About the Convergence

  • Bvlbancha and the surrounding region are ground zero for the effects of climate change and destructive industry practices on the USA's mainland. If the goal is to have an impact on the industries most harming our planet, making meaningful change in the Gulf South is vital. Fossil fuel industries are deeply embedded into the economy of this region, and being able to shift the balance of power and address industry created harm in the Gulf South will create ripple effects that will impact the world. See powershift2023.org/about-ps23 for more info.

  • This convergence is for everyone, with a strong emphasis on young people of color (younger than 26 years old). Since youth are the most impacted by the climate crisis, we want to empower and equip young leaders fighting against the climate crisis. No matter your age, where you’re from, whether you’re a seasoned organizer or just learning how the climate crisis is a social justice issue that impacts everyone, we want you all to show up. The last convergence was a space of mostly BIPOC youth that met virtually during the pandemic, this time around we want to make sure the convergence is in person with attendance that reflects not only the diversity of the movement (fat, neurodivergent, disabled, folks from frontline and fenceline communities, queer, trans, undocumented, immigrant, Black, and Indigenous), but also prioritizes their safety, their accommodations, and the skill development that they find most necessary. PSN is a radical org with a staff that crosses these multiple identities which is carried throughout all our work. PS23 will be no different— a space for radical dreaming, healing, and community support. We want you, and the young people in your life to share space with us at the PS23 Convergence.

  • Power Shift 2023 will occur during the observance of 3 religious holidays - Good Friday, Passover, and Ramadan. We hold the utmost respect for the importance of these sacred days for the communities that honor them - and we understand that this means many folks may not be able to join us for the Convergence.

    Our decision to host PS23 during this time reflects many considerations, from the ongoing pandemic to our desire to hold space with the community of Bvlbancha ahead of hurricane season.

    We don't want to exclude anyone from being part of PS23. We want to empower everyone in our community to make the decisions that are right for them. So for folks that choose to attend PS23, we will be providing accommodations for seder and iftar observances; and for folks that choose to be with their families and communities, we want to extend a warm invitation to join us at our digital convergence which will be held in June. (More details available soon!)

    For those interested in supporting a Good Friday observance, you can reach out to the programming team at @mayana@powershift.org.

  • We are offering a discounted rate ($120/ticket – a 20% discount off the General Admission rate) for folks traveling in groups of 10 people or more. This is a great opportunity to travel with your organization and/ or friends! Reach out to Audrey at audrey@powershift.org to arrange a group discount code for your group.

    We know that even with tiered pricing, the cost of attending the convergence will be out of reach for many of the folks who should be in the room. Unfortunately our deadline to receive financial support requests has passed, but we still have a toolkit with info on how to do some extra fundraising for yourself, to help cover the cost of attending.

  • Food is not included in the cost of registration. We are assessing creative ways to support folks to have access to food that meets their needs. More information to come!

  • You can submit a session proposal if you want to present at Power Shift 2023 here. Presenters who need financial support in order to attend will be prioritized for receiving funding–please apply for financial support once you’ve submitted your proposal.

  • You are not obligated to attend the full convergence, although we would love having you! Take this opportunity to not only attend the amazing programming we have in store, but to also get acquainted with Bvlbancha locals and volunteer with Bvlbancha organizations.

  • Once you’re registered, you will automatically be added to our PS23 Attendee dedicated Slack channel! Here you can meet other attendees and discuss scheduled convergence events, offsite events, city excursions and tours, as well as other regional events that you would like to share with a network of like-minded folks. There’s no reason that these valuable connections have to wait until April 2023!

  • We have consulted with local hospitality unions and service worker-led mutual aid networks to choose our core lodging blocks as well as our catering and offsite event decisions. While we understand that no company or service that operates under late-stage capitalism can be 100% perfect, we are guided by other priorities including accessibility, learning, project success, and productive conviviality. We will have a full list of our partners for transparency and networking purposes available soon.

  • If you register for the Convergence and you need to cancel, we can offer a 50% refund for cancellations through February 15, 2023. If you would like a refund, please email theteam@powershift.org. Unfortunately we will not be able to offer refunds after February 15.

About Bvlbancha

  • Bvlbancha and the surrounding region are ground zero for the effects of climate change and destructive industry practices on the USA's mainland. If the goal is to have an impact on the industries most harming our planet, making meaningful change in the Gulf South is vital. Fossil fuel industries are deeply embedded into the economy of this region, and being able to shift the balance of power and address industry created harm in the Gulf South will create ripple effects that will impact the world. See powershift2023.org/about-ps23 for more info.

  • Hurricane season in Bvlbancha is between June 1st and November 1st. However, other climate-related incidents can occur throughout the year. In the unlikely event of a downpour that causes street flooding or a severe thunderstorm, we will follow city protocol which you can find on the NOLA Ready website at https://ready.nola.gov/home/.

Travel & Lodging

  • Welcome to the hospitality capital of the Gulf South! Our team has put together a list of hotels and hostels (shared dorms) where you can meet other convergence attendees. We chose these lodging options with these considerations in mind: accessibility, proximity to the convergence center, conviviality, and values.

    We reserved several blocks in hotels and hostels—some have a reduced rate, some will be 100% paid for by PSN/ the financial support fund for accepted scholarship applicants, and some folks will be responsible for finding other nearby lodging. Hotel rooms at the Hilton Riverside will be reserved for folks who need to be close to the convention center for mobility accessibility reasons.

