A photograph of Sophia Benrud, a smiling person with curly hair sitting casually on outdoor steps surrounded by green plants and flowers, resting their chin on one hand. They wear a black sleeveless top, gray trousers, and bright red shoes. The graphic includes the text “Sophia Benrud (she/they)” with hashtags #WomenShapingSustainability and #WHM2026.
Text reading: Sophia Benrud (she/they) is a queer environmental justice organiser from the Global Majority whose work centres on community, equity, and collective care. Based in Minneapolis, she has been active in grassroots movements including Black Visions Collective. For Benrud, environmental justice goes beyond protecting nature—it’s about ensuring people can live safely and with dignity. Their work links climate and racial justice, highlighting how environmental harm disproportionately affects marginalised communities. She also challenges the lack of diversity in mainstream environmental spaces, creating initiatives that centre BIPOC leadership, including climate study groups and community food projects. Their work reminds us that climate change is a human issue, and that building a sustainable future requires rethinking power and centring those most affected.
For #WomensHistoryMonth & #WomenShapingASustainableFuture, we’re spotlighting Sophia Benrud (she/they) a queer environmental justice organiser in Minneapolis. Their work links climate & racial justice, centres Global Majority leadership, and builds community care for a more just, sustainable future!
