Alumni Spotlight: Brighton Colmar supports young people in achieving SDGs
This Alumni Spotlight Series Includes interviews from Earth Academy alumni about their career paths, how they became interested in Earth Academy programs, and any advice that would be useful to current and future students.
Brighton Mukupakoma Moved from his native Zambia to New York City to join Columbia University Environmental Science and Policy Program in 2019. But his dedication to understanding the climate crisis, educating others and protecting vulnerable communities began at an early age.
He grew up in a small community without roads and running water. His community has a river on one side and an open pit mine on the other. Brighton’s community is directly impacted by sulfuric acid mine runoff as well as other process wastes.
By talking with his grandmother, his parents and sisters about their different experiences – for example, when to plant certain crops – Brighton gained insight into how the local environment has changed over time. He remembers sorting out the ways these changes could happen as early as 10 years old. “I see climate injustice, climate refugees, and climate-related challenges,” he said.
Brighton recognized the need for an important conversation about the impact of resource development on communities like his, and broadcasting was the easiest and cheapest way to facilitate discussions that highlighted these issues.
At 14, Brighton started a radio show to inform his community about local environmental hazards and climate change. He volunteered to hire local professors with expertise related to the climate crisis. He also recognizes the importance of different perspectives and experiences; on his radio show, he emphasizes involving local women in discussions and engaging children in conversations to share their own experiences. Brighton’s podcast is listened to by 2 million people every week.
Brighton Kaoma records a climate radio show in his hometown of Kitwe, Zambia.
Brighton was also in school while hosting the radio show. It was a challenge to manage the show and keep up with his classes and keep his grades high. He knew he would not be relieved of his academic responsibilities just because he was a broadcaster. However, his radio show and his schooling were not entirely at odds. Through the study of each episode, Brighton learned new scientific knowledge that complemented his education at school.
Thanks to his work in radio, Brighton has the opportunity to become a UNICEF Children’s Ambassador. In this role, he supported the development of a curriculum that trains more than 1,200 Zambian children as Children’s Climate Ambassadors through the annual climate conference. He also supported UNICEF in establishing media centres in under-resourced public schools in Zambia to strengthen internet, social media advocacy and digital engagement of young people.
Brighton delivered the commencement speech at the Maastricht University School of Management in 2012.
Brighton was recognised by Germany’s Minister of Family Affairs in 2014, having previously given workshops at the G7 Youth Summit.
Brighton went on to study at the University of Zambia, focusing on environmental science and education. He graduated in December 2017 and then worked as a teaching assistant in the climate and gender course at the university.The course gave him a deeper understanding and interest in how climate change Disproportionately affects girls In Africa and around the world, and the importance of gender-sensitive solutions.
In 2016, World Wildlife Fund International awarded Brighton the Global Sustainability President’s Award in recognition of Brighton’s broadcasting work. Thanks to numerous leadership endorsements, Brighton was honored to be invited to Washington, D.C., to meet then-President Barack Obama.
Brighton meets President Obama after exclusive meeting on sustainability in Washington, D.C.
Brighton found the experience incredibly inspiring and motivating. He believes that President Obama recognizes the ability of children and young people to create change. He remembers President Obama saying to him, “You’re young, and you’ve accomplished a lot. What do you want to do with your life?” Brighton explained that he is passionate about youth empowerment. What better way to contribute to society than by working with young leaders? To give Brighton some guidance, President Obama presented what he believes to be the best program to study sustainable development at the graduate level in the United States. He recommended a few institutions, including Columbia University. Eager to take the president’s advice, Brighton began working on an MPA in the environmental science and policy program. Brighton quickly realized that the MPA-ESP program would provide him with the best network of sustainability professionals to learn and advance his goals.
When Brighton joined the program in 2019, he knew he had made the right choice, as he found himself learning a lot in both science and policy. The programme offers Brighton the freedom to develop stronger skills in economics, policy analysis and environmental science, guided by the best educators around. He said he remembered taking an “incredible” climatology course in 2019. “I think any sustainability practitioner has to understand climate science because they have to make the right recommendations to make sound policies.”
Brighton is looking forward to seeing his friends change the world from the show and he wants to work with them to make real change.
After graduating from the MPA-ESP program, Brighton worked with the African CEO of the World Wildlife Fund as a consultant focused on policy analysis and thought leadership. He is responsible for writing the technical annual report and helping communicate the organization’s achievements. The WWF Regional Office for Africa has more than 10 offices in Africa with more than 600 staff.
Next, Brighton was contacted by a staff member at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory with a suggestion to apply for an open position. United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network as Global Youth Director.In this role, Brighton can apply the skills he acquired in the MPA-ESP programme to support efforts to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Currently, Brighton serves as the UN Director of Global Youth Affairs. It is one of the largest youth networks supporting young entrepreneurs, young activists and young sustainability leaders to accelerate sustainability solutions. This support includes bringing in these young leaders to train them, providing them with sustainable networks, creating pathways for understanding, and providing young people with the skills and resources to take action. There are currently 3,700 young people who are members of the network. They are carrying out activities such as awareness raising, campaigns and tree planting to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Next month, the network will launch a year-long fellowship in which young people from more than 100 counties identify and work toward sustainable solutions in their cities.
On a day-to-day basis, Brighton spends time coordinating program leaders who work with teams around the world to advance entrepreneurship and sustainability education. At the same time, he is developing fundraising strategies and partnerships across the UN and speaking on behalf of young people at UN high-level global events.
In the longer term, Brighton hopes to continue to support UN efforts in a different capacity, particularly addressing the financing of the Sustainable Development Goals. He is passionate about understanding how we can pool our resources to reduce global hunger, empower women and young people, achieve education for all and reduce emissions. Brighton wants to be a key player in achieving these goals, especially for developing countries and underserved communities. He also wants to teach and contribute to sustainable development around the world.
Brighton’s advice for current and prospective MPA-ESP students is to “be open-minded. The program not only provides you with the technical skills to survive in a corporate institution. It also provides you with the opportunity to meet people from different social and economic backgrounds. space and make incredible friends. In this program, you meet people who completely change the way you see life.” Brighton is also in touch with many professors at Columbia University.
Brighton would like to emphasize that “the decision to go on to graduate school is one of the most important decisions a person can make.” He recommends the MPA-ESP program because of the nature of the program’s design. “Colombia is an amazing place,” he said. “Participating in the program gives you the opportunity to focus on the things you care about most.” Plus, “New York City is bubbling!” He says living in Morningside Heights has given him a great experience, eating delicious food, in Really enjoy life while pursuing your studies and goals.
Brighton is releasing a book this summer on the value of storytelling, emphasizing the importance of listening to each person’s unique story and how it can change the world. Brighton is able to use his radio show as a platform to tell the stories of others, believing that all change in the world starts with a story. Hopefully this story translates into an idea, which in turn translates into a solution. “Every young person should consider how sustainability affects them, regardless of their occupation,” he said. “Storytelling allows us to extend this discussion beyond our professional circles.”
If you are interested in learning more about the MPA-ESP program, please contact Assistant Director Pearl Gray (pfg2108@columbia.edu) with any questions or to schedule a campus tour.
