This commentary was originally published at cleveland.com and is offered here as a Gift Article. Read the full article here.

If you think the changing climate mostly affects polar bears in the Arctic, think again. It’s happening right here, right now, in Northeast Ohio. The good news is that people across the region are coming together to keep our families and communities safe.

Remember the floods in the summer of 2023, when people had to be rescued from their cars on Interstate 90? Or last summer’s record-breaking heat wave, as we again faced extreme heat this week? This is what a changing climate looks like. As the planet heats up, we’ll see more droughts, floods, and heat waves.

Heat is especially dangerous, killing more people than floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other weather-related hazards combined. You might think we’d be safe from deadly heat, here on the nation’s northern edge. But Climate Central ranked Cleveland among the 15 cities most vulnerable to the “urban heat island effect” caused by too much concrete and not enough green space. And many of our residents lack life-saving air conditioning, partly because they haven’t needed it until now.

The change in climate is layered on top of other challenges, including pollution and poverty. Our region already has more than its share of both. We have some of the nation’s worst air pollution, which contributes to high rates of heart disease and asthma. Extreme heat makes bad air quality worse, while exacerbating respiratory and heart disease.

At the same time, decades of de-industrialization have left our region with poverty rates well above the national average. In many of our cities — including Youngstown, Cleveland, Warren, and Ashtabula — more than a third of residents live in poverty. Our working-class families lack the resources to prepare for, and recover from, extreme weather.

Communities of concern — here and around the country — are most at risk from the triple threat of extreme weather, pollution, and poverty. The legacy of racism is real. Consider this: For decades, “redlining” policies denied mortgages and investment in Black and brown neighborhoods. Today, these neighborhoods lack parks and green spaces, so they are hotter and more flood-prone than wealthier, whiter areas. Partly as a result, the rate of heat-related deaths among Black Americans is 50 percent higher than for non-Hispanic whites.

These challenges are significant. But here in Northeast Ohio, we are also blessed with an abundance of people who care. And now, a growing coalition of groups from across the region is coming together to prepare for a changing climate. The Reimagining Community initiative, led by the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition and The Ohio State University, won a 2024 Climate Resilience Regional Challenge Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Reimagining Community initiative brings together churches, agencies, community groups and concerned citizens from across the region. By engaging residents in dialogue, the initiative will inform future policy decisions, connect people with resources, and promote collective resilience.

Beginning on Thursday, June 26, we will launch a series of public conversations across Northeast Ohio, engaging residents in dialogue around the challenges facing our communities — including pollution, extreme weather, flooding, and the health risks of a changing climate. Each event is free and open to the public and will feature speakers, local leaders, refreshments, and opportunities for residents to speak out, learn, and collaborate on solutions. More information can be found here.

The timing is critical, as we face a new season of storms and searing heat. Please join us, to keep your loved ones safe and well in a hotter, more dangerous world.

Yvonka Hall is the executive director of the nationally recognized Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition.