Climate Report 2021 : simplebooklet.com

about the contributors MG Hall MG Hall is the Climate Impact Coordinator for Exposure Labs working on our Climate Team to support programs like Climate Story Lab Film In The Field and partnerships with various environmental justice groups while also serving as the community manager for our films Chasing Coral and Chasing Ice She studied Ecology in undergrad and supported conducted research on climate change s impact on aquatic ecosystems but realized in her last year that her real love was science communication which led her to the world of film impact and climate MG was born and raised in Alabama and has a special interest in engaging the South in the climate movement as well as lifting up those who have historically been left out of the conversation with education and resources to advocate for themselves and their homes Lindsay Crowder Sam Adler Samantha is focused on formulating social impact strategies through the power of film as Exposure Labs Climate Senior Program Manager As a passionate storyteller she s interested in the intersection of climate change and human rights Most recently she s worked for Yale s Program for Climate Change Communication promoting research around a multifaceted approach to climate change social research She has also worked as a journalist for Alliance Earth writing and reporting on environmental issues including an assignment in Botswana s Kalahari Desert Prior Samantha acted as the Global Communications Manager at Girl Rising Projects included constructing a communications strategy with the White House in relation to the First Lady s Let Girls Learn initiative Samantha holds a BA in Journalism and Cinema Studies from New York University and is based in San Diego with her many plants and fluffy cat 1 Lindsay is the Climate Program Director at Exposure Labs overseeing the development of our climate work From running national campaign offices for a handful of progressive organizations to developing dozens of digital field campaigns for a variety of clients Lindsay centers her work in building community transformational change Most recently she worked as National Organizing Director for the Peoples Climate Movement building program work that demands bold climate action centered in racial and economic justice through mass mobilization coalition building and movement alignment She is based in Detroit Michigan 2 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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our foundation Values Equity Sustainability We believe a regenerative world must be fair and just for all people and the planet and the path forward requires an intersectional approach to address systemic and institutional injustices Integrity Mission Vision Values Our Mission Stories for a better future We believe that stories are the most powerful catalyst to build empathy shape culture foster social justice movements and shift systems From inception to impact we develop and share stories to address big societal challenges and to inspire hope and action for collective solutions Vision We envision a world where transformative stories can help heal our relationship with the planet and with each other and create an equitable and sustainable future for all 5 We do what we believe is the right thing even when it s not easy We don t shy away from hard questions or systemic challenges and maintain the open mindedness needed to challenge our own beliefs We seek out perspectives that differ from our own approach the world with curiosity and embrace the inherent nuance that comes with big ideas Creativity We embrace big ideas imagination and creative thinking in all of our work seeking out new and innovative ways to tell stories uplift social movements and connect with communities and audiences around the world Inclusion We lead with love and compassion to build social bridges that unite us focusing on what we have in common over what sets us apart We recognize that just like in nature diversity brings strength and resilience and we seek an inclusive future where ALL people are involved in the decisions that affect them 6 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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Climate Program Theory of Change Points of Unity Theory of Change The climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented rate perpetuated by systems of oppression and extraction We believe that the transformational power of storytelling is one of the greatest tools we have to accelerate climate action at scale Our work serves as a pathway for climate storytellers organizers and the broader storytelling ecosystem moving away from centering ourselves to disrupting unjust power structures and ensuring that both organizers and storytellers have the resources access and capacity to do the work We build bridges foster collaboration and seek to be a trusted hub and thought partner for climate storytellers and organizers recognizing our privilege and power bringing innovation and opportunity to the overall ecosystem and ensuring that we are contributing to an equitable intersectional and multidisciplinary approach to addressing the climate crisis through the power of storytelling We started socializing our Theory of Change in this format to align with The Social Dilemma team and bring structural cohesion across Exposure Labs Points of Unity The climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented rate perpetuated by systems of oppression and extraction We leverage the power of storytelling to build capacity and shift sytems towards collective climate action RESOURCE SHARING Organizational and Storyteller Grants Tools Trainings Program Production Support S H I F TI N G R E L ATI O N S