Kathy made the U.N. cry with her climate change poem.
On 23 September 2014, a 26-year old poet from the Marshall Islands spoke to 120 heads of state at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit. Selected from 544 candidates, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner performed an impassioned poem entitled “Dear Matafele Peinem”, written to her 6-month old daughter, that triggered a standing ovation and tears of inspiration from world leaders.
That day in New York, the world witnessed a bold changemaker rise up and embark on a heroic journey to save her sinking country, as well as the Pacific and beyond.
Earth Company joins and supports Kathy’s journey in building the foundations of her organization, Jo-Jikum, and maximizing her potential as a captain navigating the impending world of unpredictable, irreversible changes for future generations.
Kathy JETNIL-KIJiNER
A Rising Star from a Sinking Country
Born in the Marshall Islands and raised in Hawaii, Kathy is a Marshallese writer, poet, journalist, climate change activist, and teaches at the College of the Marshall Islands. During college, Kathy began to write poetry and perform, inspired by the Bay Area’s social justice scene. Since receiving her masters degree in Pacific Island Studies at the University of Hawai’i in Manoa, Kathy has:
- Represented the Marshalls at the Poetry Parnassus Festival in London in 2012, one of the biggest poetry festivals ever held with 150 poets representing each nation.
- Opened the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014 with a performance of a poem to her daughter.
- Chosen as one of the 13 Climate Warriors by the VOGUE along with the UNFCCC’s Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres in 2015.
- Invited to speak at COP21 in Paris in 2015.
Kathy now dedicates herself to empowering future generations of Pacific Islanders to not only survive but also thrive in the impending world of unpredictable, irreversible shifts due to climate change.
You can read Kathy’s writing on her website, kathyjetnilkijiner.com.
Video Gallery: Kathy’s Poetry Reading
Why Earth Company selected Kathy…
Kathy has the ability to mobilize youth, charisma to inspire, and leadership to make real changes in the world. Her mission is to save her own home, the Marshall Islands, from inundation due to climate change. Earth Company believes, however, she will go beyond her islands to represent the entire Pacific region in global conversations, leading youth from around the world to stand up for their rights and fight. During our Impact Hero selection process, people around her spoke glowingly of her commitment, talent, and potential. Earth Company is proud to support her and believes in her; the world needs her.
Global
CLIMATE CHANGE
The world’s biggest, most-complicated, most long-term problem faced by humankind
Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth has warmed by 0.85ºC.
The status quo could see a rise of 4ºC by 2100.
Failing to keep this rise below 2ºC will take the world into unchartered territory.
If we were to exceed the 2C threshold…
COP21 & Paris Agreement
On 12 December 2015 in Paris at the COP21, representatives from 196 nations made a historic pact, pledging that the world will keep the average global surface temperature “well below 2℃.” The pact also committed to “pursue efforts” to limit the increase since preindustrial times to 1.5℃ as a 0.5℃ difference poses a critical threat to humanity and beyond. The deal still needs to be adopted by individual governments, but the Paris agreement has been hailed as transformative and groundbreaking – a tidal wave of global consensus and momentum!
Marshall Islands
A former nuclear testing ground is now threatened by a whole new challenge – climate change and the rising seas.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands is an island country in Micronesia in free association with the United States. Spread out over 29 coral atolls comprising 1,156 individual islands and islets, it stands near the equator in the Pacific Ocean at 2m above sea level on average.
If the temperature increases by 2C, the Marshall Islands will be under water..
Imagine tidal waves crashing into your house,
encroaching on your father’s grave, and
completely levelling the land.
Not easy to imagine,
but that’s the reality in the Marshall Islands.
In 2013, severe droughts forced 6,000 islanders to survive on less than 1 liter of water per day and resulted in the failure of food crops and the spread of diseases. Increasing numbers of islanders are now moving to the United States, concerned about the impact of climate change on future generations.
+1.5°
The threshold to save the Marshall Islands from climate change and rising sea levels
Jo-JIKUM
We deserve to do more than just survive.
