We talk a lot about hope in the climate justice movement. We need lots of reminders to believe we can turn the tide — the evidence of our lack of progress is both alarming and depressing. We talk about the connection between taking action and feeling hopeful, we ask ourselves in check in circles what is keeping us hopeful. I myself quote Miriam Kaba regularly: “Hope is a discipline.” We must practice hope, I declare to whoever will listen.

And then I heard someone at New York Climate Week challenge us to get grounded in determination instead of clinging to hope. Something deep inside me shifted and this idea has continued to resonate with me. Perhaps because determination is so action oriented, perhaps because it leaves less to chance.

And so I am becoming determined to fight climate change because the stakes are higher than ever. Just consider what has shown up In my news this week: 

• Texans living near data centers are being asked to cut back on showers to accommodate the 463 million gallons of water the data centers need to support AI.

• Typhoon Halong has brought widespread horror, damage and loss to mostly indigenous communities in Western Alaska.

• Corals are disappearing, pushing Earth to its first major ‘tipping point’

• The White House is occupied by climate change deniers and their policies are rolling back years of advancements in clean energy, ecosystem preservation, and environmental justice.

Determination is what has led to these recent bright lights:

• Project Dandelion launched a campaign calling on global leaders to increase investment in women smallholder farmers and to reimagine climate finance as a tool for justice, not charity.

• The world produced more electricity from renewables than from coal in the first half of 2025. This is a demonstration that the clean energy transition is more than possible.

• The McKenzie Project, an organization formed in 2020 to serve and uplift Black trans, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people, has become a lifeline for trans Floridians facing climate disasters. They provide supplies to transgender Floridians who can’t safely access official services from FEMA, state emergency management, or the religious organizations that are often contracted to provide support after a disaster. 

• Across the country, faith based nonprofits are helping congregations fund energy alternatives, especially solar. For New Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit installing solar allows the church to do more of what it has always wanted to do — provide aid to its community in times of need.

From seagrass restoration in Nova Scotia to marsh restoration in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana to the planting of microforests to fight extreme heat in urban areas as led by Princeton, New Jersey to the defenders of democracy in Inflatable costumes dancing on the frontlines of fascism determination is resulting in action. Community always has and always will have the solutions.

“Nothing is impossible in this world. Firm determination, it is said, can move heaven and earth,” said Yamamoto Tsunetomo, a 17th century Buddhist priest. Let us be more determined in our efforts.  Life depends on us.

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