Information is a Foundation of Empowerment

Some individuals attended the workshop specifically to learn information about climate change. For Bobbie Freedman, the current political administration greatly piqued his interest in climate change and made him realize that he wanted to be more informed about the topic. Bobbie described that he had always had an interest in climate change, but with President Trump and his administration attacking climate science, his interest has grown.

Bobbie: I've had an interest in climate change. Just as a layperson, maybe read an article here or there. But you know, we all know how it became so pervasive, like this information because of dear president, Donald Duck, I mean Donald Trump. So we know that. So everybody's started gaining interest. You know, why is he saying no and other people were saying, yeah? So everybody started taking an interest in it. So when they said a workshop and it's about climate change, you say, "Hey, yeah, I wanna I want to know what's going on." You know what I mean? "I want to be more informed." You know what I mean? So that was a great opportunity for me to come in to be more informed, formally. Get some good information, you know what I mean?

In addition to his desire to become more informed about climate change, Bobbie believed that information holds power. It was not uncommon for workshop participants to state that Philadelphia communities needed more resources, such as the Climate Ready Philly workshops. But as Bobbie reflected on the workshops he noted that there was value beyond just receiving information and resources. 

Ali: Do you feel like you walked out of that workshop more informed?

Bobbie: Yes. In fact, I left the workshop feeling empowered.

Ali: That is what we're looking for. But do you feel like, we are giving too much information? This is one thing that we haven't done well in past years; people afterwards felt like they couldn't explain climate change when they got home or to someone on the street. Do you feel like you could tell someone on the street what climate change is?

Bobbie: I think so.

Ali: Okay, what would you say to them?

Bobbie: I would say it's different weather patterns, some short term, some long term... What affects these different weather patterns is like the carbon monoxide and burning fuel fossils, are such and such and so. You know, I can go into it a little. But I mean, I know what's happening, what climate change is and everything from global warming, and the ice, et cetera, et cetera, green gases, and you know, the whole nine. Because after I left there, I said, "Okay, let me read some more stuff about it." You know what I mean? I was taking little notes while I was there. And then so I left more empowered, you know what I mean? So when I engage in a conversation with somebody now, I can engage. It's not just off the cuff or a conjecture, you know what I mean? This is what I'm saying, I'm telling you about facts. I left like that. You know what I mean?

Ali: It sounds like information is necessary for empowerment. That it's a cornerstone.

Bobbie: Yeah. That's necessary. That's the foundation. Without that information or knowledge, there's no foundation. It’s just you're spinning your wheels.