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Category Archives: Secretary of State

It’s Now or Never

October 27, 2016 DReynolds

October 2016 is a month that I will never, ever forget and it’s not even over yet.

Earlier this month I was honored to share a presentation with my entire school, Palmer Trinity, during a convocation on Civic Engagement. As I prepared my presentation the week prior to the event, little did I know that I would be asked to be engaged in civics in a way I’d never imagined at this point in my life, when I received an email from Secretary Hilary Clinton’s Press Secretary that simply read ‘Call me ASAP’.

When we connected I was asked to introduce Secretary Clinton and Vice President Al Gore at a Global Warming focused rally here in Miami and as part of the day not only got to speak to the entire audience of gosh knows how many thousands of people but also had the honor of meeting and speaking with both Secretary Clinton and Vice President Gore. It was surreal talking about climate change with both of them and, needless to say, an honor.

The excitement this month continues when I participate in a live webinar entitled Changing Tides: Local Solutions & Engagement as part of the Ahead of the Tide series from CAVU at 4 PM on Thursday October 27th. I will be joined by Coral Gables Mayor James Cason, Valencia Gunder, Founder of the Make the Homeless Smile organization, and Scott Eastman, a Marine Scientist at the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of Florida, as well as our host and moderator Caroline Lewis of The CLEO Institute. Thursday’s focus will be on local, multi-tiered efforts to address sea level rise and what needs to happen next to build more resilient communities and protect the most vulnerable areas, people and wildlife.

To tune in and watch or participate in our webinar, sign up by clicking here!

Red Carpet Live Stream for Years of Living Dangerously’s Gathering Storm Staring Jack Black

At 6 pm, following the Ahead of the Tide webinar, join me and NBC6 Meteorologist Adam Berg LIVE from the red carpet at the historic Tower Theater here in Miami as we live stream interviews of many of the people that will appear in Gathering Storm including politicians, educators, the world’s leading climate scientists and advocates and the film’s Executive Producer. Enjoy a peak behind the scenes on how the film was made, what it was like working with actor/musician Jack Black, as well as what South Florida’s future looks like as seas rise, and what you can do about it.

Please share the link with your friends and plan to tune in for this LIVE event on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thesinkorswimproject

Years of Living Dangerously will premiere publically this Sunday, October 30th, on the National Geographic Channel with the season’s first episode starting David Letterman from India and will then move to its permanent spot on Wednesdays starting on November 2nd when the episode that I am in, Gathering Storm, appears and that stars Jack Black, as well as Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed in the episodes piece on superstorms and our future facing more and larger monster hurricanes. Nat Geo Channel is broadcast in 171 Countries and 45 languages to nearly 500 Million televisions and I hope that yours will be one of them. Please join me in watching every episode and by sharing them with your friends and family. Years of Living Dangerously has been called ‘the most important show on television’ and won the Emmy for Best Non-Fiction for good reason. We all need to watch these shows and then take action in our communities and all over the world.

I want to close this blog by thanking Secretary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Clinton Campaign Manager John Podesta for the honor of being included in your recent events, but especially for bringing attention to climate change and its impact here in South Florida. Soon America will have its first female President and when that happens, please keep South Florida in mind in all you do, as we need all of the help possible so as to avoid a future under water.

I also very much want to thank Executive Producer Joel Bach from The Years Project (Years of Living Dangerously) and especially Jon Meyersohn, the Co-Executive Producer from Years of Living Dangerously, for including me and my work with The Sink or Swim Project in your landmark work but, most importantly, for bringing global attention to Miami and South Florida’s future and what will happen if our society does not stop pumping carbon into our atmosphere and oceans. To you and the entire Years family, thank you.

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Our Ocean, Our Future

September 18, 2016 DReynolds

It is a beautiful Indian Summer day in Miami. The time between the end of summer and beginning of fall. No, it is not cool outside like I imagine it might be in New England, but the skies are blue and cloudless and the sun is bright. It is, I suppose, a perfect day to jump in the pool or go to the beach, but given what has been an amazing week, I feel compelled to share a few words and pictures about the Our Ocean Summit that I was privileged to attend last week in Washington D.C.

This was the third Our Ocean Summit – the first being in Washington two years ago, the second being in Chile last year – and these have become important global events focused on protecting our oceans from pollution, illegal fishing, and the impact global warming and our climate have on our planet’s oceans. The conference is designed to mobilize advocates and actors in government, private society, and elsewhere to take action to protect our marine environment. More than 20 countries attended the Our Ocean Conference and announced the creation of 40 significant new marine protected areas, totaling nearly 460,000 square miles of ocean. To be able to participate in this important work was an amazing experience, but what was most amazing is what was accomplished at this year’s conference.

