I’m Jessica Kutz, The 19th’s climate and gender reporter. I got into journalism at the ripe old age of 26 after walking into a small local paper and asking for an internship. It quickly spiraled into a staff job and I won three Colorado Press Association awards during my time there. I next sharpened my skills at High Country News, where I wrote and edited stories about environmental and social justice for four years.
I have a degree in international affairs and once thought I might work at an NGO to solve some big world problems. I quickly learned there is rarely a simple or even ethical solution that comes from that line of thinking. I had, however, seen the role journalism could play to better inform policy, expose wrongdoing and center the people closest to the solutions. I love to write stories about those who advocate for their communities, and whose identities have shaped how they view and tackle injustice, particularly in the face of the climate crisis. Often, I find, these people are women.
I’ve been republished in many outlets including The Atlantic, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, Vox, Grist and Mother Jones. I was a finalist for a Covering Climate Now award in 2023. When I’m not writing, I’m gardening, biking, hiking or watching my cat Lou be cute when she’s sleeping.
My work is free to consume and free to republish because of contributions from readers like you. A donation of $19 goes a long way toward sustaining our nonprofit newsroom.
