Alicia White: Environmental Trailblazer Receives 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest level of the Presidential Service award, and is a prestigious recognition bestowed by the President and the White House. The award honors individuals and organizations who have made major contributions to society through their work and commitment to service in their lifetime, making a profound impact on their communities and the world.

Alicia White, founder and executive director of Project Petals, was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joseph R. Biden and the White House this summer. The Presidential Lifetime Achievement award underscores White's dedication to environmental sustainability, fighting climate change, and building up the environmental leaders of today and the future.

Alicia is a trailblazer and visionary in the climate and social impact space. She decided over a decade ago to create what she did not see: an organization that focuses on climate, sustainability, and environmental equity. Project Petals is a climate, environmental, and community organization founded in 2014. Project Petals and White are crucial in mobilizing local NYC communities to participate in climate action and environmental stewardship. Also, Project Petals works with under-resourced communities to solve environmental problems that arise from a history of environmental inequity. White and Project Petals seek to introduce equitable and environmental sustainability solutions for these residents at a local level.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the president,” White says, “Project Petals has significantly improved the environment, shifted policy, allocated resources to communities, and trained the current and next generation of climate leaders in New York. My work is a testament to the positive change that can be achieved when we come together for a common cause.”

Project Petals is committed to working with environmental, climate, community, and youth leaders to link communities to the resources they need to improve their climate outcomes. This cooperation between Project Petals and local leaders equips leaders with the required resources and tools to improve their communities. Advancing partnerships like these allow us to continue to bridge the gap between communities, organizations, and our environment.

Involving youth leaders is especially important- according to a study by the Pew Research Center, 67% of GenZ adults believe that climate action should be a top priority to ensure a sustainable planet for future generations.

The Presidential Service Award honors White's work with youth leaders and communities in moving towards a greener future.

In response to receiving the award, White says, "I am deeply honored to receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the President, but looking toward the future, it is important now more than ever to invest in the current and future generations of environmental leaders. Companies and the larger global community need to prioritize sustainable initiatives."

White has created climate solutions, social impact innovation, environmental equity, and policy initiatives for over a decade. White's work has helped foster healthy environments and position community leaders at the heart of decisions. Recently, in 2023, White also founded Blue SKYie, a sustainability and climate innovation company.

It is integral to introduce safety measures to vulnerable populations as they will be most affected by the effects of climate change. According to a study by the ICF Climate Center, Americans living in under-resourced communities will face the brunt of the consequences of extreme heat in the future. The number of additional people in vulnerable communities exposed to health-threatening and energy-security-impacting heat waves each year could increase by 25 million by 2050.

Looking to the future, Project Petals will continue working with organizations and leaders to introduce green spaces to urban environments, take part in sustainable projects, and empower local leaders. For White, outlook on her work in the climate space thus far,

"Climate change is more than an environmental issue; it is a social and economic issue that affects everyone. Through my work, I hope to continue creating solutions to improve our environment and push for policy change.”

Alicia White’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the White House and letter from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.