Hello, I’m Angell from cohort 2 of the Young Leaders in Conservation Program. When I moved to Vancouver, I was excited to join the local climate and conservation community. I quickly realized, however, that understanding English wasn’t the same as feeling included. I still remember my confusion when I first heard about controlled fire burns and Indigenous-led conservation. Environmental conversations are full of technical terms, cultural references, and assumptions that can make participation difficult for newcomers.
That experience inspired me and my friend Hailin to create North-South Climate Dialogue (NSCD). Our goal is simple: to make climate conversations more accessible through multilingual and intercultural dialogue.
Rather than treating translation as a one-way process, we bring people together to explore how climate language is understood across different cultures and lived experiences. Through interactive workshops, participants learn climate vocabulary in both English and Mandarin, challenge media headlines, co-create translations, and connect with language-exchange partners. Language can be important for inspiring people to see diverse interpretations and perspectives.
The Young Leaders in Conservation Program at CPAWS-BC reinforced my belief that conservation depends on community, curiosity, and meaningful conversations. I still remember the night our cohort at Victoria was preparing the lobby to meet with a cabinet minister. I had the chance to have deeper conversations with my team, where I got to share my conservation story and listen to theirs. NSCD is how I want to continue these amazing conversations, putting those values into practice by helping build a more inclusive environmental movement.
Check out the website and explore our Web game at www.nsclimatedialogue.org! Together, we can make environmental conversations more welcoming, more connected, and more impactful.
