move between grief and possibility, calling forth a collective vision rooted in courage, care, and radical imagination.

Keynote – Kumi Naidoo, Global Artivism Network

Kumi Naidoo offers a keynote that resonates with decades of struggle, solidarity, and hope, illuminating the path toward collective liberation. He will speak to the vital force of artivism as both a mirror and a catalyst, awakening the courage needed to build a more just and beautiful world.

Live Performance - Interspecies mediation with environmental scientist and sound artist Willow Gatewood - Sit and reflect in community on the more-than-human world and our part in it as artist-scientists Willow Gatewood leads us on a journey with her fellow musicians - plants.

Closing Thanks – Tara DePorte, Founder and Executive Director, Human Impacts Institute

Tara DePorte closes the day with reflections that weave together the voices, visions, and energies shared throughout the gathering. She will offer a heartfelt invitation to carry this momentum forward, nurturing the connections and commitments that make transformation possible.

Thanks to funding for this program from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice Grants program.