Over 120 ocean conservation projects were announced during this year’s conference, including nearly two billion dollars in financial commitments to protect more than two million square kilometers in new or expanded marine environments. During the conference, for example, President Obama announced the creation of The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. This monument will protect nearly 5,000 square miles of marine ecosystem with unique geological features including underwater canyons that are deeper than the Grand Canyon and an environment that is home to some of the world’s most endangered and rare species including sperm, fin, sei whales, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Location

To watch a video from the 2016 Our Ocean Conference about how climate change has effected our planet, as well as what has been accomplished during the Our Ocean conferences, click here!

Here is a gallery of pictures from my adventures at the Our Ocean Conference and Capitol Hill:

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Thank you to the U.S. State Department and Secretary Kerry for hosting this year’s event, as well as Georgetown University and the Kennedy Center where many of the events that I attended were located. Thanks to the U.S. Capitol and the many Representatives and Senators who I spoke to for their concern over our oceans, including the impact that global warming and sea level rise is having on South Florida.

I want to especially thank Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau, as well as Stacy, Allie, and Mia from EarthEcho for their invitation and hosting myself and the rest of the EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council. It was an amazing first live gathering of the Council and incredible evidence of what we can accomplish together.

Lastly, I want to thank my school, Palmer Trinity, for allowing me to attend this conference and especially thank Mr. Chapman, Dr. Regalado, and Mrs. Paschick for their support. I would also be remiss to not thank my mom for travelling with me and being the best travel companion a girl could ever have.

If you are a student or someone young at heart, let me end by saying that all of us have a voice and that you can make an impact in anything that you are passionate about. So whether it is the ocean, the environment, or some other topic, do not ever be afraid to speak up, speak out, and become involved because together we can make the world better for future generations.

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A September to Remember

September 12, 2016 DReynolds

As the warmest summer on record nears an end, this month is shaping up to be a “September to Remember” for The Sink or Swim Project. I want to update everyone on a few of the amazing events that we will be participating in as we continue to publicly discuss the risks that South Florida faces from global warming and especially sea level rise, as well as possible solutions such as the need to dramatically increase the use of solar power and other sustainable energy solutions as we transition away from the use of fossil fuel before it’s too late. With these important topics in mind I hope you will join us at one or more of these events or, at the very least, join the discussion;

1. Climate Change Discussion & Round Table with John Podesta, Chairman Hillary for America / 2:30 PM, Monday, September 12^th / Key Biscayne, Florida

John Podesta, Chief of Staff for Former Secretary of State and current Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Hillary Clinton, will lead a Round Table discussion on Climate Change on the 12^th at 2:30 PM at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) Auditorium and I am so very humbled to have been invited to participate in this important discussion along with some of our region’s leading scientists, lawmakers and clean energy entrepreneurs.

Thanks to Susan Glickman from the Southern Alliance on Clean Energy for inviting me to attend and to the University of Miami RSMAS campus for hosting this important discussion. To learn more about the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, please visit: http://www.cleanenergy.org/. To Learn more about the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science please click visit:http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/. To learn more about Mr. Podesta, please visit:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Podesta.

2. Secretary John Kerry & The United States Department of State / Our Oceans Conference / Thursday & Friday, September 15^th and 16^th / Washington D.C.

I am thankful to be a member of Philippe Cousteau’s inaugural EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council and in that capacity will be attending the 2016 Our Ocean One Future Leadership Summit at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. on the 15^th and 16^th. During our time together I will visit the Ocean Conservancy to discuss ocean policy, attend the Our Ocean One Future Summit, visit Capitol Hill, and hear Secretary of State John Kerry conduct a Town Hall.

Secretary Kerry will be hosting the 2016 Our Oceans Conference and in doing so plans to call today’s youth to action to protect our worlds’ waters and its inhabitants. The Conference shall focus on threats to our oceans in four areas including; Marine Protected Areas, Climate Change, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Pollution. Speaking of Secretary Kerry, to watch a video he has made related to the event and the importance of our oceans, click here.

The learn more about The Our Oceans, One Future Leadership Summit visit http://ourocean2016.org/#event.

3. Smithsonian Water Ways Lecture / 6 PM, Friday, September 16^th/ Miami Springs, Florida

The Florida Humanities Council has selected the historic Curtis Mansion here in Miami Springs as one of six locations to host the 2016-2017 Smithsonian Exhibit ‘Water/Ways’ (http://curtissmansion.com/MoMS/) and on Friday September 16^th at 6:00 PM The Sink or Swim Project will be presenting a lecture on global warming and sea level rise entitled Sink or Swim For Kids (Of All Ages). Following our talk we will also be answering questions on a range of global warming topics from the audience.

You can learn more about the event by clicking here or visiting (http://curtissmansion.com/delaney-reynolds-sink-or-swim-for-kids-of-all-ages/) and I hope you will join us, as well as tell your friends and family to come out for what should be a fun night.

Please consider following The Sink or Swim Project on social media (Twitter, Instagram or Facebook), as well as sharing our work with a friend or two. The work ahead of us to protect our planet is both sizable and significant but, together, we can make a difference. For your support of our work, and reading, thanks so much!

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