This April, a group of inspiring climate leaders from across the Caribbean gathered in Brazil for Renew Our Power — a global convening focused on reimagining our energy systems and building a just transition led by frontline communities.

For the Caribbean, this kind of space couldn’t be more urgent. Our islands are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts — from hurricanes that knock out entire power grids to the crushing cost of imported fossil fuels. Yet despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, the Caribbean is rich in community-driven solutions and passionate leaders who know that energy justice is climate justice.

The gathering brought together activists from all over the world, but the Caribbean delegation brought a unique and powerful perspective rooted in shared struggles and deep cultural connection. Among them were:

• Princess Charles from Trinidad and Tobago, who advocates for the labor rights of workers affected by the climate crisis. 
• Tracey Edwards from Jamaica, who organizes through schools and churches to build local disaster resilience hubs. 
  

  Princess Charles (Trinidad), Dasia Edwards (Trinidad) , Afeefa Richardson (Guyana) and Tracey Edwards (Jamaica)

• Amílcar Carrasco of CCS RD ORG and Evaristo Jiménez of SOA DO, both from the Dominican Republic, working for climate action in their communities. 
  

  Amilcar Carrasco, Ashley De Jesus and Evaristo Jiménez from Dominican Republic

• And Arturo Massol Deyá, director of Casa Pueblo in Puerto Rico, who moved the room with stories of how his organization powers an entire town through solar energy — creating not just electricity, but autonomy and hope.

Arturo’s message hit home for many: in places where energy insecurity can mean life or death, the power of community-run, decentralized systems like Casa Pueblo’s becomes all the more clear. In Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, solar panels aren’t just tools — they mean health, safety and employment.

 

For Caribbean participants, the gathering was more than a training — it was a reunion of sorts.It was also a unique space to interact and plan with people from other regions of the world who have connected struggles, like the Pacific islands and African organizers.

 

 

“We are a region with similar challenges and cultures,” said Amira Odeh, Caribbean Climate Network Director at 350.org. “But recent history and geography have often kept us feeling disconnected. Spaces like this remind us of the power we have when we come together. We can build together solutions that are rooted in justice and culture to create a safer Caribbean for all of us.”

 

As the Caribbean continues to face the overlapping crises of energy injustice, climate disruption, and colonial legacies, the voices and visions of its people must be at the center. The Renew Our Power gathering was a step toward that — a reminder that another future is not only possible, it’s already in motion.