Sustainable Solutions Presents "Climate in Faith, or Faith in Climate?"

Description

Join moderator Lama Elhatow, program coordinator and lecturer for the MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy and MS in Energy Policy and Climate programs, as she welcomes three distinct faith-based panelists to discuss the vital role that faith communities play in promoting climate resilience by fostering a sense of stewardship and responsibility toward the Earth. The discussion will explore how interfaith dialogue and collaborations can help communities leverage their moral teachings to inspire action, encourage sustainable practices, and mobilize collective efforts to address climate change while reinforcing the idea that caring for the planet is an essential aspect of spiritual life.

Kori Majeed, a Maryland Master Naturalist and chair of the Green Team at Masjid Muhammad—the Nation's Mosque—finds her happy place is at the intersection of faith and sustainability—where every tree, stream, and star is a sign pointing back to Allah. Since 2013, she has led Green Ramadan, a platform reminding Muslims that fasting isn't just about abstaining from food—it's about feeding the soul while caring for the planet. Rooted in Islamic teachings, her work highlights the call to honor all of Allah's creation, from native plants and pollinators to the waterways that sustain us. Coauthor of Forty Green Hadith: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad on Environmental Justice & Sustainability, she completed her master's in Islamic studies at Bayan Islamic Graduate School and is currently pursuing a teacher certification with Ribaat Academic Institute.

Jennie Rosenn is a rabbi who also serves as CEO and founder of Deyanu, which launched in 2020 to mobilize the American Jewish community to confront the climate crisis with spiritual audacity and bold political action. The organization has since grown exponentially and now mobilizes thousands of Jewish climate activists. Rabbi Rosenn has twice been named one of the Forward's 50 most influential Jews in America and in 2022 was named one of the top 22 faith leaders to watch by the Center for American Progress. Rosenn has spent more than two decades leading Jewish nonprofit organizations, advocating for social change, and creating dynamic new initiatives at the heart of the Jewish social justice movement. Rosenn, who was ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, has also served as rabbi at Columbia/Barnard Hillel, a founding board member of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps and Repair the World, and on the boards of the Jewish Funders Network and New York Jobs with Justice.

Joyce F. Biggins is an environmental scientist, sustainability expert, and newly awarded doctoral graduate from Erasmus University Rotterdam's Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, where her research focused on leadership, faith actors, and community flood resilience. For more than four decades, she served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 6), leading major initiatives in sustainability, disaster recovery, environmental compliance, and federal–state partnerships. Her work included advising the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the 2016 Louisiana floods, coordinating renewable energy and climate resilience projects, and developing national-level strategies to improve environmental performance across federal facilities. Biggins also served as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University, where she created and taught graduate courses on sustainability, climate change, and environmental management. She has published in journals and contributed book chapters on sustainability, climate resilience, and on the role of faith-based organizations in environmental leadership.

Sustainable Solutions Series Overview

The Sustainable Solutions Speaker Series is presented by the Environmental Sciences and Policy and the Energy Policy and Climate programs at Johns Hopkins University. Each talk features scholars and practitioners working to tackle "wicked" environmental, energy, and climate problems. Speakers take us through how they leverage technology, policy, the private sector, markets, research, and field work to form innovative and lasting solutions. From water insecurity to climate adaptation, natural resource conflict to energy transitions, and food insecurity to sustainable agriculture, this series features the depth and breadth of Johns Hopkins University faculty and our greater community as we work toward a sustainable future.

Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic Programs is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all participants. Zoom meetings and webinars automatically provide live captioning. To request additional accessibility for this event, please email aapevents@jhu.edu.