Take the story of Laura Brown, whose neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee, was wiped out by a tornado on March 3, 2020. The overall damage totaled $1.5 billion. “We were basically climate refugees during the first part of the pandemic,” she says. “And honestly, the tornado really put a fire under my butt, that climate change is sort of no longer an issue that I can ignore.”

Take the story of Laura Brown, whose neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee, was wiped out by a tornado on March 3, 2020. The overall damage totaled $1.5 billion. “We were basically climate refugees during the first part of the pandemic,” she says. “And honestly, the tornado really put a fire under my butt, that climate change is sort of no longer an issue that I can ignore.”

Leaving Tennessee after buying a home to settle down in wasn’t a part of Laura Brown’s plan.

“It breaks my heart that I have to leave this place that I have grown up in and loved my whole life,” said Brown.

Laura Brown is Tennessee born, raised and educated. The 34-year-old chief marketing officer grew up in Brentwood and has degrees from the University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt University. She now lives in East Nashville.

But not for much longer.

“I can’t stay here,” she said. “I’m sick and heartbroken over it.”

In Tennessee, nearly all abortions will become illegal within a month. Although Brown has spent most of her life in the state, she doesn’t think she will call it home for much longer. Brown was already considering a move and Friday’s ruling cemented her resolve. “I cannot, in good conscience,” she said, “live in and contribute to a state that doesn’t recognize my right to make medical decisions for myself.”

Laura Brown stood by a table surrounded by red, white and blue posters with drawings of the U.S. Capitol and a message: “Send a letter to Congress.”

“Hello, would you like to send a letter to the Senate?” she called out.

“I love these things, but people in Congress never seem to hear about them,” Brown said. “This is my bare bones operation to collect letters to our senators and congressmen. I package the letters and send them off.”

Brown was one of more than 1,500 people in Nashville Saturday advocating for stronger gun laws as part of the national March for Our Lives movement.

Laura Brown asks Pete Buttigieg about his climate agenda during SXSW 2022