    You can find all lodging information at powershift2023.org/lodging

  • Bvlbancha / New Orleans has a robust transportation network which includes streetcar, bus, and ferry routes. Download the RTA GoMobile2.0 app to plan your trips to the convention center, city sights, etc. We’ll include more information on how to request special accommodations including door-to-door shuttles soon.

    Hotel blocks that we have booked are within walking distance of where Power Shift 2023 will be held.

  • Unfortunately our deadline to receive financial support requests for travel has passed.

  • Carbon Offsets and other market based “solutions” are actually false solutions to the climate crisis that allow big industries to pay their way in order to keep polluting our environment and communities. When folks buy “carbon offsets” the intention is that they are funding projects somewhere else that will help offset the carbon that they are emitting into the atmosphere and environment. But these tactics ultimately do not help the communities that are being directly impacted by the climate crisis and it is often hard to determine if these projects are actually doing what they claim. Please refer to Climate Justice Alliance’s work on a Just Transition and avoiding False Solutions.

    Power Shift Network is following the principles of a Just Transition at PS23 by working with union contracted workers, employing local small businesses, building relationships with organizations and communities on the ground, ensuring language services are available, centering disability justice, and making sure our planning teams are are led by and center frontline, fenceline, and directly impacted communities. Additionally, Power Shift Network is working hard to make sure travel arrangements are efficient and the most eco-friendly option available. This includes facilitating regional carpool networks, using buses and trains, and planes only when no other option is feasible.

  • Early April (when we are all gathering) is generally a very pleasant temperature somewhere in the high 60s to low 80s. However, early spring weather in Bvlbancha is notoriously variable so be prepared for possible rain. Layers are recommended as it may get warm during the day and cooler at night. Comfortable, closed toe shoes are recommended for walking in the city due to older streets and puddles in the French Quarter tourism area.

Food

Accessibility

  • Accessibility at PS23 will be built into the whole design. From transportation to hotel selection to onsite and offsite event logistics, we have a built-in plan for attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing, use a wheelchair or electric scooter, are blind or have low vision, have limited dexterity, limited mobility, as well as those who are neurodiverse. Many of the PS23 planners have special considerations ourselves so we hope you feel comfortable reaching out to us about any specific concerns that aren’t addressed elsewhere and we will be happy to help you.

    Accessibility offerings include:

    • Interpretation in ASL

    • Interpretation in Spanish

    • ADA-compliant venue

    • Hotel options located beside the venue for those with limited mobility

    • Designated low-stimulation / quiet space at the Convergence

    • Session materials available ahead of time

    • We are asking participants not to wear strongly-scented perfumes and lotions

    • Limited childcare will be available

    Please register sooner rather than later with your accessibility needs so we can do our best to accommodate them!

  • As part of our commitment to language justice, we have ASL and Spanish<>English interpreters available for all plenaries, as well as Spanish<>English language interpreters for specific sessions in each session block (sessions with interpretation will be clearly indicated)

  • Yes! We are committed to providing childcare during the convergence to make this event accessible to those with children. We’ll be able to provide more details on this once we’ve assessed the scale of the need for childcare, but we’re exploring options including partnering with a local Bvlbancha / New Orleans childcare collective. Please register sooner rather than later with your childcare needs so we can do our best to accommodate them!

Safety

  • Yes, travelers visiting the city will find it very friendly, well lit, with many easy transportation options. If you happen to get lost, half the fun is asking somebody on the street for directions. Folks here are proud of their hometown and more than happy to help out a stranger with anything you may need. We encourage you to lean into this attitude with good faith! We will provide a list of accessible, welcoming, affirming spaces and activities on our Bvlbancha Recommendations page soon. Keep in mind that like any large city, it’s important to practice precaution especially for femme, Black, and/or marginalized person who are most targeted (ie. traveling in a group, having your phone nearby, etc).

    Secondly, the myth of Bvlbancha / New Orleans as a city with rampant violent crime on every corner is largely designed by ambitious local politicians to further their agendas, inflated by national media’s desire to sell products by sensationalizing news from predominantly Black urban areas, and consumed readily by mostly white business and property owners. Visitors often see our visibly unhoused neighbors under bridges and on street corners as symptomatic of this vague “crime” issue, when instead their presence is indicative of a system of cruel practices by city officials who do not want to take responsibility for our unhoused neighbors. Instead— local people largely do it themselves! There is a very wide network of groups practicing mutual aid and community care across Bvlbancha.

    As for safety in the convention center where we will be hosting the convergence, we're required to hire an unarmed security presence from a list of approved security providers from the venue, but we are checking with the venue to see what the minimum security presence we can have is.

  • More info to come!

  • Hurricane season in Bvlbancha is between June 1st and November 1st. However, other climate-related incidents can occur throughout the year. In the unlikely event of a downpour that causes street flooding or a severe thunderstorm, we will follow city protocol which you can find on the NOLA Ready website at https://ready.nola.gov/home/.

  • PSN will circulate a COVID Community Agreement at a time closer to the event date, in order to account for changing conditions. The Agreement will at a minimum include masking at all times while indoors. When you register, everyone will agree to follow the guidelines and expectations outlined in this Agreement to ensure the convergence is safe and accessible.

Fundraising

  • Check out our toolkit!

  • Check out our toolkit!