At a virtual fundraiser last July, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden said, “I want young climate activists, young people everywhere, to know: I see you. I hear you. I understand the urgency, and together we can get this done.” As young climate activists from Utah and New York, we not only want to be seen and heard, we want our demographic to help design and implement climate policy.
Young people’s leadership has elevated the climate crisis so effectively that it is now a priority in the White House. The Fridays for Future campaign, which included more than 2,500 organized protests in 150 countries, was the largest global climate crisis demonstration in history. The Sunrise Movement alone contacted 3.5 million young voters in swing states leading up to the 2020 election.
But we are capable of more than activism. Given the opportunity to collaborate with lawmakers and leaders, we can push meaningful climate policies. Michelle spearheaded a delegation to the 2019 World Mayors Summit, where young leaders competed to design climate plans, with the winning ideas presented to elected leaders. In Utah, Piper organized a student coalition that successfully advocated for... Read more
