New York Climate Week Recap: Fourteen Events, Familiar Faces, and Walking Softer’s Young Leaders
Over 4.5 days, I attended a whopping fourteen events during New York’s Climate Week! With that being said…here’s a little look into who I saw, where I went, and what I learned during New York Climate Week 2026!
October 9, 2026
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Over 4.5 days, I attended a whopping fourteen events during New York’s Climate Week! I went into the week with a pretty ambitious schedule, wanting to attend as many events as I could, meet inspiring changemakers, capture content for Walking Softer, and of course support the Young Leaders and alumni who were hosting and speaking at events throughout the week. While I was able to do all those things and more, my favorite part of Climate Week ended up being much simpler…running into the Changemakers I already knew. Throughout events, panels, and crowded venues, I spotted and caught up with people I had interviewed at previous events as well as current and past Walking Softer Young Leaders. It was really great to see them out in the world and hear more about the work they are doing. With that being said…here’s a little look into who I saw, where I went, and what I learned during New York Climate Week 2026!
Day One: Landing and Seeing Familiar Faces
Day one, fresh off a red-eye flight, I was excited to jump right in! I started by attending a Media Training Day hosted by Youth Climate Collaborative, Carmack Collective, and Let’s Choose Love. This event spanned a full day and included practical training, creative showcases, hands-on sessions, and conversations exploring how climate communications can be made engaging, creative, and impactful. Later that day, I headed to the Climate Film Festival to catch the screening of The [Conserv]atives, a film from Nadia Gill about conservatives who are working on solutions and trying to engage others on their side of the aisle to be a part of protecting what we ALL care about…nature! The screening was followed by a Q&A with Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman and Nadia Gill and moderated by Oliver Milman. I appreciated their perspectives on the importance of seeing beyond political lines in order to reach those who do care about the environment but might not typically see themselves as a part of this movement. After the screening, I saw some familiar faces… Young Leaders alum Allison Beagalman, Mackenzie Feldman, and Jenni Brandon!
Day Two: Climate Comedy (with a concert on the side?) and a Cohort One Meetup
After easing into the first day, day two really kicked my Climate Week experience into gear with four events! My plan for the day was to attend as many panels and focus on networking to capture interviews for Walking Softer’s What’s Your Why series.
My first stop was Innovate for Impact, and the theme this year was “The Power of Human Connection.” This event focused on the intersection of business, technology, human experience, and planetary impact. I was also looking forward to The Narrative Change Summit, where I attended panels focused on how local initiatives can have the most effect and storytelling. One of the panels I was interested in at The Solutions House event was Merch is the Message, a panel discussing sustainability in the entertainment and textiles industry (more specifically in music and live entertainment). I think that when sustainability is connected to things people already care about, in this case it is music, entertainment, and their favorite artists, it can make the climate conversation almost effortless and feel more accessible to those who may not necessarily be involved already.
To no surprise, YL alumnus Rollie Williams’ Climate Town Comedy Show was one of the highlights of my week! It is honestly so impressive how Climate Town episodes and live shows deliver so much information and convey a really important issue in a way that is not just palatable but also genuinely entertaining! In attendance were Walking Softer Young Leaders alumni Jasmin Graham and Macenzie Feldman from the very first cohort of the program. I think what felt special about seeing all three YLs in one place was realizing that even YEARS after their time in the program, they are still out there doing work and finding ways to show up and support each other. It was a small reminder that the YL Program isn’t just about the duration of the cohort itself, but is also about the community you are a part of and the support you will continue to have along the way.
Day Three: Green Jobs, Climate Tech, and more Young Leaders!
Day three was another busy one, but it also ended up being one of my favorite days (spoiler alert…basically every day was my favorite) because I got to see how many different industries and parts of the climate space were represented throughout NYCW.
I started my morning at The Impact Lounge, an event series I had attended last year and was excited to return to this year. One of the highlights was the insight from Josh “Bones” Murphy (co-director and producer of The Plastic Detox) on what it means to him to bridge the gap between science and communication, more specifically when it comes to documentary making and communicating more science-heavy topics. My next stop was The Green Jobs Pavillion! It is worth noting that I found my role at Walking Softer through Green Jobs Board and I have been so impressed and grateful for such a helpful and intentional resource for this space. The Pavillion itself was intentionally designed with the goal of providing resources such as career coaching, professional headshots, workshops, and panels to climate job seekers and climate job havers alike!
My final event of the day was Activate’s Tech Showcase event, Building The Community That Drives Science Into Impact. Two of our newest cohort members, Sebastian Garcia (Khaya Biosciences) and Kevin Kung (Takachar), have also participated in the Activate Fellowship and were showcasing their work and research at this event. This was another event where I saw the range of work happening all across the climate space and was excited to show up for our newest Young Leaders and see how other Activate Fellows are innovating for a healthier planet!
Day Four: Climate Campuses, Summits, and Pavillions!
Day four took me to three large events: The Nest Climate Campus, FOAK Summit, and Green Jobs Board’s closing event. The Nest Climate Campus was a large gathering filled with numerous panels, workshops, and an expo hall focused on climate and innovation. With so much happening under one roof, it was easy to find topics I am interested in and conversations I was excited to be a part of. Node Climate, an ecosystem initiative that coordinates stakeholders for first-of-a-kind climate projects, hosted the FOAK Summit that featured pitches from their Project Showcase and various workshops where smaller groups could discuss topics such as data, AI, and the future of climate tech. My fourth day concluded at A New Era of Climate Action, the Green Jobs Pavilion closing event where guests were invited to take a break from the panels and find joy in celebrating the connections being made and work being done in this space. After a few panel-packed days, it was nice to end my evening on a more relaxed and celebratory note.
Day Five: Celebrating the Changemakers and People Behind the Work!
On my fifth and final day of New York Climate Week, I had the pleasure of attending events hosted by not one, but two of our YLs from the first cohort, Pooja Tilvawala and Benjamin Von Wong. I attended Piloting an Activist Investment Trust for the Antarctic, hosted by Ben Von Vong, Overstories, and Collective Capital Lab. The session explored how environmental campaigns could challenge environmentally harmful practices while helping to accelerate investment in more sustainable solutions. The industry they focused on during the panel was specifically Krill fishing, and while this is a topic I am not entirely familiar with, I was interested in the different approaches to environmental advocacy that aim to find solutions that help shape the market.
Youth Climate Collaborative (YCC) celebrated their SIXTH birthday at The Museum of Ice Cream and we could not be more proud of YL Cohort 1 alumna Pooja for all the impact she has made and her positive spirit in the climate movement. I was also happy to see Young Leader Jonathan Gilmour there to celebrate with her! One of the sweetest moments from the celebration was hearing her share in her speech that Walking Softer was one of the first organizations to give her a “yes” and the way this opportunity helped get her where she is now and to grow into the leader she is today. As she shared more about the future of YCC, I couldn’t help but feel excited for everyone else to find out how they are planning to evolve next!
What I’m Taking With Me
There was truly never a dull moment, a minute wasted, or shortage of panels…and after attending fourteen events, I heard from people working on an array of solutions and innovating for a better planet! But when I reflect on my NY Climate Week, I have to say that the moments that stand out to me the most are those I spent catching up with Young Leaders and hearing about what they are working on now! Even though their time in the cohort has come to an end, Walking Softer still believes in their missions and impact their making, and it was my pleasure getting to show up for all of our Changemakers throughout such a busy week. Until next time, New York Climate Week!
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