Xiye Bastida is a 19-year-old Mexican-Chilean climate activist and member of Mexico’s indigenous Otomi-Toltec nation.
she is the organizer future friday is a co-founder Re-Earth Initiative, Aims to make the climate movement more intersecting. In the first climate strike in March 2019, Bastida mobilized 600 students at her school. She attended her first UN climate conference in February 2017, where she successfully brought indigenous knowledge into the decision-making space.
Her participation earned her spirit of the united nations Awarded in 2018.She is People’s Climate Movement and former members sunrise movement and Extinction Rebellion.
in an interview Fashion, Bastida said she’s aligned with Greta Thunberg, it’s just that she’s found her place in the climate conversation. she says:
“No voice was heard because you didn’t invite them to the decision table.
“So diversity, inclusion, all the things Greta doesn’t represent because she can’t represent them. But obviously, she’s very aware of that — her presence brings us all these concerns.”
Twitter: @xiyebastida
3. Vanessa Nakat
Vanessa Nakate is a Uganda climate justice activist. Nakate’s motivation for climate action came from watching increasing floods and farms being devastated by drought.
In an interview with Amy Goodman Democracy now! “If our farms are destroyed by floods, if our farms are destroyed by drought and crop yields are reduced, that means food prices will go up,” Nakate said.
So only the most privileged can buy food… In my county, a lack of rain means starvation and death for the vulnerable. “
She recently appeared on France 24 News to draw global attention to a crude oil pipeline under construction. across the heart of africa“The pipeline has already displaced more than 80,000 people, which will result in the production of 34.3 million tons of carbon dioxide per year,” Nakate said.
“This will flow through more than 200 rivers, a third of which will flow through the Victoria Basin, where more than 40 million people depend for water and food. It will also flow through Uganda’s oldest national park.”
“These companies only make a profit and leave the oil spill to the common people.”
Twitter: @xiyebastida
4. Vic Barrett
Vic Barret is a 20-year-old Honduran/US student and researcher at the Alliance for Climate Education. At the age of 12, Vic experienced Superstorm Sandy, 147 people died in the United States.
That’s when Vic noticed how people of color were disproportionately affected by the storm.He said Our Climate Voice:
“Well, I’m young, I’m Latino, I’m black, I’m cool, I’m first-generation American. It really affects a lot of the identities I hold and a lot of people like me. After that I Just can’t ignore it.”
While visiting family in Honduras, Vic also witnessed climate change and found it frustrating that those making decisions around climate lack personal experience or connection with those who have fallen victim to climate collapse.
Vic continues court battle with 20 youth climate activists who file constitutional climate lawsuit Juliana and America. Barrett has also spoken out about the inequalities his community faces in the UN climate talks.
Twitter: @vict_barrett
5. Huetz Carter Martinez
Martinez, also known as X, is an environmental activist and hip-hop artist from Mexico. Related to his Aztec roots, X often talks about the impact of fossil fuels on indigenous and marginalized communities.He was also one of the youth activists who applied Juliana and America court case.
X found the intersection between borders and languages, speaking at the UN General Assembly in English, Spanish and his native Nahuatl.previously directed Earth Guardian, Martinez believes that education and young people are key to creating significant social and environmental change.He also participated Juliana and America litigation.
Martinez believes we need to address the fossil fuel industry as it is the biggest driver of climate change on the planet. In an interview published in Rolling Stone, Martinez said: “Street marches, lifestyle changes are not enough, so something drastic needs to happen.
“The change we need will not come from the politicians, from the gorillas in office, but from what has always been the driver of change – the power of the people, the power of young people.”
Twitter: @xiuhtezcatl
this author
Yasmin Dahnoun is ecologist, She enjoys taking a solutions-based approach to climate issues. She is interested in sustainable agriculture, land rights and change from the ground up.
