Yin Yu, Sarra Tekola, Zarna Joshi and Afrin Sopariwala came together July 29 for an intimate panel discussion titled, “Women of Color Speak Out: Changing the Climate of Climate Change,” at Town Hall Seattle. The four women shared personal stories from their sHell No activism and their complexities of activism as women of color. They also fielded such questions from audience members as “Why do kayaktivists take plastic boats out to the oil rig and drive cars to rallies?” and “How can white people better encourage people of color to participate in the climate-change movement?” On the plastic boat topic, Tekola responded: “We’re trying to change the system here. It’s a fossil-fuel based economy. They’ve trapped us in this system where you cannot live a day without fossil fuel unless you go out of your way to go out and hide in the woods. But then you aren’t changing the system, you’re just hiding in the woods. It’s a case of: We have to use the masters’ tools to take down their house.” And on the latter question she continued, “Outreach for white people starts with friendship. Getting to know them, making friends. Understanding — especially related to people of color and activism — that you’re asking them to do a lot more when you’re asking them to go out on the streets and be confronted by police. Having that understanding is going to help. When we want to engage and do cross-racial work, it starts with friendships.”