Ten college-aged students with diverse educational backgrounds came together to form an interdisciplinarian team, participating in a four-month venture aimed at deepening the understanding of how environmental challenges impact our local community. Throughout the program, students partook in workshops covering a wide range of topics, including media journalism, interview techniques, photography fieldwork, skills-building workshops, exhibit curation, and outreach, designed to enrich their knowledge and skills. As part of the fieldwork, nine interviews with members of the community were conducted, each highlighting a different facet of threats posed by climate change in Laredo, TX, with extreme heat at the forefront of the conversation.
This remarkable project culminated in an art exhibit highlighting their stories through photography and storytelling initiatives, offering a human perspective to the lived experiences of climate change. Storytelling is a powerful advocacy and awareness tool that allows climate change issues to be more palatable to the community, broadening the discussion and fostering a space in which everyone takes action for a more sustainable and resilient environmental future.
Alberto Vargas • Ariana Garza • Brenda Martinez • Brianna Andrews • Joseline Mendoza • Misael Negrete • Paulina Salazar • Ruby Torres • Vanessa Plascencia • Vincent Sanchez Noriega
In the Heat of Laredo: Climate Narratives shares the powerful stories of nine Laredo residents whose daily lives have been deeply affected by climate change. From small business owners facing financial losses due to extreme heat, to individuals struggling with heat-related illnesses and health conditions linked to pollution, each story reveals the many ways climate change touches our community. These narratives reveal the many facets of climate change, ranging from urban landscapes cracking under rising temperatures to homes suffering from infrastructure damage and plant nurseries struggling for survival. While the effects may seem isolated, they are all connected threads of a broader climate issue that transform our communities and the environments we rely on. This exhibition calls for awareness and action in Laredo, a city that experiences extreme heat and lacks distinct seasons, where its impacts can be felt year-round, affecting both the environment and the lives of its residents. These stories illustrate the often overlooked consequences, reminding us of the urgency to come together and act for a stronger, more sustainable future.
2024 Climate Cohort Members
Cohort Stories highlights the lived experiences of Laredo residents, capturing how extreme heat and climate challenges ripple through family businesses, homes, workplaces, and health, reminding us that these struggles are deeply personal yet part of a shared community reality.
