July Movement Café:

Health Impacts of Extreme Heat and Poor Air Quality

July 16, 2025

10am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET

Sponsored by the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, the informal, virtual space of the Café facilitates conversation, connection, and community focused on creation care and justice issues.

Health Impacts of Extreme Heat

Human-caused climate change makes extreme heat and forest fires more likely. We are already experiencing the impact of heat waves and poor air quality due to fires on the health of our households and our communities. What can faith communities do? United Methodist churches, conference camps, colleges and other facilities are located in affected regions, meaning clergy and laity need to stay “weather aware” especially during summer functions. Beyond taking care in summer months, United Methodists can show concern for the effects of fire and excessive heat on God’s creation.

Join us for a conversation with Cynthia Astle, editor and founder of United Methodist Insight. Growing up in Florida and now living in Texas Cynthia writes, “heat and I go ‘way back.” Angela Molloy with Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church will also address the disproportionate impact that heat, fire and poor air quality have on some bodies especially on persons living with disabilities. And Dr. Ashley Ward, Director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.

Speakers

Cynthia B. Astle

Longtime religion journalist Cynthia B. Astle is Editor and Founder of United Methodist Insight, an online journal she began in 2011 as a media channel to amplify news and views for, by and about marginalized and under-served United Methodists. An award-winning journalist for 53 years, she was the first woman named Editor of the former United Methodist Reporter newspaper (2000-2005). She is a life-vowed member of The Order of Saint Luke, an ecumenical monastic association founded by Methodists, and a professional spiritual director. She lives with her husband John Astle in Dallas, Texas, where they practice creation care with their two Chihuahua-mix rescue dogs, Winston and Bandit.

Angela Molloy

Angela Molloy (she/her) is a congenitally disabled, fifth-generation Methodist, a second-year PhD student, and chair of the Greater Northwest Disability Ministries Committee. Having been deeply harmed by ableism within the institutional church, Angela seeks to imagine alternative constructive possibilities for disabled and not-yet-disabled folx within communities of faith. Her work examines moral injury, specifically around the ways that queer and disabled bodies have been controlled by and cast out from the church. As a scholar-activist living in Denver, Colorado, her intersectional advocacy offers churches practical insights for journeying alongside the most marginalized in our communities.

Ashley Ward

Dr. Ashley Ward is a climate-health and resilience professional. Her career has focused on engaging communities to identify and address issues related to climate change, and helping communities develop long-term, sustainable strategies relevant to their community needs. Her previous work with NOAA’s Carolinas RISA team connected rural and urban communities and policy-decision makers with relevant climate and health data, particularly related to vulnerabilities and impacts. Ashley has since continued to bridge the gap between science, data, policy, and community at Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. In this role, she works with communities, public agencies, and policymakers to create and inform effective policy solutions to difficult environmental challenges. As the Director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, Ashley brings together scientists and communities to develop and deploy innovative policy solutions that reduce the impacts of extreme heat on human health and well-being.