A special preview of the Caribbean Climate Justice anthology “Writing For Our Lives” will be unveiled at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), offering a powerful glimpse into the voices of Caribbean writers addressing climate change.
According to a release from the Cropper Foundation (TCF), the launch will be hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago-based non-profit today, at the Caricom Pavilion in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event is being held in collaboration with the Caricom Climate Change Centre (5Cs).
The anthology, titled “Today Today, Congotay!” is a timely and significant contribution to the conversation on climate justice, bringing together the work of Caribbean writers from diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, the release said. Published by Peekash Press, the imprint of the Bocas Lit Fest, the preview will be available as a free downloadable e-book, featuring six selected pieces from authors across the Caribbean. This digital sample will be available starting at 1:00 pm (GMT+4) on thecropperfoundation.org/writingforourlives and http://thecropperfoundation.org/writingforourlives.
The contributors to the anthology represent a range of Caribbean territories, and their work reflects the varied and urgent challenges faced by the region due to climate change, the release said. The featured writers are: Anika Christopher of the British Virgin Islands (Poetry), Brendon Alekseii of Trinidad & Tobago (Creative Nonfiction), Dreylan Johnson of Guyana (Creative Nonfiction), Kevin Jared Hosein of Trinidad & Tobago (Fiction), Sharma Taylor of Jamaica (Fiction), and Sonia Farmer of the Bahamas) (Poetry), the release said.
It stated that in a foreword to the anthology, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, a Grenadian, reflects on the importance of amplifying the human stories behind the global climate crisis. “Even at the highest level, as we worked on negotiations… I strived to keep front of mind the human face of climate change,” he writes. “Through fictional stories, poignant poems, and harrowing accounts of real experiences from authors across the Caribbean, Today Today, Congotay! takes on this mission.”
Co-edited by prize-winning Jamaican author Diana McCaulay and critically acclaimed poet and author Shivanee Ramlochan, the anthology includes up to 30 pieces selected from an open call for submissions, the release said. The editors, along with TCF, guided the anthology’s development with an emphasis on diversity, urgency, and artistic expression, it added. McCaulay, who took on the role of co-editor after the untimely passing of lead editor Funso Aiyejina in July 2024, was quoted as saying, “The words of the writers have remained with me. I’m grateful for this opportunity to work on an anthology that is vital for the present moment.”
The full “Writing For Our Lives” anthology will be released in both print and electronic formats in the first quarter of 2025.
The COP29 launch event will feature a dynamic programme, including a live reading by Anika Christopher, audio and video presentations of selected works, and a panel discussion on the role of grassroots climate action in the Caribbean, the release said. The event will also highlight the importance of integrating voices from the ground up in global climate justice discussions.
TCF CEO Cherisse Braithwaite-Joseph expressed gratitude for the collective effort that brought the project to life, noting the contributions of the writers, editors, publisher, and the Caricom team. “We hope the anthology will resonate and help communicate the urgent message of those on the frontlines of climate change,” she was quoted as saying.
The “Writing For Our Lives” anthology is the second major initiative under the “Today Today, Congotay!” project, which is funded by the Open Society Foundations. It follows a successful pilot of a climate justice community micro-theatre project in 2023, executed in collaboration with the Brazil and Williamsville Secondary Schools, the release said.
For more information on the Writing For Our Lives Caribbean climate justice anthology, TCF can be followed on social media @thecropperfndn.
Founded in 2000 by John and Angela Cropper, TCF is an award-winning non-profit organization based in Trinidad and Tobago. It focuses on fostering sustainable development across the Caribbean, with an emphasis on natural resource governance, sustainable agriculture, and arts for development. In recent years, TCF has expanded its work to include critical issues such as climate justice, citizen participation, and the protection of civic space.
