RSVP for Sustain Dane Summit
press release: Join us Friday, November 3 for the 15th annual Sustain Dane Summit to engage around the topics of environmental justice, empowering youth in the sustainability movement, and community leadership. Connect with fellow leaders in our vibrant local movement for the sustainability event of the year!
This year the Summit will be an entirely in-person program held at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center.
This year we’ll hear from keynote speaker Diamond Spratling, an award-winning environmental justice activist, storyteller, and public speaker. In 2019, she founded Girl + Environment, the national non-profit organization designed to educate, engage, and empower Black and Brown girls, women, and non-binary folx to stand up for environmental justice in their own neighborhoods. Diamond’s leadership in environmental justice and beyond is driven by her own lived experiences in Detroit as well as the motivation to dismantle health, racial, and environmental inequities in other Black and Brown communities alike.
In addition to her work at Girl + Environment, she has helped many cities, companies, and organizations globally to adopt meaningful, equitable processes that prioritize community and protect our planet. The Summit will also feature a panel of local leaders sharing their work towards a sustainable community, networking and conversation among attendees, and a Live Forward Award celebration. We will recognize the projects completed by businesses, organizations, and individuals from our 2023 programs. We can all play a powerful role in building our social change ecosystem. Let the 2023 Summit refocus your efforts on a healthy environment, a just economy, and equity and social well-being for all. Change happens when inspired people take action!
Register by October 28 to ensure we can accommodate dietary requests and to receive a printed name tag.
Sustain Dane is seeking nominations for the 2023 Live Forward Awards. Help us recognize the innovation and impact happening in our local neighborhoods.
The Live Forward Awards acknowledge changemakers and inclusive leaders who are locally promoting thriving sustainability, community healing, and resiliency. A nominee’s work will ideally impact one or more areas of holistic sustainability: a healthy environment, equity & social well-being, and a just economy. Nominees receive recognition at the Summit and awardees receive a $250 prize.
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2023 Sustain Dane Live Forward Awards. The Live Forward Awards acknowledge inclusive leaders who locally focus on sustainability, community healing, and resiliency. This year's winners include:
Cristina Carvajal, Wisconsin EcoLatinos
Ruthanna Hutton-Okpalaeke & Cooper Talbot, Urban Triage
Ben Austin, J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc
Complete the nomination form by Friday, August 4th at 11:59 PM. If you would like to apply via video submission, please send to Valora Gutierrez at valora@sustaindane.org.
We encourage nominations of individuals from all ages, races, ethnicities and backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion are important aspects of the Live Forward Awards. In addition, if nominating an individual working with youth, consider nominating the youth themselves. Nominees should live or work in Dane County. Awardees are selected by the Live Forward Awards Selection Committee, composed of past awardees and local community members.
We are pleased to announce the agenda for the 2023 Sustain Dane Summit.
7:30—8:30 Breakfast & Networking
8:30—10:00 Welcome, Keynote, & Workshop
Diamond Spratling, award-winning environmental justice speaker will give the keynote presentation and workshop.
10:00—10:30 Break
10:30—11:45 Interactive Climate Project Roundtable
Local leaders will share stories of their successful sustainability projects and attendees will have the opportunity to discuss & reflect.
11:45—1:00 Lunch, Art, & Networking
Enjoy a seated lunch and networking. View and contribute to a newly created art piece focused on community well-being.
1:00—2:00 Transformative Local Projects
This segment will feature updates from two transformative local projects: the Sustainability Campus from the Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables and the Lake Monona Waterfront redesign from the City of Madison
2:00—2:30 Live Forward Awards
The Live Forward Awards acknowledges changemakers and inclusive leaders in our community.
2:30—3:00 Closing & Networking