Celebrating Regional Adaptation Leadership Award Finalists

When the pandemic hit in March, ASAP was gearing up for an inspiring season of Regional Adaptation Fora and Regional Adaptation Leadership Award (RALA) ceremonies. While it quickly became clear this was not the year for in-person conferences, carrying forward the spirit of the RALA – strong leadership that inspires action and cultivates grounded hope – became more important than ever. And wow: our finalists sure delivered. The 2020 RALA, which covers New England and the Carolinas, honors adaptation leaders ranging from extension agents to the chieftess of an indigenous nation. Their stories demonstrate that individual adaptation leaders are successfully driving change within and outside their communities through the embodiment of the five RALA criteria: Visioning, Thinking, Communicating, Doing, and Learning. Their work, beautifully articulated by peer nominators, is a testament to the necessity of collaboration, grassroots engagement, and procedural equity for effective adaptation.

Many thanks to our selection committee members and to our regional partners: Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments (host of the Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference) & Antioch University of New England, NOAA, and Island Institute (hosts of the Local Solutions: Eastern Climate Preparedness Conference).

Learn more about our finalists and view selection committee volunteer names on the ASAP Blog (The Carolinas / New England) Join us for the virtual RALA award ceremony on Wednesday October 28! (Details below.)

Call to Action

We’re thrilled to honor these incredible adaptation leaders during the virtual RALA Awards Ceremony on Wednesday October 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET. 

• ASAP Members: join us on Zoom as part of the ASAP Network Meeting
• Non-members: Tune in on the ASAP Facebook Page

ASAP Members: Participate in the first phase of the 2021 Member Led Interest Group Formation Process: submit your topic idea here by September 30th.

By the Numbers

The RALA program was designed by ASAP members in 2016 and we have run the competition in even-numbered years since then. In addition to New England and the Carolinas, we have awarded the RALA in California and the Great Lakes. Here is the RALA program by the numbers!