All We Can Save: Voices of Hope and Change in Climate Activism

A powerful collection spotlighting diverse women leaders forging hope, courage, and solutions for the climate crisis.

By Sneha Tete, Integrated MA, Certified Relationship Coach

Created on Sep 27, 2025

A powerful collection spotlighting diverse women leaders forging hope, courage, and solutions for the climate crisis.

All We Can Save: Uplifting Voices, Igniting Change

All We Can Save is a groundbreaking anthology calling for a fundamental transformation in climate activism by centering diverse women’s leadership and inclusive, collaborative solutions. Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, this collection gathers the expertise, perspective, and creativity of more than 60 women—scientists, artists, farmers, lawyers, journalists, and activists—whose stories and insights illuminate pathways to a sustainable, just, and hopeful future.

Why This Book Matters Now

As the pace and intensity of the climate crisis accelerate, the public conversation has often been dominated by a narrow range of voices and narratives. All We Can Save seeks to expand—and transform—that conversation by foregrounding women’s approaches: rooted in compassion, creativity, and community, rather than profit or power. The anthology blends essays, poetry, and art into a tapestry of truth-telling and solution-building, making the climate crisis feel both more personal and more surmountable.

Representation: Lifts up the too-often overlooked contributions of women, especially those from marginalized communities.
Interconnection: Highlights the need for collective, inclusive approaches rather than top-down or individualistic solutions.
Hope: Grounds its urgent call to action in optimism, connection, and courage—countering paralysis with possibility.

The Editors: Vision and Purpose

Johnson, a marine biologist and climate campaigner, and Wilkinson, acclaimed for her work on the Drawdown Project, were driven by frustration at the absence of female and diverse voices in climate leadership. Through All We Can Save, they curate stories and strategies that reflect the ways women are already leading on climate while inviting readers to imagine—and build—a more representative movement.

A Response to Ongoing Exclusion

The editors observed that, in both the public and policy spheres, “the dominant public voices and empowered ‘deciders’ on the climate crisis continue to be White men.” This imbalance limits both the range and the quality of solutions considered. In the anthology’s introduction, they argue persuasively: “Given the scale of the crisis, ignoring half the world’s brain-power is just an all round bad idea.”

Amplifying Intersectional Voices: Stories from women of color, Indigenous leaders, farmers, and scientists.
Diverse Perspectives: Not just diversity of background, but of disciplines, strategies, and visions for the future.
Feminine Approaches to Leadership: Emphasis on care, community, empathy, and shared resilience, as opposed to competition and individual achievement.

Structure and Composition: Essays, Poetry, and Art

The book is organized into eight themed sections, each representing a facet of climate resilience and transformation. Each section blends essays, poetry, and visual art, reflecting the multiplicity of approaches and ways of knowing that are urgently needed. Standout contributors include climate writers, grassroots organizers, policy makers, scientists, and artists—some widely known, others newly discovered.

Essays: Personal stories, deep analysis, and testimony from the front lines of the climate crisis.
Poetry: Brief, evocative works that offer space for reflection and emotional connection.
Visual Art: Artworks interspersed between sections, emphasizing the creative dimension of climate imagination and action.

Representative Voices

Readers encounter contributions from activists like Varshini Prakash (Sunrise Movement), farmers like Leah Penniman (Soul Fire Farm), journalists, politicians, and scientists. The collection includes both familiar voices such as Jane Fonda, America Ferrara, and Roxane Gay, and lesser-known but equally vital practitioners. The result is an anthology that is varied—and consistently compelling—as it moves from science to policy, frontline experience to creative vision.

Core Themes and Section Highlights

Section	Focus
Root	Understanding climate realities, the necessity of truth-telling, and accepting hard facts.
Advocate	Voices and strategies for activism, centering courage and relentless hope.
Reframe	Challenging prevailing narratives, offering new perspectives and culturally resonant frames.
Reshape	Envisioning transformed economies, livelihoods, and policies—reinventing the systems we depend on.
Persist	Staying resilient amid setbacks, and cultivating communities that endure and thrive.
Nourish	Focusing on healing, wellness, food sovereignty, and self-care within climate work.
Feel	Allowing space for grief, pain, and uncertainty while moving toward hope, art, and belonging.
Rise	Collective, creative action, collaboration, and envisioning a future worth fighting for.

Key Arguments and Insights

Throughout the collection, a few central messages recur, each reinforcing the importance of a holistic, inclusive, and hopeful approach to climate crisis:

Truth-telling is essential; facing facts—no matter how difficult—is the foundation for taking meaningful action.
Collaboration surpasses competition; systemic crises require communities of care, not individual heroism.
Diversity strengthens; inclusion of marginalized voices leads to more creative, robust, and equitable solutions.
Imagination fuels action; envisioning the world as it could be is a precursor to effective change.
Hope is active, not passive; optimism in climate work is sustained by connection, creativity, and honest engagement with grief and possibility.