H I P S R ES O U RC ES PR ACTI C ES P O LI C I ES A N D P OWE R DYN A M I C S TO B E N E FIT C O M M U N ITI ES M O S T I M PACTE D 7 Points of Unity are our shared values beliefs methods and means They guide our climate work reflect who we are and what we believe in and inform our decision making Our process was inspired by the great work of our friends at AORTA M OV E M E N T BRIDGE BUILDING Impact Labs Grassroots Events Consultation We ground our work and ourselves by listening We are committed to intentional relationship building both new and long term to nurture a network of individuals organizations storytellers and other stakeholders cocollaborating in building an ecosystem of solutions to the climate crisis We appreciate that this involves constant work at the individual organizational and structural level TR A N S FO R M ATI O N A L C H A N G E BY D I S M A NTLI N G SYS TE M S O F O PPR ES S I O N A N D B U I LD I N G C O LLECTI V E P OWE R TOWA R D S C LI M ATE ACTI O N 8 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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We follow the Jemez Principles of Democratic Organizing in all that we do We encourage our team our partners and all relationships to show up with their whole selves We nurture intergenerational practices we value intimacy depth and trust and we believe care for self others and community is crucial to a more sustainable world We stand in alliance with struggles that uphold collective liberation and cooperation and recognize that those struggles can be intersectional We believe that individuals organizations and ecosystems can be transformed Group Agreements Group Agreements are intended to clarify our role in community spaces and meetings and allow room for holistic participation Depending on the group meeting and overall purpose these agreements can be built on and adapted for meaningful use Make space take space Be mindful of how you We assume our own power and privilege and maintain our humility use your time your power and privilege We believe in the importance of leadership and prioritize the development of leaders among youth communities most impacted by the climate crisis and intentionally targeted communities in all levels of our work learning and clarity We spend our time building bridges rather than closing doors We value resource sharing and are committed to contributing to a fair and just ecosystem by directly linking resources and capacity building with the communities that need them most Be brave Lean into tensions that can lead to growth Approach questions and thinking with curiosity and disrupt harm without apology Throw glitter not shade Share your truth using yes and I and treat others with care Focus on the behavior not the person Aim for accountability Be present Your attention is a gift what you pay attention to grows We move at the speed of trust and honor that there is always enough time for the right work 9 1 0 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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a Climate Story Lab In commitment to our existing relationships and to building capacity for climate storytelling in the US South we planned a Climate Story Lab US South the week of April 26 2021 We secured partnerships with regional stakeholders New Orleans Film Society and the Southeast Climate and Energy Network and accepted 7 storytelling projects from the South to workshop during the Lab We designed programming and brought in local organizers scientists community leaders funders and more to explore different themes including intersectionality power impact and equitable funding models Climate Story Lab US South selected projects include Fenceline Feature Documentary Hollow Tree Feature Documentary JORDAN Short Narrative Neverglades 360 Degree Cyclorama Razing Liberty Square Feature Documentary Regeneration of Land and Culture Short Documentary UNTITLED A Black Family Origin Story about the Legacy of Racism and Promise based in New Orleans LA Feature Documentary More information about each project can be found here and the Climate Story Lab US South case study video and report can be found here We will remain in consultation and collaboration with the project teams and partners for this Lab going forward We ve also been in consultation and collaboration with some of the global Climate Story Lab planning teams including Climate Story Lab Africa and Amazonia and are planning to engage with Doc Society around the longterm strategic planning for this work Why the US South The Southern region of the United States is one of the most vulnerable areas in the country impacted by climate change The South is also plagued by extractive storytelling practices and viewed through a very narrow lens perpetuated by mainstream media Women BIPOC and low income communities are often at the forefront of the climate emergency yet rarely at the forefront of storytelling as either makers or protagonists There is a critical opportunity to support sustainable infrastructure for Southerners to determine who the story is about who is telling the story how it s being told and how it gets shared REFLECTIONS FROM THE FIELD What can I say I knew this Lab would be informative but I had no idea that it would be so spiritually inspired The panelists you curated for our spotlight were phenomenal Thank you for all of your tireless work to bring us all together I know that this week will be transformational Your remarkably concientios and compassionate work is dearly appreciated Ann Bennett Climate Story Lab US South producer of Razing Liberty Square It was a privilege and an honor to listen collaborate with and learn from so many talented people across the South I m so grateful to Brooke for looping me into this