2026 OLN Chicago Climate Convening Recap (1st OLN Convening at the new OPC!)
“Your blueprint for change has to include other architects: otherwise you’re building yourself a castle, not a kingdom.“
"Visiting the Obama Presidential Center reinforced that meaningful change often begins with ordinary people taking small, intentional actions and organizing within their communities. It reminded me that individual efforts can grow into larger movements, and that lasting impact is built through consistent action and collective organizing."
"We are working on various issues around climate, but united in the same values, we can strengthen each other’s work!"
"Connecting more deeply with other Voyagers was especially meaningful because it gave us the opportunity to exchange ideas on how we can support one another during this transition period."
“I felt like the weekend was the four seasons of leadership rolled up into one. Allowing us to cycle through and spend a little bit of time in each season. It’s a great reminder that if you surround yourself with great compassionate people who commit themselves to leaving a positive impact in the world you will simultaneously feel challenged, inspired and hopeful."
These are some reflections from participants at our Second Annual OLN Chicago Climate Convening, and the first-ever OLN Convening at the new Obama Presidential Center!
WATCH THIS 3 MIN VIDEO FROM EVENT ATTENDEES
From July 17-19, the Obama Leadership Network (OLN) hosted its first event at the OPC, and the second annual OLN Chicago Climate Convening, to catalyze climate-focused relationships and action projects across the diverse global alumni community. The first day of the convening was exclusively for a curated group of 11 newly graduated, early-career Voyager program alumni interested in climate impact careers, and was followed by the main program for 18 additional diverse OLN members representing five countries and 14 cohorts.
Participants were featured on digital signage across the campus, and visited the Obama Presidential Museum, where two attendees saw themselves featured in exhibits for the first time. The convening also began on a day when Chicago had the worst air quality in the world due to northern wildfires - a timely reminder of the urgency of climate action. This was particularly relevant to one of our leaders who traveled from Mongolia, where he has worked for years on clear air advocacy. All 12 program sessions had a "museum motif" - one artifact or quote that linked the goal of that session with the leadership legacy OLN leaders are inheriting. The OLN team also developed an OPC visit guide tailored to OLN alumni, based on the Hope to Action framework and spotlighting some of the ways in which our leaders show up across campus.
All participants left with a 3-6 month action plan to propel their climate work through collaboration. Projects range from mapping the environmental harms of data centers, improving permitting for clean energy at the state level in the US, piloting micro-grids in Ukraine and Mongolia through the global YMCA network, collaborating on youth sustainable food workshops across Ghana, Cambodia and Washington, DC, and more!
The OLN team also hosted 75+ attendees at a cross-networks happy hour with Chicago Climate Corps, the inaugural Chicago Climate Week, and the NAACP Climate Justice program. We also hosted 100 other climate leaders through six OPC campus visits over two days, including a small group of Aspen Ideas: Climate attendees. Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett spoke at the opening plenary of the Aspen Ideas: Climate Chicago event, in conversation with AllState CEO Tom Wilson, to welcome the audience to the OPC and share lessons on the importance of working with communities to earn and maintain trust, a key ingredient for climate action and any social change efforts.
We look forward to continuing such periodic convenings to catalyze new cross-cohort relationships and launch new collaborative climate action projects - while also hoping to expand this model to other Communities of Practice as well. The Foundation team knows the irreplaceable value of bringing together Obama leaders in person and the power and magic of that. So soon in August we will launch two new applications for others to join two additional OLN Convenings in 2026!