Personal Narratives and Policy Analysis

From frontline reports about living in flood-prone zones, to essays on sustainable farming, journalism, and architecture, contributors offer both expertise and personal stakes. Some essays are deeply practical, exploring carbon drawdown or ocean farming; others are reflective and philosophical. The range illustrates climate change as simultaneously a political, social, cultural, and deeply personal matter.

Thematic Standouts: A Closer Look

Feminist and Community-Based Leadership

The editors and contributors alike emphasize that feminist leadership in climate work is not just about gender parity—it’s about bringing values of empathy, listening, and shared power. This approach is presented as fundamentally necessary not just for climate solutions, but for the broader transformation toward a just society.

Intersectionality and Justice

A major emphasis is placed on intersectionality: how race, class, gender, and geography interact to shape both climate impact and climate response. The anthology consistently points out the dangers of solutions that exclude those most affected—particularly women of color and Indigenous communities.

Stories highlight environmental justice campaigns in Indigenous territories.
Essays address systemic disparities and the importance of reparative, just solutions.

Art and Culture as Catalysts

Poetry and visual art are more than adornments—they are essential means of processing grief, expressing vision, and sustaining activism. Time and again, contributors testify to the power of culture and creativity in both healing and action.

Reception: Impact and Influence

All We Can Save was received with broad acclaim, frequently appearing on “best of” lists for science and nonfiction books. Smithsonian magazine named it one of the top 10 science books of 2020, while reviewers at Ms. and Sierra highlighted its hopeful urgency and nuanced treatment of complexity.

Featured in The Today Show, The Washington Post, TIME, and Democracy Now!
Endorsed by public figures and climate leaders such as Jane Fonda, America Ferrara, Roxane Gay, and Emma Watson.
Celebrated in book clubs and educational settings for its readability and discussion potential.

How Readers Engage: Book Clubs and Personal Growth

The book’s digestible, stand-alone essays make it particularly well-suited for book clubs and classroom settings. Many readers report approaching the book slowly—one section or essay at a time—allowing space for reflection and discussion. The collective experience of reading and sharing All We Can Save often leads participants to reassess both their personal environmental practices and their engagement with activism.

Encourages “something is better than nothing”—small steps count.
Builds community among readers, often spurring real-world action or deeper commitment.
Extends beyond the book itself, connecting readers to ongoing campaigns, resources, and networks.

Accessibility and Format

Notably, the audiobook features a stellar cast of narrators, lending intimacy and variety to the words. The multi-modal approach—print, digital, audio—invites a wide audience to join the conversation.

The audio edition includes narration from celebrities and climate leaders.
Sections can be enjoyed independently or as part of a larger reading experience.
Content and trigger warnings are noted for sensitive topics, ensuring responsible engagement.

Global Relevance

While all contributors write from the United States, and the context is distinctly American, the book’s themes and strategies are widely applicable. In a crisis that transcends national borders, the cultivation of inclusive, hopeful, and community-driven responses is universally relevant.

Climate change is inherently global, affecting all communities in interconnected ways.
Diverse leadership, radical collaboration, and creative vision are needed everywhere.
Lessons from All We Can Save can inspire and inform activism in any country or community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who should read All We Can Save?

A: Anyone interested in climate solutions, environmental justice, or expanding their understanding of leadership and activism. It is especially valuable for readers seeking hope and grounded action.

Q: What makes All We Can Save different from other climate books?

A: The anthology is unique in its focus on diverse women’s voices, its structure blending essays with poetry and art, and its commitment to optimism, intersectionality, and cultural transformation.

Q: Is the book only for U.S. readers?

A: While its contributors and contexts are American, the book’s themes—intersectionality, collective action, leadership, and hope—are relevant globally and transferable to other regions.

Q: Can the book be used in group settings?

A: Absolutely. Its modular structure is ideal for book clubs, study groups, and classrooms, and it naturally encourages discussion and collaborative reflection.

Q: Does the book provide practical solutions or only theory?

A: The collection offers both high-level frameworks and practical examples, blending personal narrative, policy analysis, and hands-on advice for activism and adaptation.

Takeaways for Activists, Educators, and Everyday Readers

All We Can Save ultimately urges us to move beyond paralysis or despair, arming readers with both the motivation and inspiration to become part of the solution—no matter how small their initial steps. The stories remind us that climate leadership is not confined to experts or politicians; ordinary people, given a platform and a community, have the capacity to imagine and enact transformative change.

“Something is better than nothing”: Every action counts, no matter how small.
Amplify marginalized voices: Seek out, listen to, and support diverse leadership.
Embrace creativity and hope: Solutions and resilience grow out of creative, shared vision.
Never give up: Hold fast to collective resolve and belief in a life-giving future.

References

Author

Sneha TeteBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Sneha is a relationships and lifestyle writer with a strong foundation in applied linguistics and certified training in relationship coaching. She brings over five years of writing experience to thebridalbox, crafting thoughtful, research-driven content that empowers readers to build healthier relationships, boost emotional well-being, and embrace holistic living.

Read full bio of Sneha Tete