endeavor and beyond excited to continue to work with and support the incredible Exposure Labs Climate Team We appreciate all that you guys do for filmmakers changemakers around the country It s these kinds of experiences and broader community that give me so much hope and optimism for the future Annie Martin Climate Story Lab US South Impact Producer for Regeneration of Land and Culture 14 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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b Film in the Field Building off of learnings from our impact work with Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral and consolidating feedback and interest across the field we launched Film in the Field as a pilot program in partnership with the Southeast Climate Energy Network SCEN Our goal was to test a scalable equitable model that supports the use of climate storytelling beyond our own films to mobilize new existing audiences drive climate action and create lasting change Over the summer of 2020 we formed a Peer Review Committee with 3 representatives from the SCEN network and 3 team members from Exposure Labs to collectively build out a Request for Proposal using films and resources drawn from Exposure Labs Film in the Field Library We matched the SCEN network to launch the RFP with a 50 000 total granting pool and network members were invited to apply beginning September 22 2020 Since the launch we have granted 7 grassroots organizations with funding and resources to use film as a tool for their organizing The full list of projects and grantees can be found here and some highlights are included below ReThink Energy Florida a youth People s Justice Council brought Georgia Interfaith Power Light together Alabamian community members faith leaders and community organizers for a screening of Uniontown 15 led organization brought together 2 screenings of Chasing Ice for intergenerational audiences in Florida Sustaining Way South Carolina Interfaith Power Light organized 2 screenings of The Human Element to frame local climate impacts and community led solutions Kentucky Interfaith Power Light created a 2 part series Facing Winter Exploring the Human Impact on Nature with screenings of Chasing Ice Chasing Coral and The Human Element and Engaging Spring We Got This with screenings of Current Revolution Uniontown and Water Warriors GASP has hosted 2 screenings of Cooked Survival by Zip Code to audiences in Birmingham Alabama along with a conversation with the Director Judith Helfand Care About Climate launched their project with a screening of Water Warriors and panel discussion in the Kendeda Building at Georgia Tech Several of the recent grantees are still planning their events to be completed by Spring 2022 so we continue to gather impact and debrief with hosts in preparation of an in depth impact report and case study video This Request for Proposal and partnership with the Southeast Climate Energy Network kicks off our long term commitment and effort to use climate storytelling to grow the climate movement and to create additive models for both storytellers and organizers to do the work In February 2022 we formed a new Peer Review Committee of equal parts SCEN and launched phase 2 of this project Grantees and projects will be announced in May 2022 REFLECTIONS FROM THE FIELD There seemed to be a great turnout overall and response at the end The speakers and moderator added a professional feel and brought a great amount of empathy Attendees who completed surveys commented they became more aware about how this has affected frontline communities Others became more educated on air quality and water issues and how policy and local government are intertwined Kali Llano Film in the Field grantee from Sustaining Way screening The Human Element events to take place in 2022 16 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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REFLECTIONS FROM THE FIELD Whether participants had something positive or negative to say about the film you could tell that everyone was moved by the documentary and encouraged to take further action And we also asked in our post survey what events volunteering podcasts our participants have found since the event and nearly every response had some sort of environmentally focused answer such as being trained to be a water monitor or listening to How To Save a Planet Whether they were already an activist or not I believe this event encouraged people to start making change and doing everything they can to further educate themselves and help heal this planet Jordan Hansel Film in the Field grantee of ReThink Energy Florida screening Chasing Ice 17 Update Members of the SCEN network were inspired by the use of film as an organizing tool through this RFP and invited us to collaborate on a federal grant presented by NOAA for their Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments RISA Program We were awarded the grant in early August and will be partnering with several SCEN member organizations to host workshops paired with NOAA RISA teams communities in Florida Georgia and Alabama to inform scientists directly on the impacts of climate change in their communities Films from our library will be screened as part of the events and local videographers will capture the workshops and learnings c Can You Hear Us In September 2020 we hired the team at Young Entertainment Activists YEA as impact producers for the Can You Hear Us campaign launched in conjunction with the release of I Am Greta on Hulu We have transitioned the campaign to the team at YEA and we will continue to play an advisory role as needed Can You Hear Us is an impact campaign igniting regenerative local climate action that is intergenerational accessible and