Episode Introduction 

Engaging with other people has radically changed this year due to lockdowns and other measures that limit social interactions. But how can we continue to build a climate movement when people can’t meet in person? Are there things we will want to keep doing after the pandemic ends? We will try to answer these questions in a conversation hosted by our own Liz McKeon with Jessy Tolkan from Purpose Climate Lab and Jessie MacNeil-Brown from Ingka Group/IKEA. 

 Guest Bio  

Jessy Tolkan is a Partner at Purpose, a mission-driven agency that builds and supports social movements around the globe to address the world’s most pressing issues. In her role as Chief Campaigns Officer, she also leads the Purpose Climate Lab, an effort to build the ambition of just climate solutions across India, Brazil, Kenya, Europe and the United States.  

With an eye towards ensuring a more sustainable planet and more participatory democracy, Jessy has spent the last 17 years as an activist and movement leader working to build progressive change in the United States.  
 

Jessie Macneil-Brown is the Campaigns Unit Manager at Ingka Group. Jessie has over 10 years’ experience in campaigns, public affairs, marketing and communications in international organisations. She has experience in leading global campaigns at Amnesty International and most recently as the Head of Global Activism at The Body Shop, where she led the company’s most successful campaigns. A passionate feminist, Jessie believes that the most exciting and innovative forms of activism come from the grassroots level. She is proud to support the Global Fund for Women as a UK board member and was a founding member of the Women’s Equality Party in the UK.  

Mentioned in this episode: 

IKEA’s campaign #togetherwithkindness https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=bCMDfvuuN4o 

 To know more about Purpose Climate Lab’s partnership with IKEA Foundation:  

https://ikeafoundation.org/story/investing-in-clean-air-can-protect-our-health-and-the-planet/ 

 https://ikeafoundation.org/story/hitch-a-ride-to-a-clean-energy-future-with-the-new-american-road-trip/ 

Show credits: 

Host: Altaf Makhiawala, Strategic Communicator, IKEA Foundation 

Executive Producer: Truus Huisman, Chief Communication Officer  

Researcher: Indra Heerkens, Strategic Communicator, IKEA Foundation 

An Andy Clark Media Production for the IKEA Foundation 

Programming Note:  

This conversation was recorded as part of the Ask An Expert series livestreamed online on 22 April 2020. This is an edited and produced version of the conversation for this podcast.  

YouTube Link to the original video conversation.  

 Want to contact the show? Reach out at wehearyou@ikeafoundation.org 

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Learn more about IKEA Foundation: www.ikeafoundation.org