Dreams do come true. On the eve of the Giving Black Virtual Conference and Soirée, I am reflecting on my learning journey since planning our incredible gathering. This is literally a dream come true. I had thought about a climate action conference that tells the varying histories and stories of Black and Indigenous people as stewards of land, sea and air, and here we are. As we enter the Fall, I'm considering climate action in the context of the things I knew nothing about but learned on the way as a convenor of this important Black climate action discussion. July was a memorable month. My long-time friend from London, Englan d, Chris East BSc hons MCIOF was visiting Toronto for a conference. We met on July 15, on a day when the sky turned orange and the air became thick with smoke. Wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario had sent smoke hundreds of kilometres south, filling Toronto’s air with fine-particle pollution. For much of that morning and afternoon, Toronto sat at the top of global air-quality rankings. I tried to convince my friend that this was not a typical day in Toronto but we both feared it may become a trend.

My Friend and Brother Julius Lindsay (he/him) a gifted and talented Climate Action expert posted a message that deeply resonated with me this morning. Here it is and below is my response: Julius Lindsay (he/him) Orginal Message... I recently had a meeting with a colleague who congratulated me on the stuff they had seen on here of all I have been up to this year.I've been bus y: moderating, panels, writing, winning awards. I've been doing a lot. By a lot of standards I've been winning, literally and figuratively. My feed looks great.And yet I am still unemployed. Contract work has been hard to find. Grants for projects have been hard to come by. I'm worried about my financial situation.I had a Black colleague say they thought I was too slick to experience harm and racism. Probably partially driven by that ongoing winning in my feed.And yet I have had some really traumatic experiences in this work, some of them play out in public spheres (if you've been here a while, you've seen some of them). I feel like as a Black person its impossible to avoid them. And their weight endures years after they happen.This is the duality of working in the this field, existing in this time, social media vs. real life. The internal and external struggles not always showing up, the shiny things being most visible.I'm doing my best to do what I can to figure things out and get to a better place. But it's hard, especially on days when the sky is orange.I don't have some grand declaration at the end of this post. Don't take this as a cry for help (although help is appreciated!) but just as a quiet reminder that visibility isn't reality and people might be struggling more than you think. Check on YOUR people. Mide (Olumide) Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. Response.... Bro! Thanks for sharing. You are one of the most gifted Climate Action experts I know, and I have HUGE admiration for you. There is never a time we meet that I don’t leave FAR BETTER informed than I was before. Your contribution to the Climate Action landscape has totally changed my mindset and that of several others in our community! Our sector is fortunate to have you. And I feel that we are all genuinely in awe of your awesomeness. Could it be that while we personally struggle, others do too? But perhaps our struggles as Black men in various sectors are compounded, and complicated by the systems we work in, and the skin we are in, and what that skin represents, and how we are perceived and treated? The propensity to have our work trivialized, reduced, erased, and othered, viewed as less-than, and inconsequential, something that the mainstream can survive without and does not need; is so thick, I sometimes feel as though I can cut it with a knife and serve it as a bitter dish! For sure we experience success. It's not all doom and gloom. But Black success seems to have a short life-span in comparison. We are cameos, seldom ever the bright burning stars of this rolling movie... What Happens When We Feel The Pinch? What happens when we all feel the economic pinch? For sure, some feel it more than others, especially Black, Indigenous, and intersectional folks. Perseverance is our only choice! Giving up is not an option. When hardship becomes too hard to bear, we need people around us to provide that extra level of support. I love support because at its best, it has mutual benefit. But we need more of it because what we carry requires more energy. Do you know what I mean? Unicorn Black Men And Universal Issues Brother, I’ve had loads of conversations about the importance of Black and Indigenous voices in the Climate Action space, since focusing this year's Giving Black Conference on this issue. And I’m often met with curiosity about why such a distinct voice is even necessary. There seems to be an indifference within the climate sector towards racialization, while across the broader non-profit sector there is still inertia about how deeply climate affects our collective health, artistic, sporting, social and economic wellbeing. When we turn up in our Blackness, things are sometimes not viewed in the same way. You, my brother (along with many other Black men in the sector - including me), are somewhat of a Unicorn. And Unicorns are not always easy to mainstream - especially in times of collective crisis. Admirers, Admirers, Everywhere, And Not A Job In Sight Despite our many admirers, we remain on the periphery of full acceptance/integration into the systems of Contracts, RFP's, Engagements, and Paid Work. We are are often remote from consistent opportunity! I hear you when you speak about the difficulty of navigating this moment as a Black man in the sector. It’s real, for REAL, and I respect you for making the distinction between accolades and active employment. They are poles apart! I’ve experienced it too. People tell me how successful I am. Ironically, this "success", sometimes, I think, is due to my activism, which in and of itself comes at a price. It's one thing to have an opinion and a position on a principled or divisive issue, and exercise ones liberty to share it with others. It's quite another thing to get work thereafter! Speak and be damned! The Need For Tremendous Leadership I've said many times, our sector has a habit of avoiding the realities we face. We need inner strength to truly fight for what we believe. If we shy from impacting the world, the world will most certainly impact us. Surely, this is the echoing call of Climate Experts such as yourself. And this is an area that requires tremendous leadership - standing up for what we know to be right - despite the price/cost to us personally. And no doubt there must be a price and cost to the equity we pursue. Freedom Ain't Free! Awards, likes and re-shares continue, while meaningful action, employment and practical solutions remain elusive to Black folks in our sector. These are weekly conversations I have had with many people in my network, since the licence to abandon any thought of equity was granted, more than a year ago. There's som ething so necessary and yet so disposable about Black thought these days. This is a conversation I had with our Sister Sade Dozan, CAP®, CFRE on a recent podcast discussion. We Need REAL Solutions That’s exactly why we need to get into these conversations, rather than avoid them. Once again, thank you for sharing such a powerful message, that immediately stirred an emotional and concerning response within me. I'll join you in looking for real solutions that support our perseverance and maybe even changes our respective landscapes. It seems to me that we have many more years of concern to come. One solution is to convene and work things out collectively, rather than separately. I am game if you are. All are welcome to DM me if you agree.... Have Zoom, will set up!