Vijayta Narang, an alumna of NYU SPS's Global Affairs M.Sc. program, returned to Woolworth to speak about her experience working at CIV:LAB, an innovative grant-making network that channels funds and resources directly to community climate initiatives. She presented on CIV:LAB’s recent initiatives, including The Grid, the NYC Response Lab, and the Climate:Lab. Vijayta also discussed how she has applied peacebuilding theory and principles in climate action funding – a context that does not conventionally intersect with the field. 

CIV:LAB’s core mandate is to act as bridge builders in the urban tech and innovation space in New York City. Vijayata discovered that much of CIV:LAB’s work was, unintentionally and unknowingly, rooted in peacebuilding theory. In her work as Program Director, she recognized elements of Lederach’s web theory –  which emphasizes understanding social geography, finding the location of intersections, and being “smart flexible” – and his yeast theory, which asks who, rather than how many, it takes to start a movement.

If you missed this exciting conversation, you can watch it here!