Impact Interview: Lana Weidgenant

Name: Lana Weidgenant

Role/Function: Climate Activist, Vice-Chair Of Shifting To Sustainable Consumption Patterns At The UN Food Systems Summit & Deputy Director Of Zero Hour International

What She’s Currently Working On: 

I am excited for the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021. It will be a culmination of over a year of hard work and will bring about an opportunity for strong ambition from member states to achieve progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. I am also looking forward to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will be another key moment for action happening in November this year. Some of the projects I am involved in include Food@COP, an international youth-led campaign for climate-friendly, plant-rich food at COP26, and Act4Food – Act4Change, a youth initiative to gather and bring the priorities of young people to the UN Food Systems Summit, and forward through 2030.

1. What was the “aha” moment that sparked your interest in social impact? 

For me, this was not an external event but rather personal introspection. I was thinking about what kind of person I want to be and what kind of life I want to live and realized that being a person who lives by the values I hold and takes action on the causes I care about is part of living the best life that I can.

I realized that even if I were to achieve everything society tells us to care about, from money to career and conventional success, even great personal relationships, there would still be a gap for me in knowing that I didn't make a true effort in taking action where I could on the issues I care about. I also realized I didn't have to wait for any particular moment to get started.

2. How did you break into the social impact space? 

I started as a volunteer, which turned into an internship, which turned into an assistant position, which turned into director and vice-chair positions. Not to say that it was all linear, but I simply got started even if it was at the lowest level. For anyone still studying in college, high school or graduate school, I would recommend to get started taking action in an area you are interested in, even if you are not sure it is what you want to do with your career. If you've already graduated and are looking for a job now, I would say to not be scared of taking a more low-level position to get your foot in the door. Networking is also helpful and so are informational interviews. Try showing your interest in that space by attending conferences on the topic or reaching out to alumni from your university who are now working in that area and asking if they would be open to talking about it over coffee. All the little things really do make a difference!

3. What most excites you about the social impact space right now?

The youngest generation is being called the activist generation and there is a truly widespread movement among Generation Z to take action on social issues. This generation is just starting to graduate college now, and many more will do so in the coming years. With all of the interest and action that has already taken place, I am excited to see the impact that will take place as Gen Z graduates and finally gets the chance to work on our social impact areas full-time!

For the climate change and food systems spaces, I also want to point out exciting developments in alternative proteins. There is a lot of fast innovation happening in plant-based meat and cultivated (lab-grown) meat. Meat-heavy diets in countries such as the United States are significant obstacles to climate action and if consumers lack access or are reluctant to undergo the needed dietary shift, alternative protein innovation could save us from disaster.

FOR MORE “5 QUESTIONS” INTERVIEWS ALONG WITH CURATED NEWS, JOBS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE WORLD OF CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL IMPACT, SIGN UP FOR THE RECONSIDERED NEWSLETTER.