Francesca answers your questions …
© Giovanni Aiello | Team7SailingWhat does the BELIEVE, BELONG, ACHIEVE campaign stand for?
For me, BELIEVE is that anyone who wants to take part in our sport - or any sport - should be able to with the belief they will be supported to participate and supported to fulfill their potential. BELONGING means that anyone participating in sailing feels respected and safe to be their authentic selves. And ACHIEVE is when individuals or teams are fulfilling their potential and the sport of sailing as a whole - or any sport or organization - is fulfilling its people, planetary, and performance potential.
What are you setting out to achieve?
I want to live in a world where I can be anything I want to be, whenever I want, wherever I am, and be truly myself. The problem is that we don’t live in that world. Discrimination is rife in sport and society and those most affected by climate change are not included in climate action. And we all lose as a result.
Alongside my racing, and thanks to the support of 11th Hour Racing, I can use my platform to foster belonging and drive climate justice. I am going to start by helping the sailing community cultivate belief and belonging on and off the water, from grassroots to elite levels. I am going to advocate for the brilliant work taking place around the world, and I’m going to find more allies to help us make this change. I will join forces with the many people who care about these issues, and together we will take action for change. Together we can go places we can’t go alone.
How does climate justice fit in the campaign?
Often there is the tendency to believe that climate change is something that is related only to our planet and our natural environment, but climate change and ocean health are completely connected to us as people and we cannot afford to keep the two concepts separate any more.
Climate justice brings these two pieces of the puzzle together and puts a spotlight on the fact that those most affected by climate change often have little to no voice at the table when these matters are discussed. Nature doesn't look at us and see the color of our skin, our income, our past or present histories, nature just sees our planet and the suffering of our ocean, the mountains, lakes, and land which all need to thrive for us to survive.
Climate justice gives a voice to those communities who are most affected by climate change and least heard. It brings strength and real change to these communities with regards to lawmaking, policy, and advocacy for the planet we all love.
As a middle-class, white woman who lives in a wealthy, western community, every day I have the privilege of drinking clean water, having healthy food that has been grown on our land, having a sewage system that takes away my waste, and trash and recycling schemes which remove my rubbish. These privileges don't apply to all communities, where the quality of water affects their health and daily lives, where the pollution of the land affects the food they have on the table, where climate change affects the quality of their lives and livelihoods, where wildfires, hurricanes, and natural disasters are daily challenges.
We have a responsibility to bring these communities into the decision-makers' rooms, to listen to them, learn from them, and actively change policies to allow all communities, everywhere in the world, to thrive, no matter their location or status.
They must BELIEVE and see they BELONG in these discussions, so we can ACHIEVE climate justice for everyone.
Justice should be for all - climate justice has to be for all.
When will the research study be published?
This is a long-term longitudinal study in three phases. Phase One is already underway with secondary research and the testing of the hypothesis that belief is a prerequisite to maximizing performance for an individual and belonging within teams who ‘believe’ will bring better team performance. Phase Two will run from September to the end of the year where we will test these hypotheses via primary research in sailing, and Phase Three is an ongoing study which will run through to the end of 2025.
We will publish interim findings throughout our campaign with recommended tangible actions that people and teams in the sailing world and beyond can put in place to tackle discrimination and climate change, to fulfill potential for everyone both on and off the water.
Do you have more questions YOU would like Francesca to answer? If so, email her here.