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Reclaiming the Moment: Using Cultural Power and Policy to Advance Climate & Health Justice

CCHE 2026 Convening

The CCHE 2026 Convening, “Reclaiming the Moment: Using Cultural Power and Policy to Advance Climate & Health Justice,” will bring together grantees and partners from across the initiative to connect with one another and share more about the powerful work taking place at the intersection of climate change, health, and equity.  At this first in-person meeting of the second phase of the CCHE Initiative, our goal is for grantees and partners to spend time building and strengthening relationships; elevating peer learning and leadership; and reclaiming our power and strength while navigating the current climate.

When and Where

Date: Tuesday, March 10 – Thursday, March 12, 2026

Location: Renasant Convention Center, 255 N Main St, Memphis, TN 38103

Host Hotel: Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, 250 N Main St, Memphis, TN 38103

Questions? Email Jaime Love at [email protected].

Schedule & Agenda

March 10-12, 2026
Tuesday, March 10

Welcome Reception

6-9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11

Opening Keynote and Plenary

8:45 – 10:30 a.m.

Climate Narratives: The Importance of Elevating Historical and
Indigenous Practice

Keynote: Dr. Lyla June
Panelists:
Moderator: Julie Kuwabara, Center for Cultural Power
Panelists: Dr. Lyla June; Walter Lewis, Homewood Children’s
Village; Anasa Troutman, The BIG We

Break

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Concurrent Breakout Session A - Public Health 101 - Success for Health Department Partnerships

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Moderator: Kat Sisler

Speakers: Jenny Schitter, Big Cities Health Coalition, Kate Donaldson, BCHC and Khanya Msibi, CCC

Concurrent Breakout Session B - Partnerships for Public Health Messaging: Lessons from Fossil Free for Health Campaign

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Moderator: Kate McLaughlin

Speakers: Martha Dina Arguello, Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles
and Beverly Harp, Medical Society Consortium

Concurrent Breakout Session C - The Nuances of AI in Communities: From Dirty Data Centers to Health Data Equity

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Moderator: Shamar Bibbins

Speakers: KeShaun Pearson, Memphis Communities Against Pollutions and Dr. Chris Pernell, NAACP

Concurrent Breakout Session D - Can I Get That Base? Building Social Cohesion Through Arts & Culture

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Speakers: Tap Bui, Song Community Development Corporation, Shelby Luster, UPROSE, Javier Bautista, UPROSE, Annecia Steiniger, UPROSE and Nyiesha Mallet, UPROSE

Learning Visits

2:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Option 1: Developing Land Use and Food Access through Farms and Orchards
Option 2: Innovative and Adaptive Reuses for Climate and Health
Option 3: Toxics Tour: Impacts of Industrial Pollution

Thursday, March 12

Full Group Workshop: Our Narrative Threads

8:35 – 9:30 a.m.

Speakers: Julie Kuwabara and Anna Maria Luera, Center for Cultural Power

Break

9:50 – 10 a.m.

Concurrent Session A - We the People: Crisis Response and Strategies

10 a.m. – 11:15 A.m.

Moderator: Corrine Van Hook Turner, People’s Climate Innovation Center

Speakers:
Mina Seck, Sprout NOLA, Marie Garcia, ECN, and Zelalem Adefis, Catalyst Miami 

Concurrent Session B - Moving from Community-led to Community-owned

10 a.m. – 11:15 A.m.

Moderator: Esme Hic, People’s Climate Innovation Center

Speakers:
Carmen Llanes, GAVA, Carmen Cavezza, CEER, Jacob King, CEER and Dr. Brett Perkinson, UT School of Public Health 

Concurrent Session C - Digging the Data! Health Equity & Data Analysis

10 a.m. – 11:15 A.m.

Moderator: Jenny Schitter, Big Cities Health Coalition

Speakers:
Jessica Hinshaw, NACHC, Taina Lopez, NACHC, Kieshaun White, Faith in the Valley and Santi Sanchez, CCC

Concurrent Session D - Can You Stand the Rain: Culture & Power in Practice

10 a.m. – 11:15 A.m.

Moderator: John Ivory, Homewood Children’s Village

Speakers:
Ranyah Prater, Homewood Children’s Village, Richard Prater, Homewood Children’s Village, Najhae Bell, Homewood Children’s Village

Lunch and TA Table Talks

11:30 – 12:15 p.m.

Group Session : From Theory to Practice: CCHE Phase 2 Initiative Evaluation and Shared Learning

12:15-1:30 p.m.

Speakers: Petra Vallila-Buchman, Jennifer Major and Jessie Doody, Ross Strategic

Group Session : Updates to CCHE Narrative Messaging Framework

1:50-2:35 p.m.

Speakers: Vernice Miller-Travis and Sarah Malpass, Metropolitan Group

Closing Keynote

2:40 – 3 p.m.

Photo Gallery

To see all of the photos from the 2026 CCHE convening, click here.