{{Short description|American environmental activist}} thumb|Destiny Watford (left) with Nancy Pelosi, 2016 '''Destiny Watford''' is an American environmental activist. She won a Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Destiny Watford|url=https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/destiny-watford/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Goldman Environmental Foundation|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Fighting for Environmental Justice on the Streets of Baltimore|date=October 8, 2020|last=Worland|first=Jason|url=https://time.com/collection/next-generation-leaders/4352608/destiny-watford-next-generation-leaders/|access-date=2021-04-20|magazine=Time}}</ref><ref name="Norris 2016">{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Anna |title=This Brave Baltimore Student Shut Down the Nation's Largest Trash Incinerator |url=https://weather.com/science/environment/news/destiny-watford-baltimore-goldman-environmental-prize |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=The Weather Channel |date=April 26, 2016}}</ref>
== Biography == Watford was raised in Curtis Bay, Maryland, in an area with significant air pollution.<ref name="Dance 2016">{{cite news |last1=Dance |first1=Scott |title=Curtis Bay youth wins award for campaign against Fairfield incinerator |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/environment/bal-gr-curtis-bay-youth-wins-environmental-award-for-campaign-against-fairfield-incinerator-20160418-story.html |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=Baltimore Sun |date=April 18, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Blackstone 2016">{{cite news |last1=Blackstone |first1=John |title=Baltimore student takes on gov't, saves town from more pollution |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-student-destiny-watford-takes-on-government-saves-town-from-more-pollution/ |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=CBS News |date=April 19, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Fears 2016"/> While in high school, she started an advocacy campaign against an incinerator project that had been approved by the city and state, and could burn 4,000 tons of waste per day.<ref name="Blackstone 2016"/> Over four years, she led advocacy with other students at Benjamin Franklin High School based on concerns about the health impacts from more air pollution in the area, including the prevalence of asthma already experienced in the local community.<ref name="Fears 2016">{{Cite news|last=Fears|first=Darryl|title=This Baltimore 20-year-old just won a huge international award for taking out a giant trash incinerator|date=April 18, 2016|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/04/18/this-baltimore-20-year-old-just-won-a-huge-international-award-for-taking-out-a-giant-trash-incinerator/|access-date=2021-04-26|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="Schwartz 2016">{{cite news |last1=Schwartz |first1=Ariel |title=This 20 year-old stopped the largest trash incinerator in the U.S. from being built |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/destiny-watford-stopped-the-largest-trash-incinerator-in-the-us-from-being-built-2016-4?op=1 |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=Business Insider |date=April 20, 2016}}</ref> Their work included research into land use and zoning policies, as well as lobbying school and government officials.<ref name="Mock 2016">{{cite news |last1=Mock |first1=Brentin |title=How Destiny Won Over Baltimore |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-25/destiny-watford-wins-the-prestigious-goldman-environmental-prize-for-stopping-baltimore-incinerator |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=Bloomberg |date=April 25, 2016}}</ref> In 2016, the Maryland Department of the Environment canceled the incinerator project.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-04-18|title=Meet the black activist who derailed a big polluting project before graduating college|url=https://grist.org/justice/meet-the-black-activist-who-derailed-a-big-polluting-project-before-graduating-college/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Grist|language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="Dance 2017">{{cite news |last1=Dance |first1=Scott |title=How a trash incinerator — Baltimore's biggest polluter — became 'green' energy |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/environment/bs-md-trash-incineration-20171107-story.html |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=Baltimore Sun |date=December 15, 2017}}</ref>
She studied at Towson University.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TU in the News: Destiny Watford '17 wins international award for activism|url=https://www.towson.edu/news/2016/destinywatford.html|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Towson University|language=en}}</ref> In 2018, she presented at the Facing Race Conference.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Destiny Watford|url=https://facingrace.raceforward.org/speaker/destiny-watford|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Facing Race: A National Conference|language=en}}</ref> At age 16, she co-founded the advocacy group Free Your Voice,<ref name="Norris 2016"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Nelson|first=Amy|title=Youth Environmental Activism / Expert Q&A: Destiny Watford, Charles Graham, & Evan Maminski|url=https://www.biohabitats.com/newsletter/youth-environmental-activism/expert-qa-destiny-watford-charles-graham-evan-maminski/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Biohabitats|language=en-US}}</ref> which is now part of the human rights organization United Workers.<ref name="Pinder 2016">{{cite news |last1=Pinder |first1=Gay |title=How Destiny Watford went from 'just' a teenager to acclaimed activist |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2016/08/18/how-destiny-watford-went-from-just-a-teenager-to-acclaimed-activist/ |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=The Daily Record |date=August 18, 2016}}</ref>
