TL;DR:
Wawa Gatheru is a Kenyan-American Rhodes Scholar and climate justice leader who founded Black Girl Environmentalist. She merges African heritage with environmental advocacy to empower Black girls in sustainability.
The AfroNouveau 100
At just 25, Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru is reshaping the global climate conversation. Not just one rooted in science, but in justice, identity, and cultural truth. As a proud Kenyan-American and the first Rhodes Scholar of Kenyan descent, Wawa isn’t waiting for change. She is the change.
In an environmental movement long dominated by voices disconnected from the realities of marginalized communities, Wawa brings something revolutionary: a perspective that is both ancestral and forward-thinking. Her work is AfroNouveau at its core. Focusing on, bridging worlds, defying boundaries, and amplifying those too often left out of the narrative.
From Connecticut to Rhodes Scholar & Global Activist
Born to Kenyan immigrants and raised in the U.S., Wawa grew up witnessing the disconnect between environmental issues and the communities most affected by them. While excelling academically, she quickly realized that traditional environmentalism often excluded Black, Brown, and Indigenous voices.
However, this realization didn’t discourage her. It only fueled her mission.
Her academic excellence and community advocacy led her to become a Rhodes Scholar in 2020, where she focused on environmental justice and the role of culture in sustainability. But Wawa didn’t stop there. She began creating platforms that intentionally center marginalized voices in climate work, using her own story as a bridge between grassroots reality and global policy rooms.
A Movement, Not Just a Moment
In 2021, Wawa founded Black Girl Environmentalist (BGE), a non-profit community for Black girls, women, and non-binary environmentalists. What started as a call to action quickly became a movement. BGE provides mentorship, career development, and community for young Black environmental leaders around the world.
Her approach is clear: the future of climate justice must include those on the frontlines—and that means investing in young, Black, and brilliant minds. Through BGE, Wawa is cultivating not just awareness but leadership. She’s planting seeds for a new generation of climate experts who are informed by lived experience, ancestral knowledge, and intersectionality.
Global Impact and Cultural Relevance
Wawa has spoken on global stages, emphasizing the link between environmental justice and racial equity. She serves as a board member and advisory councils for Earth Justice, Climate Power and many others. Portraying her climate advocacy with a prowess that screams authenticity.
She has been named a Grist 50 fixer, a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree and a Climate 100 leader shaping the future by The Independent. Yet, she remains grounded. Her message is always clear: sustainability is not new to communities of African descent. Rather, it’s embedded in who we are.
“Climate Justice must be cultural justice–Black voices don’t just matter, they lead.
An AfroNouveau Legacy in the Making
Wawa Gatheru represents the spirit of the AfroNouveau—global yet rooted, activist yet visionary. She’s redefining what leadership looks like in the climate space, showing that African wisdom and diasporic insight are not just relevant, but essential.
Her work reminds us that justice is not complete unless it includes culture, community, and care. In all, as the climate crisis unfolds, voices like hers are not optional. They are urgent.
Dear AfroNouveau,
Wawa Gatheru is not just building a career—she’s building an ecosystem. One where Black girls can grow into climate leaders, where sustainability is about justice, and where African heritage is central to the solutions our world desperately needs.
You too can be like Wawa. You too can bring forth a change, we are rooting for you!
Join us as we celebrate the AfroNouveau 100 making waves in more ways than one.
Q: Who is Wawa Gatheru?
A: Wawa Gatheru is a Kenyan-American climate justice leader, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, centering African heritage in environmental activism.
Q: What is Black Girl Environmentalist?
A: Founded by Wawa Gatheru in 2021, it’s a nonprofit supporting Black girls, women, and nonbinary folks in climate leadership through mentorship and community.
