On July 24, 2024, the Captain Planet Foundation team partnered with Usher’s New Look (UNL) to host an Excursion for the tenth global youth leadership conference in Atlanta: The Disruptivator Summit. 

UNL, founded by Usher Raymond IV in 1999, supports the vision that all youth should be afforded the chance to unlock their full potential, no matter where they are from. The Disruptivator Summit is a creative gathering of more than 500 forward-thinking high school-aged youth leaders from various organizations across the country.

This year, the Summit included opportunities for young people to explore careers in the environment, leading UNL to partner with the Captain Planet Foundation. The day began with a panel, moderated by Captain Planet’s Lauren Stone, featuring three impactful environmental leaders including Daniel Blackman, Founder of Renaissance94, Doll Avant, Founder of Aquagenuity, and Robin Okunowo, Program Manager at Captain Planet Foundation.

Throughout the session, panelists shared roadblocks and successes they experienced throughout their careers, how their strengths and interests developed over time, and how they made their voices heard in spaces they never could have imagined. Each panelist gave valuable insights that inspired, uplifted, and encouraged the young people present to dream big, work hard, and strive for justice. 

“Take advantage of this room and be very intentional about your gift. If you don’t see it, create it,” shared Daniel while reflecting on how he grew into the leader he is today. As the first black man to assume the role of Regional Administrator for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Daniel emphasized to the room how important it is to use every opportunity that presents itself because you never know where it will lead.

Daniel, Doll, and Robin ate lunch with the students, connecting with them on a personal level and hearing about their own stories and ambitions. The opportunity to connect with such powerful leaders in the industry was not lost on these young people as they took advantage of the chance to learn from their wisdom and experience.

The group then made their way to the Mercedes Benz Stadium where they met with Dawn Brown, Senior Manager of Stadium Tours and Education Programs + Sustainability. This stadium is the first professional sports stadium to achieve LEED Certification in North America and is the first stadium worldwide to be awarded the environmentally coveted and globally recognized Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Platinum certification for its zero waste efforts.

Throughout the tour, the students learned about how this stadium was designed to be energy efficient, how they use rainwater collection to reduce overall water consumption, and their circular waste management processes. They walked throughout the stadium, visiting the locker rooms of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, tasting produce from the urban garden, and seeing firsthand how they organize and recycle stadium waste.

“It is wildly encouraging to see young people so committed to making positive change in the world,” shares Robin. Youth are 16% of the population, but they are 100% of the future. Captain Planet Foundation is proud to work with Usher’s New Look and other youth organizations to empower and inspire young people to chase their dreams, use their voices, and disrupt the status quo.