Francesca Reznik is a climate professional and writer living in Cambridge, MA. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Theological Studies with a focus on Religion, Ethics, and Politics from Harvard Divinity School. She has worked at community based organizations, state agencies, and think tanks focusing on climate policy, energy equity, and workforce development. Francesca also works at a faith and innovation nonprofit, combining spiritual inquiry with social change. When she’s not working or writing, you can find her running by the Charles, baking too many cookies, or volunteering with the Boston Immigrant Justice Action Network.
In what ways does nature inspire or inform your work?
As I wrote in my essay “Extraction,” my Ecotheology professor once told me that theology need not be theistic—you don’t need to believe in God, but you do need to believe in something. Earth is my something. I don’t believe in a Creator, but I do believe in Creation, and our duty to save it. This believe system not only informs my work, but motivates everything I do.
What does it mean to you to be part of a thriving ecosystem?
I have a poster in my office that says, “climate is the intersection of everything.” It’s a daily reminder of why my work has always lived at the crossroads of energy and equity. To me, being part of a thriving ecosystem means recognizing how deeply interconnected we are—and how unequally we experience the forces that shape our world: capitalism, patriarchy, white supremacy, and climate change. While we will all be affected by the coming crisis, the communities least responsible for it will be the first and worst hit. My role in this ecosystem is to help make the energy transition more equitable and inclusive. As a writer, my work is to ask the hard moral questions behind that transition—and to advocate for the difficult, necessary choices ahead. We all have a part to play.