Watford works with Greenpeace as a climate change campaigner and has been involved in campaigns challenging the Texas LNG project,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kruse |first1=Tyler |title=Approval of Rio Grande LNG and South Texas LNG Underscores Biden's Climate Hypocrisy |url=https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/approval-of-rio-grande-lng-and-south-texas-lng-underscores-bidens-climate-hypocrisy/ |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Greenpeace USA |date=20 April 2023}}</ref> Sea Port Oil Terminal (SPOT),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kruse |first1=Tyler |title=Approval of SPOT Shortens the Fuse on the World's Largest Carbon Bomb |url=https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/approval-of-spot-shortens-the-fuse-on-the-worlds-largest-carbon-bomb/ |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Greenpeace USA |date=22 November 2022}}</ref> the Sur de Texas Tuxpan Pipeline<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bergamo |first1=Laura |title=The Greenpeace Ship "Arctic Sunrise" arrives in Mexico to save the Veracruz reefs from a massive gas pipeline |url=https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/press-release/58699/the-greenpeace-ship-arctic-sunrise-arrives-in-mexico-to-save-the-veracruz-reefs-from-a-massive-gas-pipeline/ |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Greenpeace USA |date= 15 May 2023}}</ref> and other activity.
== Awards and recognition == Watford has received a variety of awards and accolades, including the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016, as well as recognition as a Birdland Community Hero in 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Birdland Hero: Destiny Watford {{!}} 06/25/2016|url=https://www.mlb.com/rockies/video/birdland-hero-destiny-watford-c858254483|access-date=2021-05-01|website=MLB.com|language=en}}</ref> Time Next Generation Leader 2016,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Meet the 20-Year-Old Who Stood Up to a Major Company—and Won|url=https://time.com/collection/next-generation-leaders/4352608/destiny-watford-next-generation-leaders/|access-date=2021-05-01|magazine=Time|date=3 June 2016 }}</ref> and Essence Work 100 Woman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=ESSENCE Black Girl Magic: Meet The 20-Year-Old Environmentalist Fighting For Her Community|date=August 1, 2017|last=Kwateng-Clark|first=Danielle|url=https://www.essence.com/culture/destiny-watford-environmental-activist-baltimore/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Essence|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Public speaking == Watford is a regular keynote speaker on environmentalism and environmental justice. Speaking credits include:
* Speaker at 2017 TEDxMidAtlantic<ref>{{Citation|last=Watford|first=Destiny|title=How one student activist helped her community stop a polluting incinerator|date=5 October 2018 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/destiny_watford_how_one_student_activist_helped_her_community_stop_a_polluting_incinerator|language=en|access-date=2021-05-01}}</ref> * Speaker at Facing Race National Conference 2018<ref name=":1" /> * Keynote at 2018 University of Maryland Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium<ref>{{Cite web|title=2018 Symposium|url=https://www.ceejhlab.org/2018-symposium|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Community Engagement, Environmental Justice & Health|language=en-US}}</ref> * Keynote at 2019 New Mexico Clean Energy Conference <ref>{{Cite web|title=Clean Energy Conference w/ Goldman Prize Winner Destiny Watford :: Sustainability Studies Program {{!}} The University of New Mexico|url=http://sust.unm.edu/events/2019/01/clean-energy-conference-w-goldman-prize-winner-destiny-watford.html|access-date=2021-05-01|website=sust.unm.edu}}</ref> * Keynote at 2019 Celebrating ‘The Power of 10’ Towson University Conference<ref>{{Cite web|title=Celebrating 'The Power of 10'|url=https://www.towson.edu/news/2019/environmental_conference.html|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Towson University|language=en}}</ref>
== References == <references />
== External links == * [https://www.ted.com/talks/destiny_watford_how_one_student_activist_helped_her_community_stop_a_polluting_incinerator Destiny Watford: How one student activist helped her community stop a polluting incinerator] | TED Talk, 2017
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watford, Destiny}} Category:Activists from Baltimore Category:Living people Category:American environmentalists Category:Goldman Environmental Prize awardees Category:Towson University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)