Chess Jakobs
Chess (any pronouns) is the Director of Programming for the Racial Justice Institute at Georgetown University. After five years as a corporate philanthropist and Head of Environmental Social Governance, Chess has shifted to environmental storytelling and engaging communities of color in the environmental space. Chess is on the Board of Girl Plus Environment, a non-profit foundation that empowers Black and Brown girls, women, and non-binary people to stand up for environmental justice in their neighborhoods. Chess served on the 2022 Voting Committee for the DC Environmental Film Festival. They received their undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and will pursue their MS in Environment and Sustainability in Fall 2023.