FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amid a tough federal landscape for climate justice, the 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference brings together researchers, students, and frontline communities in New Orleans, March 18–22, 2026

NEW ORLEANS, LA — The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) and the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University announce the 11th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference, Legacy Rising: Charting our Future at the Crossroads of Climate and Justice,  taking place March 18–22, 2026, in New Orleans at the Jung Hotel. At a moment when federal environmental safeguards are being systematically dismantled, this convening stands as a critical independent forum for climate research, community-driven solutions, and the training of the next generation of environmental leaders.

“The critical truth of our work is that it must sustain volatile political winds,” says Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder and Executive Director of DSCEJ. “This conference represents the infrastructure our communities need to protect themselves when government protections fail. The ideas, the relationships, and the leadership perspectives we’re building here will be here long after any attempts to undermine decades of hard-won legal and scientific progress.”

The four-day conference will convene students, faculty, community leaders, and environmental experts to present climate and resilience research and explore solutions to critical challenges, including sea-level rise adaptation, movement-building in frontline communities, and the intersections of social science and history with contemporary climate science. College and high school students will showcase their research through oral presentations and poster sessions, with poster session  awards recognizing excellence in high school,  undergraduate and graduate research.

The GenNext High School Workshop will convene on Saturday, March 21, bringing high school students together for interactive sessions focused on disaster resilience, Urban Heat Islands, and climate change equipping the next generation with the knowledge and tools to address pressing climate challenges.

Dr. Robert D. Bullard, Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, emphasizes the significance of this work. “Our conference at this critical juncture in history embodies the spirit of Sankofa, a principle that encourages us to look back in order to move forward. Our HBCU centers, partnerships, networks, and consortia stand as pillars of strength from which we can build on and draw important lessons as we chart a course for the future.”

The conference features a variety of sessions, including community-based organization panels, nationally-acclaimed keynote speakers, cultural presentations,  literary and book-signing sessions, and even a film festival featuring stories of the environmental justice movement. Featured speakers include: Wawa Gatheru, Founder & Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist,  Dr. Calvin Mackie, Founder, STEM NOLA, Alan Sealls, President, American Meteorology Society, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, President & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus, General Russel Honoré Founder & Executive Director, GreenARMY,and  Sunni Patterson, Poet.

Registration information available here. 

About DSCEJ

The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ), founded in 1992, is the nation’s longest-serving environmental justice resource center, committed to advancing the health, safety, and livelihoods of communities impacted by pollution and climate change. Through research, education, and workforce training, DSCEJ collaborates with communities, scientists, and policymakers to address systemic environmental inequities. DSCEJ is dedicated to ensuring every person’s right to live free from environmental harm impacting health, housing, jobs, and overall quality of life.

About the Bullard Center

The Robert D. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University was established to address the systemic inequities and structural racism that drive disproportionate environmental and climate impacts in Black and other communities of color. The Center combines research, advocacy, and education to advance a vision of equitable and sustainable futures for all.

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Media Contacts 

DeJonique Baptiste
The Bullard Center for Environmental Justice
DeJonique.Baptiste@tsu.edu

DSCEJ Communications Team
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
media@dscej.org