What do art and climate activism have in common? It’s probably more than you think. That’s the opinion of the organizers of the Regenerative Youth Summit: Environmental Activism as Art.
The Regenerative Youth Summit is hosted by Roots Down, an urban sustainability solutions company, and its nonprofit counterpart GreenHive, which champions youth leadership in climate justice and stewardship.
The second Regenerative Youth Summit on Feb. 24 attracted about 100 attendees. The free event, held at the Supermarket, was geared towards young people ages 18 to 26 and explored the role of creative expression in climate activism.
The Regenerative Youth Summit was held on Feb. 24 at the Supermarket, a creative event space on North Highland Avenue. (Photo by Oli Turner.) 
Organizations from various disciplines tabled at the Regenerative Youth Summit, where attendees had the opportunity to network and learn about sustainable careers. (Photo by Oli Turner.)
More than a dozen organizations tabled during the summit’s cross-disciplinary networking portion, when attendees were encouraged to complete a “bingo card” by asking questions and making connections.
“Regeneration should live in every single department,” Roots Down CEO and Founder Jamie Rosenthal said. “It should be embedded into everything we do. And if it is, it’s gonna be really hard to dismantle.”
“Regeneration” is an important term for Roots Down. The company is seeking to redefine sustainability with “The Regenerative Framework,” a toolkit for climate-resilient urban land use.
The latter half of the summit incorporated art and creativity with an open mic and art showcase.
An easel in the corner of the art gallery invited viewers to write their answers to the question, “How do we create a sustainable future?”
Guest speaker Chandra Farley, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Atlanta, said her background in the arts led her to climate work.
“That creative foundation is not separate from my climate work,” Farley said. “It is the only reason I do climate work.”
Climate change is more than a technical problem, Farley said. That’s where art comes in.
“It’s an imagination problem. It’s a story problem… If people cannot see a different future, they’re not gonna fight for one,” she said.
“Before there are ever policy shifts, culture must shift… Before budgets move, narratives move. Before systems change, imagination changes,” Farley said.
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Oli Turner is an Atlanta Way 2.0’s 2025-26 Journalism Fellow. She is exploring the intersection of media and community engagement. The fellowship is a practicum on civic journalism, which is defined by covering our communities accurately and constructively, exposing what’s wrong and showcasing what’s working. Part of AW2.0’s mission is to foster the next generation of journalists while ensuring that local news thrives, keeping communities informed and engaged.
