From Streets to Statutes: UConn Law Earth Day Conference features Bustos and Pizarro

Editor’s note: this story features content originally published by UConn Today. 

Camila Bustos, Professor at Pace University, moderated a panel discussion about the impact of local climate activism at “From Streets to Statues: Climate Activism and the Law” Earth Day Conference on April 19, 2024. Featured on the panel was Switzer Fellow Bruni Pizarro, Director of Brand Strategy & Partner at For La Diáspora Studio, along with Naina Agrawal-Hardin, a youth activist and student at Yale University, and Senior Legal Director at Save the Sound and Adjunct Professor at the UConn School of Law Roger Reynolds.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and we have the tools we have to address the challenge, including litigation, storytelling, and organizing,” Bustos said, as quoted in UConn Today. “Law schools have an important role, because the law can be a barrier or a leverage point to help movements. There are opportunities and challenges ahead.”

Pizarro spoke about how her experience helping her father organize a tenant strike informed her activism and work as a student at Yale studying the housing crisis and climate migrants in New Haven from Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, UConn Today reported. 

“It truly felt amazing knowing that there was a friend, colleague and Switzer alum moderating this panel,” Pizarro said. “This is the beginning of something wonderful.”

In addition to two other panels exploring climate activism and law, there was an activism fair for attendees to take action while attending the conference. 

Discover more about this exciting event in the UConn Today story.