[Applause]
hello everybody it's good to almost see
you I have a short video that I'm going
to start with to let you know what I'm
up to and then I'll follow up before
intermission
[Music]
there is a revolution underway we are
two crossroads and history
we are moving for a world where all of
the energy we consume comes from clean
and sustainable energy sources the men
and women who are making this transition
possible are the pioneers of this
century
the pioneers of clean energy portrait
project spearheaded by renowned
photographer rich Chapman is celebrating
these individuals and bringing them to
the forefront of the public's
consciousness what all these people are
doing will change what the full energy
scene looks like in the next 10 years
and I want to be in the river with them
the portraits will be gifted to the
general public through multiple venues
from museum exhibitions to educational
programs to online and print
publications this project has the
ability to touch many by setting off
sparks in individuals that become
inspired by something they see in a
portraits eyes or something they hear in
an interview energy has been done the
same way for about a hundred years but
the next hundred years are gonna look
completely different if you need to send
a signal to the markets and the people
that there is hope there is a future
some of the people with power want to
see the change want to see the status
quo could be disrupted and see new
innovative products out on the market
[Music]
it's absolutely imperative that people
that are doing this work are celebrated
acknowledged and praised because what
they are doing now will make the
difference
[Music]
their personal stories their personal
why's the inspire others to make change
I'd like to make a battery that lasts
200 years so that when your car is rusty
you take the battery out and give it to
your son and we can put it in his car
I really have to credit my dad for
giving me a level of optimism about the
world and his last words to me were be
strong be of service if we do nothing
and just consume energy the way we
consume it today in about a hundred
years we will start seeing things on the
planet that we've never seen it'll be a
system gone out of control Carl Sagan
said it best this planet is where we
make our stand
[Music]
so I've had the very exciting
opportunity as a professional
photographer to make portraits of some
of the great athletes of our time
Muhammad Ali LeBron James Serena
Williams Sean Whyte Annika Sorenstam and
many more and yes I'm very proud of the
fact that 40 of those portraits are in
the Smithsonian National Portrait
Gallery it's very exciting
so when 25 year old Rick Chapman looks
at 50 year old Rick Chapman he says man
you nailed it you're a success but
what's funny is when 50 year old Rick
Chapman looked in the mirror that's not
what was said sure proud of career etc
yeah great but it was a question and it
was it was a question what could my
photography and portraiture do to go
beyond promoting already famous athletes
there are scientists using data and
facts to project a world before us that
is terrifying and other people are
sitting around debating if they believe
in climate change still what it's
science it's not politics and it
certainly is not a belief system so the
question the big question
what can I do what can I do to make a
difference so the light bulb went off
for me of course I can start making
portraits and doing voice recordings and
videos of the inventors of the
scientists of the policy change makers
these people that don't have the luxury
of being celebrity but they're doing the
urgent urgent work that will make the
difference for who we hand this planet
to the young people that inherit it so
yeah elevating humanity
that's the job right and I'm doing it
with my camera and a microphone and
sharing those stories and images to
inspire others and I want those others
to ask the same question what can I do
we don't all need to be scientists or
inventors to make an impact we
definitely don't they're there they're
working hard but what behaviors can we
do in our daily lives to make a
difference and start to create change
and be participants what what education
plan could we give ourselves to make a
difference and say hey I'm gonna be a
participant in the carbon and energy
story there might be one of you right
out here in the audience tonight who
asks the question what can I do we all
can do something it's literally
limitless how many of you heard 16 year
old Greta Thunderbirds addressed to the
UN summit
yeah incredible it rocked me to the bone
and woke me up in a way that I I could
cry I cried to myself thinking about
what I was gonna say but she said you
come to me you come to the young people
and you look to us for hope how dare you
you stole my childhood
you stole my dreams with your empty
words Wow mm Wow how can you not respond
to that right that's what I say to
myself so adults it is our job and we
need to ask what can I do now
I personally realize that it's very
important for me to go out and use my
talents and skills and celebrate the
little-known pioneers who are right now
working very hard to ensure that we hand
a healthy habitable planet to Greta
to my children and your children
[Applause]
you