The Arts and Climate Collective hosted its climate celebration in Founder’s Park
What does a fossil-free Los Angeles look like?
The Arts and Climate Collective (ACC) aimed to answer this question at its “Imagining a Fossil-Free L.A.” festival in Founder’s Park on Tuesday. The typically serene space on campus was filled with students stopping by to hear from organizations unified by a common goal: to raise awareness about climate justice and inspire action toward a fossil-free city.
The free Earth Month event featured conversations with activists, food tastings with many vegan options, live music and a resource fair connecting students to local organizations. Student artwork, films and projects surrounding environmental justice facilitated a dynamic spirit.
“It’s especially important for our generation to have events like this,” said Gwenan Walker, a sophomore animation student from Virginia. Walker is a member of the ACC, which provides funding and guidance to students working on creative projects focused on sustainability and environmental justice. Her creative project is a 2-D animated short titled “The Voyager.”
“[The film] essentially envisions what the world could look like 250 years into the future,” Walker said. “It’s meant to be an ode to the responsibilities that we all have to take on at such a young age, but also that can be a very empowering thing for us too.”
In addition to local South and East L.A. groups, USC organizations tabled at the resource fair, featuring campus organizations including the SC Garden Club, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and the Environmental Student Assembly (ESA).