Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru

Environmental Justice Advocate & Rhodes Scholar


Wanjiku “Wawa” Gatheru is an environmental justice advocate, writer, and current graduate student at the University of Oxford. She is a first-generation American of Kenyan descent and the first Black person in history to receive the Rhodes, Truman, and Udall Scholarships.

The founder of the organization Black Girl Environmentalist, Wawa is motivated to uplift the voices of those most adversely impacted by environmental inequities through changing conservation conversations. For her work in collaboration with other activists and thought leaders, Wawa has been recognized as a 2020 Young Futurist by The Root, a 2020 Grist 50 FIXER, a 2020 Glamour College Woman of the Year and has spoken on her work across the country.

Wawa will be speaking on Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. PST, alongside Mateo Salvatto, Head of Innovation, ORT Schools, and CEO of Asteroid Technologies.

“How Passion, Purpose, and Action Can Shape a Better World for All.”

Brought to you by the Orange County Convention Center and Visit Orlando