In this episode of Fierce Compassion, we explore the intersection of climate change, reproductive choices, and racial justice with Dr. Jade Sasser. Drawing on her research for Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question, Dr. Sasser illuminates how feelings about the climate disproportionately affect communities of color and impact decisions about having children. She challenges dominant narratives around population and climate change, offering a nuanced perspective on environmental racism and climate justice. Dr. Sasser emphasizes the importance of culturally competent mental health support and local climate action. Join us for an eye-opening conversation that reframes climate anxiety through an intersectional lens and explores pathways toward a more equitable, sustainable future.

[Transcript]

Dr. Jade S. Sasser is Associate Professor in the Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of California, Riverside. She received her PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California, Berkeley. Her work explores how environmental problems such as climate change and toxic exposures intersect with reproductive bodies, health, and rights. Her first book, On Infertile Ground: Population Control and Women’s Rights in the Era of Climate Change, was published in 2018 by NYU Press and won the Emory Elliott book award. Her new book, Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question: Deciding Whether to Have Children in an Uncertain Future (2024), builds on 3 years of research to analyze the relationship between climate emotions, social inequality, and reproductive anxiety in the U.S. She also has a podcast with the same name. In her free time, Jade is a DJ at a local radio station.

Follow Jade online:

• Jade Sasser Ph.D


• LinkedIn


• Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question podcast

Episode Mentions:

• Britt Wray, PhD


• Momnibus Act


• Redlands CA Climate Action Plan


• Soka Gakkai


• Yale Center for Climate Communication

You can find more episodes and transcripts of Fierce Compassion at ⁠http://antiracistconversations.com/fierce-compassion-podcast⁠

Stay current with Roxy and Sarah's personal work at ⁠⁠https://roxannemanning.com/⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠https://sarahpeyton.com/⁠

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Podcast Manager: Talli Jackson

Audio Editor: Brendan Youngquist