Getting Creative to Explain Climate & Clean Energy Policy
For too long, the climate movement has manifested in U.S. politics, culture, and media as white – and often male – dominated. Equity Fund partners at A—B have been working to change this. As a Black-owned, women-led identity powered design agency, A—B is focused on lifting up grassroots and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) leadership in the climate fight, especially at the state level.
Check out some of their most unique and persuasive content, a result of extensive co-collaborations with our state-based partners.
Pennsylvania: Demystifying The Public Utility Commission
As part of a long-term campaign to reform the State’s public utility commission, the climate justice campaigns team at Pennsylvania’s POWER Interfaith identified a key roadblock: many Pennsylvanians don’t have a clear picture of the role that the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) plays in energy policy across the State. After a number of brainstorming rounds, the teams finally hit on a short, punchy public education and advocacy video called: “What the PUC?”
The animated video was designed to make visible the often unseen or misunderstood ways that the PUC influences energy markets in the State, and how it has often sided with fossil fuel burning utilities over the public interest, and Pennsylvania’s kids. The paid media campaign reached almost one million younger, BIPOC viewers across Pennsylvania — and drove thousands to the action page.
Florida: Get Out The Climate Vote
The creative campaign has also been busy in the sunshine state, working closely with Catalyst Miami on a catchy video promoting FLClimateScore.com, a resource helping Floridians see the voting records of key decision makers.
New Mexico: Reaching The Youth
Out in New Mexico – where the oil and gas industry holds a powerful sway over local and State government – A—B and Progress Now NM teamed up on a series of cheeky, informative videos exploring the toll climate change has taken on iconic New Mexico landscapes and traditions, while centering young BIPOC voters as a critical force in tackling climate head on and making sure New Mexico lives up to its reputation as the “land of enchantment.” (Check out some of those videos here, which reached thousands of New Mexicans across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).
Progress Now- Rating New Mexico - Rio Grande
Progress Now- Rating New Mexico - Gila Forest
Virginia: Not Backing Down from Fossil Fuel Foolishness
Virginia is for Climate Lovers! That’s a message that Virginia Interfaith Power & Light (VA IPL) wanted to get across loud and clear last year, so the creative teams joined forces to break down technical policy language around climate for younger, diverse audiences, using creative graphics and popular meme formats. A good example: an explainer series about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and why Virginia should stay in it, despite the conservative governor’s moves to pull the State out of this popular, successful program.
In addition to these in-depth partner collaborations, A–B’s Black Fahrenheit campaign built out a free content library for the movement filled with downloadable graphics and GIF. Reach out to joseph@abpartners.co to gain access to the full library.
Interested in Partnering?
The Climate Disinformation War Room and the Black Fahrenheit campaign are gearing up for more this year and beyond. Grantee partner organizations in the Equity Fund network are invited to learn more or or discuss a collaboration with A—B’s creative team – drop a line here: joseph@abpartners.co.
Joseph Huff-Hannon is a Senior Campaign Director at A—B with a background in climate justice organizing and campaigning, journalism and documentary storytelling.