intersectional Through educational programming and interactive Take Action materials Can You Hear Us amplifies frontline grassroots organizations and decentralizes Greta Thunberg s overexposure prioritizing community led efforts advancing co generation in the climate space through systemic and relational organizing The team at YEA created various resources such as a customizable Action Plan Quiz a Climate Literacy Dictionary a map of 350 Local Organizations and downloadable guides for Youth Organizing and Intergenerational conversations In doing so the campaign has developed a diverse coalition of 60 partners including longterm relationships with Center for Cultural Power Encore org NRDC One Up Action Helen Keller National Center National Society of High School Scholars NYU Los Angeles and EarthJustice In collaboration with its Norwegian extension and several global partners the campaign has overseen 40 community screenings bringing together approximately 2 490 viewers in Thailand Finland Sweden and Spain CAN YOU HEAR US CAMPAIGN 60 partners 40 screenings 2 490 viewers Viewers in Thailand Finland Sweden and Spain 18 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 2020 202 1

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d Chasing Ice Chasing Coral Over the past year Chasing Coral s campaign now in its 4th year has transitioned to an autopilot stage While continuing to foster community through inbox management and facilitating screenings around the globe our social media platforms have evolved to serve as megaphones for active campaigns in the climate arena with a focus on amplifying voices of frontline and marginalized communities and organizers We also finished updating chasingcoral com to house more up to date resources and calls to action for our audience making the film and the ocean conservation movement more accessible Moving forward we hope to use the platform and our following to boost both grassroots and global efforts and act as a connector for folks and organizations working together to save our oceans and planet Similarly to Chasing Coral our work with Chasing Ice has also transitioned into an auto pilot stage We continue to monitor screenings oversee inbox management and respond to any additional requests regarding the film with an updated website of resources and calls to action too As we move into the tenth anniversary year of its release we are noticing an ongoing interest in the visual evidence of climate change represented in the film from our community screenings with Film in the Field partners to the larger Chasing Ice community We are also entertaining the idea of a re release with additional footage for the ten year anniversary 19 e 1 on 1s In the spirit of collaboration community and mutual learning the Exposure Labs team reserves time each week for conversations with filmmakers and impact producers on feedback potential collaborations connections and questions on specific areas of our expertise 1 on 1s are available to anyone currently working in the film and or impact space They were designed with the following values in mind 1 Service oriented Exposure Labs is in a position where we can leverage our experience and expertise in service of the broader community without expecting anything in return 2 Inclusive We want to democratize access to industry professionals and expertise by eliminating a gatekeeper Anyone can sign up for 1 on 1s and speak to someone on our team based on their interests and needs rather than an internally set criteria 3 Optional We recognize this still takes capacity ELABS team members can opt into the program and choose how much time they make available for 1 on 1s We believe deeply in the power of storytelling to change the world and also that we can learn and grow together as a community at any stage of a project or career We developed this offering as part of the overall climate programming but have moved it to operations as we have expanded it to include Exposure Labs team members across all programs We ve had over 100 conversations to date with about a third of those conversations related to climate We will incorporate feedback and learnings as part of our end of year impact reporting 2 0 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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f Movement Building In honor of our values and our ongoing commitment to ensure that we are contributing to an equitable intersectional and multidisciplinary approach to addressing the climate crisis our team has invested time and resources into movement building opportunities to grow the work build capacity and inform our role and relevance across the field Throughout 2020 and 2021 we participated in numerous movement moments including Climate Advocacy Lab s Equity and Justice Peer Learning Circle Netroots Nation 20 The Southeast Climate Energy Network convenings Climate Story Labs Berlin and Africa and more Closing out 2021 we also participated in some exciting opportunities including an intergenerational conversation on the climate crisis hosted by YEA Good Pitch Local Detroit Netroots Nation 21 the Southeast Climate Energy Network member convening the Conference of Youth 16 preceding COP26 in Glasgow Scotland and the New Orleans Film Festival Full list here 21 insights lessons learned Over the course of the year we have continued to integrate clarify and execute our climate work despite unforeseen obstacles particularly the ongoing implications of COVID 19 Alongside these obstacles we spent a significant amount of time strategizing as a team meeting and debriefing with our partners and being intentional about our work Through these conversations and reflections we ve identified the following insights and learnings 2 2 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

