Overview 

Water can be life giving, but it becomes perilous when we are not in right relationship with it. Due to the advancement of climate change, rising sea levels threaten the coastal ecosystems and infrastructure while disproportionately affecting Black communities at the frontline of these impacts. As the impacts primarily disadvantage communities who are not the cause of those harms, those on the frontlines of sea level rise must adapt to the disastrous effects of climate change, and work to mitigate further damage. Communities have taken successful measures to protect themselves, and this certification will equip participants to do the same. This program offers a comprehensive overview of the impacts of sea level rise through the lens of Black Liberation and provides tools like the Risk Finder for risk assessments and equity analyses. Participants will learn to predict risk, identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, and advocate for policies that protect and empower Black communities.

Course Objectives

• Explore the history and current state of sea level rise across the United States and review case studies on government responses to flooding incidents. 
• Recognize the inequity in the mitigation strategies for sea level rise and flooding and conduct various analyses to support more equitable responses based on community needs. 
• Explore various methods of community engagement to sustain long term community involvement in advocacy efforts and support community led solutions to sea level rise.  
• Analyze key policies and regulations on varying levels of government from global to local level and the associated Emergency Response Framework as it relates to flooding. 
• Examine how the corporatocracy supports structures that perpetuate the disproportionate impacts of sea level rise and inequitable responses to flooding. 
• Apply the core concepts learned in this program to develop an action plan that advocates for an equity-based response to sea level rise and flooding.