During Art Week, Women Leaders Talk Climate Action, Issue Urgent Call

Alix Lebec of LEBEC, Yoca Arditi-Rocha of The CLEO Institute, and Thais Lopez Vogel of VoLo Foundation at “Women Leading Climate Action” during Miami Art Week 2024 at The Wolfsonian-FIU. (Photo courtesy of Manny Hernandez)

Five influential women leaders addressing climate action and equity gathered together and shared their climate action success stories with purpose driven philanthropists, entrepreneurs, sponsors, brands and investors.

“Women Leading Climate Action,” panel host and moderator, Alix Lebec, founder and CEO of LEBEC, a woman-led sustainable finance and philanthropy firm, guided the conversation with panelists Yoca Arditi-Rocha, executive director of The CLEO Institute, Thais Lopez Vogel, co-founder and trustee of VoLo Foundation, Stacey Boyd founder and CEO of Olivela and Estefania Rebellon, co-founder and CEO of Yes We Can World Foundation.

The event was hosted at The Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Beach at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, as part of the programming of the 2024 Miami Art Week, amid the exhibition “The Big World: Alternative Landscapes in the Modern Era.”  The curated paintings and decorative arts charted the course of the Industrial Revolution from the bucolic mid-1800s to a coal-burning industrialized and war-torn 20th century and were a compelling background for a discussion about the current existential threat of climate change.

Lebec, recently named to Worthy 100, gave insights into her reasons for hosting and moderating the panel.

From left, moderator Alix Lebec, founder of LEBEC, and panelists, Yoca Arditi-Rocha, executive director of The CLEO Institute; Thais Lopez Vogel, co-founder and trustee of VoLo Foundation; Stacey Boyd, founder and CEO of Olivela; and Estefanía Rebellón, co-founder and CEO of Yes We Can World Foundation. Paintings in the background are, “Shadows of Gold,” 1921, Ramon A. Shiva and “Winter Morning in the Cast Steel Works,” 1912, Fritz Gärtner. (Photography courtesy of Manny Hernandez)

“Sharing our stories and insights as a collective is essential from my perspective. No one is going to solve these issues on their own, we can only get there through collaboration and financial innovation. We’re running out of time. Having the opportunity to share how we—as a group of like-minded women—are working collectively to move more capital where it’s deeply needed is both inspiring and incredibly energizing.”

She went on to say that unique stories, backgrounds, experiences and successes are more powerful when shared.

” . . .On these panels, and around authentic conversations with different types of capital providers and entrepreneurs in the room,” said Lebec. She talked about philanthropy and its role in de-risking new business models, especially for underserved markets.

“The future of impactful companies—whether for-profit or non-profit—lies in blending capital to adapt, disrupt industries, and solve global challenges efficiently and creatively.”

Lebec celebrated CEO Arditi-Rocha and The CLEO Institute for mobilizing $500 million from the federal government to bring climate solutions to Florida. Arditi-Rocha spoke of CLEO’s people centered solutions for saving humanity, shared credit for their success with founder Caroline Lewis, then changed the narrative by telling the story about a young Latina woman, Gabriela Rodriguez. She explained how Rodriguez had gone to a CLEO climate event in her second year of college, had fallen in love with CLEO, and then asked to become an intern.  A year later they hired Rodriguez who then created “House on Fire,” a youth-led climate crisis podcast. Rodriguez now works at the Department of Energy leading the effort to scale clean renewable tax credits and incentives for communities of color.

Reception guests after “Women Leading Climate Action” at The Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Beach, Wednesday, Dec. 4. (Photo courtesy of Manny Hernandez)

Arditi-Rocha, a powerful, impassioned speaker outlined a collective future, and said, “We need everybody, all-hands-on-deck, because, like Icarus, we’re flying too close to the sun and the clock is ticking. This is not about passing on the baton and letting them (the next generation) sort it…this is about walking together and sharing the burden and at the same time our expertise, and being part of the collective we need… It’s a time bomb issue, if we don’t do it now, later is too late.”

