Cultivating Leaders for Change: The 2025 Sol Nation Summer Ambassador Program

This summer, the Sol Nation Summer Ambassador Program ignited a new wave of young environmental justice leaders—leaders who didn’t just learn about the issues, but rolled up their sleeves, connected with their community, and built something meaningful together.

From the very first week, the Peace Ambassadors (as they came to be called) were challenged to look deeply at the air we breathe, the land we live on, and the water that sustains us. Guided by the program’s three-phase journey—The Air: Awareness + Voice, The Land: Canvassing, Mobilization & Project Planning, and The Water: Systems + Storytelling—participants explored how environmental justice is rooted in both history and personal action.

From Awareness to Action

The early weeks were about grounding in truth. With guidance from leaders like Rafaella Vaca-Tricerri of CleanAire NC, ambassadors learned that North Carolina is not only home to a rich legacy of environmental justice activism, but also a frontline in the fight against environmental racism. They came to see that being an ambassador means more than representing a cause—it means using one’s voice to shift the story and inspire change.

Special guests like Dr. Fushcia-Ann Hoover expanded their understanding of green infrastructure, urban planning, and the ways systemic inequities shape the environments where people live, work, and play. These conversations didn’t stay theoretical; they fueled the ideas that became the ambassadors’ own environmental justice projects.

Building a Vision Together

By mid-summer, the focus shifted toward collaboration and action. Teams worked to design environmental justice projects they could accomplish with a $3,000 budget, thinking through everything from location and logistics to storytelling and community impact. Along the way, they practiced conflict resolution, shared leadership, and learned that disagreements—handled with openness and respect—can actually strengthen the work.

Through workshops and hands-on planning sessions, the ambassadors refined their projects, prepared pitches, and incorporated feedback from community leaders. Each project reflected not just a response to an environmental challenge, but a deep connection to the people and places they aimed to serve.

The Seeds of Change Block Party

The program’s work culminated in the Seeds of Change Block Party at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library, where the ambassadors’ vision came alive. This joyful, community-centered event brought together activities for all ages, from gardening and tree seedling giveaways to storytelling stations that invited neighbors to reflect on their roots and hopes for the future.

Thanks to partnerships with organizations like Trees Charlotte—and the generosity of people like Justin, who donated tree seedlings—visitors left not only with new knowledge, but with living symbols of sustainability to plant and nurture. The event embodied the program’s mission: to educate, inspire, and create spaces where environmental justice feels tangible, joyful, and shared.

The Power of Leadership

Much of this year’s success was due to the steady guidance of Enjolie Bush, the 2025 program coordinator. Enjolie brought a rare combination of structure, creativity, and compassion, ensuring that ambassadors felt both supported and challenged. She kept the work grounded in purpose, encouraging participants to think deeply, collaborate openly, and remain focused on impact.

Under her leadership, the ambassadors didn’t just complete a summer program—they became a movement, ready to carry their skills and insights into future endeavors.

Looking Ahead

While the 2025 Summer Ambassador Program draws to a close, its work is far from over. The seeds planted—both literal and figurative—will continue to grow in the months and years ahead. And when the program returns next summer, it will build on the foundation of leadership, creativity, and community connection that this year’s ambassadors worked so hard to establish.

For the land, The air, The water and The people.

They are the movement.

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