Being in NYC with Project Dandelion for Climate Week.
I hadn’t planned on going to #ClimateWeekNYC. It’s not my city, not my country, and I weigh the decision to fly carefully. Also, the more I understand my AuDHD and Dyspraxic mind, the more I recognise the toll of navigating a world that wasn’t built for neurodivergent individuals. Emotional exhaustion often creeps in, manifesting as fatigue, an inability to process simple tasks. And New York? It’s the ultimate sensory overload. Add UNGA week and Climate Week into that mix, with throngs of people, and, well, it becomes a lot!
Despite all of this, I went. What tipped the scales for me was the energy around breaking the mould. The UN is struggling, multilateralism is at risk, climate change barely makes headlines anymore. Bla bla bla. Yet, something is stirring. People are shaking things up—especially women, especially young people, especially Indigenous Peoples. And despite my hesitations, New York turned out to be a week of moments. Moments of joy and connection. Moments of challenge and care. Moments of rallying and moments of quietly sitting, listening in solidarity. Dandelion moments!
Why does this matter? Because I believe we need more spaces of refuge and inspiration, more spaces where true connection happens. Not the Zoom squares where everyone is muted and speeches are rehearsed, but real, tangible, messy, and beautiful human moments. And we need these moments around the UN, despite its fractured, messy, barely functional state. It is still "We the People." It's what we have. Reinvention is needed, yes, but that renewal must be born of hope, out of a belief in something better, a better coming together, a better way of upholding the dignity and rights of both people and nature. There was a glimpse of that this year in New York, not in the UN, but at its edges shouting in, singing love songs around its walls.
When people ask why we keep showing up at COPs and climate weeks, why we continue with this often depressing work, the best answer I’ve heard is this: we must try. So, to all those who keep trying, thank you.
My love and admiration this week, especially, go to:
💓 Mary Robinson, for being who she is and for never giving up.
💗 Emily Moody for being an incredible woman who hasn't even begun to meet her potential yet.
💗 Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Pat Mitchell and Ronda Carnegie for letting me join their Project Dandelion crew!
💓 Lianne Minasian and Leo for letting me share a weird AirBnB with them and for helping me choose outfits and eat monkey bread.
💓 All those I had beautiful little 'low level' moments with, particularly: Isabel Cavelier Adarve, Flávia Bellaguarda, Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Thimali Kodikara, Florian Ulrich Jehn, Melinda Kramer, Amira Jessica Diamond, 🌏 Shreya Ghodawat Ⓥ 🌱(high five!), Gloria Diez 🌊, Elizabeth Wathuti , O.G.W, Luke Upchurch, Sara, Alysia Reiner, Veena Balakrishnan, Marie-Claire Graf, Heeta Lakhani, Ava, Jessica, David... and so many more!
Clinician, Global Health Advocate and Climate Activist
10mowonderful reminder Rhonda!! make sure you rest too! you have achieved so much