Members Tune in to Cool Summer Events

Hundreds of Population Connection members and supporters joined in a very full slate of virtual events throughout the summer, taking advantage of numerous opportunities to learn, discuss population issues, and network with each other! Our Summer Series featured monthly speaking engagements with experts, our third “Page Turners” book club meeting, and an encore screening of the hard-hitting documentary 8 Billion Angels, executive produced by Population Connection member Terry Spahr.

Page Turners Book Club

The third meeting of the Population Connection Page Turners book club took place in July. Several staff members led a lively and informative discussion of Alan Weisman’s Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth. The next book club meeting will take place in September—you can find more information, and sign up to join us, at popconnect.org/virtual-events/book-club/.

Expert Summer Series speakers

Karen Gaia Pitts, Coordinator for Transition Earth and founder of the Maasai Harmonial Development and Sustainability project, and Joshua Mirondo, Transition Earth volunteer and Communications Team member at Reproductive Health Uganda, were co-presenters in June. Karen gave an overview of the work she’s involved in to promote community-based solutions to enhance conservation practices, build

resilient communities, and improve the health and well-being of local villagers, while Joshua discussed his on-the-ground experiences as a reproductive health trainer and peer educator in Uganda.

Kristen Patterson of Project Drawdown talked to our members in July about her role as the Director of Project Drawdown’s new

program, Drawdown Lift, which aims to address climate change and alleviate extreme poverty in low- and middle-income countries through equity-focused health and education initiatives.

Nathalie Simoneau of World Wildlife Fund-US joined us in August to discuss her role in incorporating social policies into WWF’s global programs, and also touched on various population, health, and environment-focused projects she’s been involved with since joining WWF in 2010.

You can find recordings of each presentation, along with the supplemental resources each speaker shared, at popconnect.org/virtual-events/summer_series_2021/.

We encourage you to contact us at engage@popconnect.org with questions about how to join any of our events, as well as to offer your own ideas for future events. We love hearing from you!