Climate Justice in Harlem

Communicating About Extreme heat in Harlem, New York

Extreme heat is occurring more often due to the climate crisis, but we know less about how people experience heatwaves in their communities. That’s why Brooke sought out a partnership with public media (WNYC) and scientists to research and tell the story of this climate injustice and the need for urgent action in New York City.

During the summer of 2016, the team placed heat and humidity sensors inside people's homes in Harlem to understand how heatwaves impact public health in urban areas.  WNYC shared weekly stories to its millions of listeners on how community members were adversely impacted by extreme heat, particularly those living in public housing.

Pushed by the original research and reporting, NYC changed several policies on how they respond to heatwaves. The research was published in academic journals and the reporting won an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2017.