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COVID 19 The entire world is adapting to the ongoing implications and challenges of COVID 19 and our work and industry endured significant change Early on in the pandemic we pivoted our Earth Day programming as a virtual offering see our Earth Day Watch Party report We also formed an internal virtual screenings working group to assess best practices and learnings which allowed us to be well prepared to adapt our programming to a virtual world in time for the release of our Film in the Field RFP in September 2020 We ve found that the virtual screening option makes our work more accessible in many ways and much less resource intensive Organizers are able to reach audiences far beyond their immediate locality and the resources typically used for in person events can be redistributed to build capacity as needed We d like to acknowledge and thank the disability community for the creativity learnings and planning guidance that goes into remote events we learned so much and recognize that they have been leading and doing this work for lifetimes Organizational Infrastructure As mentioned we went through an internal process to build out our Mission Vision Values and Culture as an organization and then further carried that work to our climate program Given the pace of the work and varying capacity across teams we have been in a constant dance of moving but not wanting to get too far ahead of the work happening at the organizational level to ensure that we stay aligned with the larger 23 vision of Exposure Labs We ve clearly felt and confirmed the need for an organization wide vision to carry out our best work across programs and campaigns Film as a Tool for Organizing We are still consolidating learnings from our Film in the Field pilot but several initial reflections around the use of film as an organizing tool have come through to date First we recognize that the use of film as a tool is not entirely accessible A few challenges we encountered included navigating distribution terms ensuring access to streaming platforms and or Zoom having available resources for planning and connecting the dots to relevant issues Second we offered an open RFP because timing and capacity are vastly different for every organization With virtual screenings often taking at least 4 6 weeks to plan and organizational strategic plans usually being set 2 3 years in advance or determined by a legislative cycle we had to be mindful of the offering pulling at capacity for our partners We will move forward with a time bound RFP for the next round however to ensure predictability in planning and impact reporting Finally we tested our assumptions on what films would be used by who in the US South From phase one of this pilot we learned that the majority of our grantees for the RFP were faith based groups the majority of groups used film to engage new audiences and we were surprised that Chasing Ice was one of the most screened films across the library Listen to the needs of the field Envision reciprocity with your partners Impact as a Goal for Storytelling Through our 1 on 1s program pilot and organizing around Climate Story Lab US South we ve learned the hardships and burdens that many storytellers face when approaching impact as a goal for storytelling Many storytellers are not resourced with experience and or funding to equitably execute impact campaigns in their work As we advocate and make more space for this type of work we must also be intentional about making the work accessible and approachable for the larger ecosystem not just the slight few who are resourced to do it Impact Best Practices Across much of our work we ve been asked about impact best practices our approach to impact and more We are in the process of establishing an organizational theory of change that will inform ELABS best practices but some themes that have come up across our climate team include Elements of an impact campaign Vision Goal Theory of Change Partnerships Mapping Audience Engagement Messaging Trusted Messengers Outcomes Call to Action Connecting the Dots to Local Issues Timing Impact Evaluation Learnings Best practices for climate environmental impact campaigns Research Mapping develop a clear analysis of the issue and landscape who are the stakeholders who is affected what needs to change build capacity Let partners organizers lead they know what their audiences need Relationship and Trust Building As all of this work was built out through a global pandemic one advantage was the forced opportunity to slow down and build deeper relationships with each other We spent a lot of time growing as a newlyformed climate team through team calls Zoom retreats and more which allowed us to be really clear about our vision direction and trust in each other to do the work We also prioritized reciprocity and community building with our partners at the Southeast Climate Energy Network and New Orleans Film Society by attending events and festivals speaking at their convenings joining happy hours and working groups and more to create meaningful relationships built on trust and mutuality Additionally both SCEN NOFS will continue to build capacity for climate storytelling in the region Points of Unity and Decision Making As mentioned above we put a lot of time care and intention into our overall program which resulted in a very clear framework for decision making and direction This clarity allows us to be more efficient with our time resources and offerings giving a greater purpose to our work and an overall heightened sense of wellbeing 24 C lim ate A Pro gram of E xp osure Lab s W inter 202 1 2022

Climate Report 2021

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