What social justice causes are you involved in?

I work on issues regarding education equity and climate justice through my organization, Illuminated Youth Inc., as well as Zero Hour and IDEAS for Us. I fight for climate justice, education and  sex-education access, racial and social justice within the environmental movement, and adequate representation of youth and diverse voices in these conversations.

What does your work entail?

As co-Executive Director, I run a chapter of Illuminated Youth out of my school and the organization as a whole.  Our goal as a completely youth-run organization is to advocate for educational equity through policy, by providing school supplies, and creating curriculum around neglected topics like Sex-Education, environmental change, cultural diversity, mental health, and the importance of youth engagement. We aim to empower youth and close opportunity and literacy gaps. We run campaigns covering race and discrimination in schools, demand adequate sexual health and mental health curriculum/resources, and send donated school supplies annually to international partner schools.

What inspires you to work towards this change?

 What inspires me is seeing the constant mobilization of youth around me, who stand up against injustice regularly. They are at the forefront of the climate movement, the fight to end school segregation, and the fight to dismantle our country’s systemic racism. I just hope to contribute my part to change these systems so that future generations will be able to succeed without unnecessary barriers. In a world that doesn’t want to see us, recognize us, or listen to us, I hope to uplift those who stand beside me.