Writing For Our Lives: Caribbean Climate Justice Anthology Debuts at COP29

The Cropper Foundation, with funding from Open Society Foundations, proudly launched the preview for Writing For Our Lives, a groundbreaking Caribbean Climate Justice anthology, at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. Attendees at the CARICOM Pavilion experienced the unveiling of a thoughtfully curated e-book sample, featuring six powerful pieces of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction by Caribbean writers. The preview also included an evocative introduction by Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC.

This FREE electronic sample became available for download starting November 18, 2024, at 1:00 PM (GMT+4).

DOWNLOAD HERE

The featured authors in this preview are:

• Anika Christopher (British Virgin Islands)

• Brendon Alekseii (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Dreylan Johnson (Guyana)

• Kevin Jared Hosein (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Sharma Taylor (Jamaica)

• Sonia Farmer (The Bahamas)

Published by the Trinidad and Tobago-based imprint Peekash Press, the complete anthology is set for release in Q1 2025 in print, e-book, and audio formats. Featuring over 25 Caribbean writers, the anthology sheds light on the lived experiences and resilience of communities grappling with the urgent realities of the climate crisis.

Today Today, Congotay!

The anthology forms part of the Today Today, Congotay! initiative, a series of climate justice and multimedia arts interventions spearheaded by The Cropper Foundation from 2023 to 2026. This project amplifies the voices of those most affected by climate change, creating space for stories often overlooked in global decision-making.

The initiative’s title, inspired by the Caribbean expression “Who cyah hear go feel,” serves as a rallying call to acknowledge and address the existential threat posed by the climate crisis.

About the Anthology

Writing For Our Lives was conceived as an urgent literary response to the environmental challenges facing Caribbean communities. The stories delve into the impact of climate change on health, livelihoods, culture, heritage, and well-being, emphasizing the human stories behind the headlines.

The project’s pilot phase included a climate justice community micro-theatre project executed in collaboration with Brazil and Williamsville Secondary Schools in 2023.