This Earth Day message reminds us that the holiday began as a protest demanding cleaner air, safer water, and accountability from those in power. Today, climate change is affecting every part of our world — from rising seas and stronger storms to disappearing species — and places like Galveston are feeling these changes firsthand.
This talk shares the speaker's research on how social division and ideas about who “deserves” help make it harder to respond fairly to disasters, even though the people most affected are often those who contributed least to the problem. It encourages us to move beyond polarization by connecting with our neighbors, telling stories, asking honest questions, and learning about the risks we face.
Ashley Ross-Wootton is a professor who studies how communities understand and respond to environmental risks, from hurricanes to climate change. Her work focuses on community resilience, disaster management, and how people make decisions in the face of environmental threats. She teaches graduate students about environmental management and conflict resolution and conducts research on public attitudes, risk communication, and the fairness of disaster aid. She lives in the East End of Galveston Island with her husband and 7-year-old son.
Join on Zoom or In-Person
Meeting ID: 989 2145 9165
Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)