Wednesday, July 14, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. MDT

Even as climate change drives extreme temperatures, deadly heat waves are rarely treated as a disaster to be mitigated, and heat mitigation is rarely included in hazard mitigation plans. CoolKids could be the solution. This session will introduce CoolKids—a project that empowers youth to become policy advocates that can lead us to a cooler, more just, and healthier future. Presenters will discuss how the project connects young people with a community-of-support that celebrates youth identity, knowledge, and experience and helps them to participate in policy conversations that center their expertise and perspectives in tackling extreme heat.