Hello! Nice to meet you.
I am a civic strategist and movement builder who bridges personal transformation with political power. As Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters, I lead bold campaigns for climate justice, racial equity, and democratic renewal. My work helps communities build durable power and reclaim their voice in shaping the future.
A Southern changemaker reimagining the future of climate and community.
Brionté McCorkle is a nationally recognized climate justice leader, speaker, and civic strategist based in Atlanta, Georgia. As Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters, she’s led campaigns to expand clean energy access, defend voting rights, and build a more just, resilient future across the South.
Brionté’s work is grounded in her identity as a Black Southern woman, a descendant of enslaved people, a mother, and a visionary determined to interrupt the cycles of harm created by racism, poverty, and environmental destruction. Her leadership is shaped by a deep belief in the power of community organizing, spiritual healing, and systems change.
Over the last decade, Brionté has helped transform the climate movement in Georgia.
Shifting it from top-down policy fights to grassroots, values-driven leadership that centers the needs of Black, Brown, rural, and working-class communities. Under her leadership, GCV has grown into one of Georgia’s most respected progressive political organizations redefining what it means to win.
Why I Do This Work
I believe that climate change is not just a science or policy problem. It’s a people problem. It’s a story problem.
I grew up in Georgia knowing what it meant to struggle and to rise. I saw firsthand how our systems were failing people: whether it was the cost of electricity, the limits of public transit, or the way people are expected to carry everything without rest.
This work isn’t just professional for me. It’s personal. My mission is to help build a world where people can live joyful, healthy, and peaceful lives—connected to each other and to the planet, free from judgment and harm.
– Brionté
Awards & Recognition
2020 Rachel’s Network Catalyst Award Winner
The Catalyst Award honors women of color making a major environmental impact across the U.S.
2021 GRIST 50 Fixer
The Grist 50 names Brionté as one of 50 national climate leaders solving real-world challenges with innovative solutions.
2025 Dr. Espanola Jackson Energy Justice Award
The Dr. Espanola Jackson Energy Justice Award celebrates Brionté’s leadership in clean energy access and community ownership in the South.