Communicating Climate Change Shaping the Future Through Climate Fiction With Tory Stephens
This episode features a conversation with Tory Stephens, who manages all things climate fiction at independent, non-profit media organization, Grist. It was recorded in March 2024.
Tory is a force for good. He creates opportunities and interventions that transform organizations and shift culture, building communities around social justice issues and using storytelling to champion green, clean, and just futures.
In his role at Grist, Tory oversees the annual Imagine 2200 climate fiction contest, engaging writers from across the globe in envisioning the next generations of climate progress. Whether built on abundance or adaptation, reform or a new understanding of survival, these stories serve as a springboard for exploring how fiction can help create a better reality.
Amongst other things, Tory and I discussed the ins and outs of the cli-fi genre, how this medium is key to reaching otherwise inaccessible audiences, and how speculative imaginings can inspire change in the here and now.
Additional links:
Visit Grist’s website
Learn more about the Imagine 2200 climate fiction contest
Discover the Imagine 2200 catalogue
Explore Humans of New York
Denzel Washington “It’s not color, it’s culture”
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry for the Future