Updated as of 2:53 p.m. on Sept. 24 to include video of ENN's exclusive interview with Leah Thomas.
Leah Thomas is the author of Elon University’s 2024 common reading book, “The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet.” As an environmentalist and self-proclaimed eco-communicator, her book analyzes the intersection between environmentalism and various social injustices.
Elon News Network sat down with Thomas ahead of her common reading lecture scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 in Alumni Gym. According to Thomas, to be an intersectional environmentalist is to care about both people and the planet.
“There's so many stories about men in the United States going off into the wilderness and kind of having these coming-of-age experiences, and that's one piece of environmentalism. But there's also another side of it — environmental justice — about how people are active in their own communities,” Thomas said. “Lower income communities, rural communities, indigenous communities, urban communities, communities of color, etc., are more exposed to environmental pollutants and also don't have that feeling of access to go explore the outdoors and cultivate those relationships. There's some barriers to entry. So as an intersectional environmentalist, you can consider all of that nuance. And it's not just about the environmental injustice. … It's also about highlighting the stories of underrepresented communities in the environment.”
Environmentalist and author Leah Thomas sits down with Elon News Network's Charlotte Pfabe at the Inn at Elon to talk about Elon University's 2024 common reading book ahead of the common reading lecture later that evening Sept. 19.
Beyond the role of intersectional environmentalist, Thomas is also the founder of a non-profit organization of the same name which advocates for environmental justice and educational resources. Green Girl Productions is also an “ecosystem” of projects created by Thomas that has designed programs such as London’s first Black EcoFeminist Summit, Earth Sessions community driven climate justice concerts and a grassroots book tour of over 70 stops.
“I thought maybe I could play a small role in ensuring people had access to clean air, clean water, basic healthy living environment,” Thomas said. “I just wanted to learn more about how different people related to the environment. I thought it was interesting that we live on this beautiful planet with all these amazing ecosystems, and yet, a lot of people wouldn't consider themselves to be an environmentalist.”
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas ended up going to college in California where she said she learned the importance of connecting with nature. She specifically pointed to the Ferguson uprisings — the period of civil unrest following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in 2014 — as something that motivated her to explore intersectional environmentalism.
“When I was in school and the Ferguson uprisings were happening — I'm from St Louis, Missouri, and just felt so disconnected in California,” Thomas said. “I almost felt guilty because I was running around in the forest, going to the beach, having all these experiences. Meanwhile this small town Florissant, which is about 10 minutes from Ferguson, was on the news every single day. … I think I was realizing the healing power of being in nature and having those experiences, and wanted to make sure everybody had access to that.”
Thomas also said she got more involved with sustainability and environmental education through working for Patagonia, a U.S. company that focuses on selling clothes, food and outdoor equipment with an emphasis on environmentalism and sustainability. Moreover, Thomas said she got some exceptional opportunities to educate people.
“It all started with a girl named Billie Eilish, which is really exciting. But her mom, a lot of people don't know, is an environmental activist, and she invited me and the nonprofit I founded a couple years ago to come table at Billie's concert,” Thomas said. “Going up to people being like, ‘Billie cares about the planet, you should care about the planet,’ it was such a fun experience. And a lot of people as soon as they heard that Billie cared about the environment, they wanted to talk. They wanted to engage.”
Environmentalist and author Leah Thomas speaks to Elon News Network reporter Charlotte Pfabe about the impact of social media and technology on Gen Z's perception of global disasters Sept. 19 at the Inn at Elon. Thomas will give the common reading lecture later this evening at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.
As a millennial who is close in age to Generation Z, Thomas also talked about how technology and the constant stream of online information can negatively affect the intersectional environmentalism movement.
“In our older generations, of course, they have the news, they have newspapers, they have websites, but to have that constantly and just absorbing so many crises, it leads to apathy sometimes, where you just have to tap out altogether,” Thomas said. “Climate communicators need to be very careful to not tell future generations that they don't have a future, that they shouldn't have children — all of these scare tactics and things like that. I don't think that's fair, because that is increasing climate anxiety in the younger generation, and again, leading to apathy and pessimism and feeling like there's nothing they can do, when I think there's so much that we can do.”
According to Thomas, the best way to combat apathy and pessimism is through joy.
“I think joy is something that is actually an active practice,” Thomas said. “Because if you're living in a world where things are really divisive, and there's a climate crisis, there's student loan debt, there's all of these things that are happening, being able to show up with a smile and say, ‘You know what, I'm going to power through this. I'm going to find joy, I'm going to build community, I'm going to work with unlikely allies,’ is actually the way to resist.”
In fact, Thomas said she aims to promote joy via her book designs, which includes a rainbow on the cover, and by constantly using bright colors.
“The environmental movement needs joy, so that's why my book has a rainbow on it. I think you'll see a lot of design choices that I make or things that I wear are really bright and colorful, because the environmental movement has been very doom and gloom and scary — for good reason,” Thomas said. “But I don't want people to experience that, especially the youth, as much as possible. I want them to know that a movement for change can, in fact, be joyful, even if the content of what we're talking about isn't.”
Thomas said she hopes that after her lecture tonight, the Elon community will learn that the environmental movement requires compassion and empathy.
“Be compassionate to one another and know that there are sometimes things that are far out of our control — systemic issues that date back decades and decades, like housing inequality, where people are placed and how close they are to water,” Thomas said. “People might read the book and walk away and say, ‘Woah, this is a lot. What do I do?’ And I want them to know, find what they're really good at. So if they are amazing at communications, if they are really good with numbers — I'm not — if they are a graphic designer, apply that to the movements that they care about. Just show up to the issue exactly as yourself.”
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Charlotte Pfabe contributed to the reporting of this story.