Panelist Rebellon was ten years old when her family was forced to flee death threats in Cali, Colombia and seek asylum in the United States in Miami. Years later in 2018, living in Los Angeles she learned about the migrant caravans fleeing persecution at the Mexico-U.S. border. She saw for herself that there wasn’t a safe place for children at the border. Yes We Can World Found got up and running within three months by converting a bus into a school on wheels. Since then, Rebellon has provided over 2 million hours of individualized bi-lingual education and supplies to children at the border.

Rebellon, a 2023 CNN Hero and L’Oreal Woman of Worth, told the audience that her greatest challenge was convincing people that every immigrant child has the right to an education regardless of their location, legal status and/or economic background. She also addressed the indirect consequences of climate change and that migration patterns are showing that families are fleeing regions where climate disasters have disrupted livelihoods and communities.

The event was hosted at The Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Beach, amid the exhibition “The
Big World: Alternative Landscapes in the Modern Era, which features “The City,” (1936), a painting that presents a desolate view of the natural world against an ethereal metropolis in the background. By Virginia Berresford (American, 1904–1995) New York City, oil on canvas, from The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection, The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum exhibition “The Big World: Alternative Landscapes in the Modern Era,” (Photography courtesy of The Wolfsonian-FIU)

Through VoLo, Lopez Vogel has awarded grants totaling $13 million in 2024 and $63 million over the last decade, 67 percent of the grants supported climate change action, and the remaining 33 percent of distributions promoted health, humanitarian efforts, and community building. Lopez Vogel shared her motivation that as a mother of six, she’s driven by the urgency to secure a safe future for children.

“When we invest in climate solutions, we invest in healthier communities, a stronger economy and a sustainable future. Every dollar directed to climate innovation multiplies its impact, solving environmental crises and improving health, education and social equity. It’s a triangle of opportunity we can’t afford to ignore,” said Lopez Vogel, and added, “being part of such panels holds deep personal and professional significance. Personally, it affirms my identity as a Latina climate advocate, highlighting the unique perspectives we bring to the table.”

Lebec, plus three of the four panelists are Latina women, and Lebec pointed out, “Diverse women, including Latinas, are at the forefront of climate-related fields including clean water access, smallholder farming, education, and health.” She added that women in the U.S. will become the largest recipients of a $30 trillion wealth transfer by 2030. “With $550 billion at its disposal, philanthropy, alongside other capital resources, has a tremendous opportunity to fuel a growing ecosystem of women-led organizations and the next generation of changemakers building a climate-resilient world.”

Lebec next introduced Boyd who founded the online luxury fashion retailer Olivela and built into every transaction a 20 percent donation to purpose-driven causes in education, climate action, health and wellness.

Host/moderator and panelists of “Women Leading Climate Action” at the networking reception for visionary funders, investors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. From left, Stacey Boyd, Alix Lebec, Yoca Arditi-Rocha, Thais Lopez Vogel, Stacey Boyd, Estefanía Rebellón at The Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Beach. (Photo courtesy of Manny Hernandez)

“As we confront the climate crisis, it’s essential to recognize that empowering women is not just a moral imperative but a crucial strategy for effective climate action…Women are often the most affected by environmental challenges, yet they are also key drivers of change,” said Boyd. “By investing in their potential and ensuring their voices are heard, we can create sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet. At Olivela, we believe that every purchase can contribute to this mission, turning consumer choices into powerful actions for a better future.”

In closing, Lebec said that it is women who have the power to create change and that many of the solutions are accessible now.

“The time to act is now, and together, we can turn the tide on the climate crisis.”

Arditi-Rocha confirmed that the event was a powerful reminder.

“Climate action is not just an existential challenge—it’s an opportunity to unite diverse leaders, amplify solutions, unlock the capital necessary for real-world impact, and foster the next generation of young leaders. By combining financial resources with collective vision, we can turn urgency into action and create lasting change . . . The audience here understands that long-term impact requires both resources and deep-rooted partnerships. The room had asset managers and philanthropists that together could deploy capital in the amount of hundreds of billions of dollars. To me, that’s a big opportunity.”

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.