We deserve to thrive.
If we as a mankind let these islands submerge, their people will lose not only their ancestral home, but something equally important – a sense of home, identity, culture, and thousands of years of history, leaving them wandering around rootless with only a passport to call home.
The Marshallese youth are inheriting a country they might someday be losing to climate change. This drove Kathy and her cousins to found Jo-Jikum in 2010 to transform these youth from passive victims into active navigators of their complex future.
What does Jo-Jikum do?
Jo-Jikum empowers Marshallese youth to rise above the climate change challenge.
When it comes to climate change, experts’ voices make headlines; victims’ voices sink below. But now, the Marshallese youth are standing up to fight for their future, their home, and themselves.
Today, Jo-Jikum empowers youth to:
- advocate the international community to take proactive action,
- explore local solutions to the global challenge, and
- become stewards of their own cultural traditions at risk of inundation.
Amplify Voices
The Marshallese youth will be forced to live with the devastating consequences of climate change. And yet, when it comes to climate change, their voices are not heard. Jo-Jikum believes in the power of youth voices, and their ability to make changes if given the opportunity and support.
Rise Above
In the past decade, the Marshall Islands has dealt with the worst inundations, king tide flooding and droughts often leading the country to declare a state of emergency.
Jo-Jikum supports immediate disaster relief on the ground – through workshops, surveys, and relief funds.
Regenerate Culture
The loss of indigenous traditions and culture is one of the most pressing consequences of climate change. What will happen to the culture if the land is lost? Jo-Jikum creates a dialogue across generations, mediums and skills to preserve the sacred knowledge for future generations.
THE NEED
Jo-Jikum is raising funds on its own to support those who are affected by the adverse effects of climate change in the Marshall Islands.
Climate Change Disaster Relief Fund
In the past decade, Marshall Islands has dealt with the worst inundations and king tide flooding the country has seen. Jo-Jikum aims to provide relief for those whose homes are damaged / destroyed by the flooding and king tides.
Please contact us if you are interested in supporting this cause!
A target Jo-Jikum aims to have in the fund at any one time
EARTH COMPANY’S SUPPORT
Fundraising
Earth Company aims to raise US$100,000 to build a center where Jo-Jikum will conduct its activities to transform their youth from passive victims of the climate change into active navigators of their complicated future.
By having a center, Jo-Jikum will be able to nurture more leaders capable of changing the future of the Marshall Islands maximizing their impact in the Pacific and beyond.
Opportunity Building
For organizations like Jo-Jikum operating in low-resource settings, building institutional reputation and brand presence are equally as important as fundraising.
As such, Earth Company supports Kathy and Jo-Jikum boost their media presence and develop strategic partnerships. Through this support, Earth Company seeks to provide longer-term benefits to Kathy and Jo-Jikum.
Nonprofit Coaching
Jo-Jikum, like most nonprofit startups, faces various challenges in the areas of funding, partnerships, and management. At the request of Jo-Jikum, Earth Company provides consulting services in nonprofit management to build the foundations of Jo-Jikum and to maximize their impact. This has started with an assessment of Jo-Jikum’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as a restructuring of core programs and activities.
MESSAGE FROM Kathy
We deserve to do more than just survive.
We deserve to thrive
We deserve to do more than just survive.
More coming soon….
ー Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner
Corporate Support
HERO SPONSOR
$50,000+ (with intentions of long-term support)
HINOKI CO., LTD.
Hinoki, a Japanese real estate company, owns and manages a number of commercial and residential properties in cosmopolitan Tokyo and rural Japan. Driven by a fervent social conscience, the company provides support to many innovative ventures in Japan. Hinoki has generously donated $50,000 to Kathy and her NGO Jo-Jikum.
HERO PARTNERS
$10,000+
HERO SUPPORTERS
$500+ | technical support | strategic partnership
If you are interested in becoming a corporate partner, please send us an email to [email protected].