Generation180's Esteban Gast Chosen As One of Grist’s 50 Climate "Fixers"

Gast is one of three awardees to speak at the Climate Week Grist 50 Fixer event, co-sponsored by the Clinton Global Initiative

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, UNITED STATES, September 11, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Esteban Gast, award-winning stand-up performer and Generation180’s Comedian-in-Residence, was announced as a 2023 Grist Fixer, a list of 50 emerging leaders recognized by the media organization for their innovative contributions toward solving the climate crisis. From cleantech startup innovators to authors to chefs, the Grist 50 list celebrates emerging leaders working towards climate solutions, selected from thousands of nominations.

Esteban Gast is a Colombian-American comedian, teacher, and writer who performs stand-up nightly in Los Angeles. He is also the Comedian-in-Residence for Generation180, where he co-directs the Climate Comedy Cohort, a project that equips comedians to educate and inspire audiences toward climate action, co-created by Generation180 and the Center for Media and Social Impact’s GoodLaugh at American University.

“There’s so much we can do to take action on climate change, and comedy is the perfect tool to help people hear that message and move from doomism to action. I’m honored to become a Grist Fixer and help more people recognize why the arts have an essential role in helping communicate to others that it’s not too late to act on climate,” said Gast.

Gast will be at New York City’s Climate Week speaking and performing at:
- The Grist 50 Fixers 2023 celebration event on 9/19, Inspiring Stories of Climate Action, co-hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative, where Generation180 is making a commitment on stage to expand access to solar schools across the US,
- Stand-up for Humans, a two-hour live comedy event and panel discussion about effective climate communications on 9/20,
- Probable Futures presentation “Living (and Laughing) through Climate Change” on 9/21 at SolutionsHouse,
- Ikea’s Action Speaks Summit on 9/23 as part of the Climate Comedy Hour.

Over the last few years, Gast has focused on humor with heart, an approach that led to him winning both the “Rise Comedy Festival” in Denver and two-time “Best of Fest” at the Burbank Comedy Festival. He created and hosted an educational-focused series using comedy as a mechanism to communicate complex topics, including two web series with Nothing is Boring and Third Culture Conversations, plus a branded series with Hyundai taking an electric car on a road trip. He was the host of the Generation180-originated podcast Comedians Conquering Climate Change which Variety called “irreverent but aspirational” and listed as a top podcast about the climate crisis. Gast currently tours as a stand-up comedian while developing projects at the intersection of entertainment and environmental activism.

78% of Americans (Nature*) are concerned about climate change, but many people don't know where to start when it comes to taking action. That’s where humor can help. Research shows that comedy is uniquely persuasive and attention-getting when it comes to serious issues like the climate crisis. Comedy can help evoke feelings of hope, combat climate doom, and boost engagement.

“We need creative approaches to tackle the climate crisis, and bringing humor into the conversation is exactly what America needs right now to help shift hearts and minds. Our work with comedians like Esteban enables us to cut through the noise and reach new audiences about the clean energy conversation,” said Kay Campbell, Generation180’s Director of Communications.

For more information on Generation180 and our climate comedy work, please visit generation180.org.

* Nature study - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32413-x

Kay Campbell
Generation180
+1 434-987-2572
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram