Around the world, youth activists are striking for climate action. Most notably, 17-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has drawn international attention and media coverage with her climate strikes and Fridays for Future movement.

But that’s only one part of the story. Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate, 23, has also been advocating for climate action. In January, she attended the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with Thunberg and others. 

Though eager to spread her message to a broader audience, Nakate was cropped out of a photo with Thunberg, Loukina Tille, Luisa Neubauer and Isabelle Axelsson by the Associated Press. That crop sparked a fierce debate over race and media representation. 

“You didn’t just erase a photo,” Nakate tweeted after the incident. “You erased a continent. But I am stronger than ever.”

The lack of diversity in the environmental movement is not a new concern, and Nakate recognizes that.

“I think that there is an issue of white privilege,” Nakate told Earth Day Network. “Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. Media loves news that is a hot piece of cake for them, news that will sell… I believe that if they cover news from activists from the Global South, they think it would not cause as much impact.” 

Nakate has been striking for just over a year. Over the last decade, Uganda has experienced unusually high temperatures, as well as increased floods and landslides. But only recently did she connect these events to climate change.

“I wanted to do something that could enact change in the lives of the people in my country, so I started researching,” Nakate, who lives in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, said. “Climate change really caught my eye because… in school, it is taught as something that we don’t have to worry about, something that is coming in the far future or that happened in the far past.”

African nations are some of the most vulnerable to and least prepared for climate change. Approximately 300,000 people are already affected by more frequent droughts, floods and landslides, and an estimated 65,000 people have been displaced, according to a government report. 

In East Africa, where Nakate lives, communities are experiencing the worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years. This is why she and other activists from the Global South are speaking out. 

Nakate wanted to spread awareness so young people could connect disasters and rising temperatures to climate change earlier than she had. In January 2019, she staged a solitary strike outside of Uganda’s Parliament, an idea that came from Thunberg. 

“Honestly, I didn’t know how I was going to spread awareness for it, so I decided to read more,” she said. “That is how I found out about the Fridays for Future climate strikes, and I decided to start striking.” 

Since then, Nakate has participated in nearly 60 Fridays for Future protests and founded Youth for Future Africa, which later transformed into the Rise Up Movement. She has also campaigned for the Congo forests.

“It is important to listen to the activists from the Global South because they’re representing different communities,” Nakate said. “[The Rise Up Movement’s] main goal is to help tell the stories of these activists in Africa who are striking every Friday, who are doing different activities to demand climate action.”

The AP incident has only motivated her and strengthened her platform. She received an outpouring of support from activists across the globe, and her Twitter account became verified. 

“Despite the fact that this incident was so hurtful and painful, it has changed the story for different activists in the Global South,” she said. 

Like the first Earth Day in 1970, youth are the foundation of today’s environmental movement. To mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020, Earth Day Network created EARTHRISE to build the world’s largest, most diverse mobilization of activists. Join the movement.

“The climate issue is a life issue,” Nakate said. “We have to keep fighting until we see the action that we are demanding. Above all, I want people to stop dying as a result of climate change.”

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On the first Earth Day, 20 million people took to the streets to demand that the government protect our planet. Among them, many musicians, including legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, motivated demonstrators through their environmentally conscious songs. 

Studies have shown that music can be a powerful neurological tool. It can reduce fatigue and increase stimulation, important tools for activists fighting for our planet on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day this year. Throughout history, music has held social movements together and kept them alive even when all hope would have otherwise been lost.

The year 2020 will be a key turning point for climate action. And we need everyone pitching in. Our interns at Earth Day Network compiled a list of uplifting, inspirational songs to get you in the climate-fighting spirit. 

“Young Enough to Try” by Humming House

“Am I old enough, old enough, to stand where my fathers stood and roll the dice on what I love?”

“Young Enough to Try” invokes the momentum and unique power of the youth climate movement. Full of the same optimism and passion as the movement, this song will inspire you to fight for the best possible future even when it seems a little hopeless.

— Kalen Breland

“Only the Young” by Taylor Swift 

“They aren’t gonna help us, too busy helping themselves. They aren’t gonna change this, we gotta do it ourselves.”

Taylor Swift released “Only the Young” with her 2020 Netflix documentary, “Miss Americana.” It honors the political awakening of American youth after the 2016 United States presidential election. As voting citizens, we have enormous power to drive change by making our voices heard, and we must demand effective environmental policies from our politicians.

— Emily Merrill

“A New Day” by GRiZ (feat. Matisyahu)

“Visions of a new generation, for the youth, we fight for salvation. All we need to learn is love.”

“A New Day” by GRiZ inspires younger generations to enact positive change in the world through peaceful and productive efforts. This electronic, funky song reminds us that every day is “A New Day” to rise to the occasion. 

— Sarah Kolberg-Shuler

“The Times They Are A-Changin’” by Bob Dylan

“Come gather ’round people, wherever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown.”

Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” has been an anthem of activists for years. The song, however, feels especially relevant to climate activism today, reflecting the urgency of the climate crisis yet still offers an uplifting message: We must all come together in action for our environment.

— Lindsay Steinberg 

“Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen

“I’m burning through the sky, yeah! Two hundred degrees, that’s why they call me Mister Fahrenheit.”

Queen’s 1970 hit song, “Don’t Stop Me Now,” has all the ingredients of a feel-good song. The song is in major key and has a fast tempo, the perfect recipe for the most uplifting song of all time, according to Jacob Jolij, a psychologist at the University of Groningen. Hopefully this song inspires you to take climate action and encourage your peers to do the same!

— Molly Cruse

“Daylight” by Matt and Kim

“And in the daylight I don’t pick up my phone, ‘cause in the daylight anywhere feels like home.”

“Daylight” by Matt and Kim is about ditching the technology that takes over everyday life, suggesting we break free and enjoy the natural world: This upbeat song reminds us what we have to lose in our fight against climate change and why we must do everything we can to preserve our beautiful world for future generations.

— Oliver Chartock

“Paradise” by Coldplay

“When she was just a girl she expected the world, but it flew away from her reach. So she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of para-para-paradise.”

“Paradise,” released by Coldplay in 2011, is about wanting and expecting a better world but not being able to obtain it. This song allows us to both dream of a sustainable future and motivates us to keep fighting for it. 

— Conor Wade

“Love Song to the Earth” by various artists

“Looking down from up on the moon you’re a tiny blue marble, who’d have thought the ground we stand on could be so fragile.”

“Love Song to the Earth” was a collaborative effort from some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Paul McCartney, Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Fergie, Colbie Caillat, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis and Sean Paul. The song was originally written to call for the Paris Agreement in 2015 but continues to mobilize activists today.  

— Tyler Yezman

“Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley 

“Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down.”

“Never Gonna Give You Up” is infamous because of the popular “Rickrolling” trend that took over the Internet in the early 2000s. Through an environmental lens, however, you could say that Rick Astley was referring to the Earth and climate change. It’s easy to be pessimistic about our future, but in the words of Mr. Astley, I’m never gonna give you up (Earth)!

— Challen Tighe

“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

“I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you and I think to myself what a wonderful world.”

“What a Wonderful World” paints an enchanting picture of a beautiful, natural world we can all aspire to preserve. The song reminds us what we are fighting for, who we are fighting for, and why we must strive to make the world a better place.

— Yujie Hao

“How Far I’ll Go” by Alessia Cara

“I can lead with pride, I can make us strong, I’ll be satisfied if I play along, but the voice inside sings a different song.”

“How Far I’ll Go” is featured on the soundtrack for the 2016 movie “Moana.” The song is about finding your voice and following your dreams without letting anyone hold you back. This song will help you channel a fearless attitude to meet the climate crisis head on.   

— Molly Cruse

“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra

“Mr. Blue Sky please tell us why you had to hide away for so long, where did we go wrong?”

“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra reminds us of the beauty of a clear day. The song expresses appreciation for the natural world, inviting children to love the planet as they grow up. 

— Oliver Chartock

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If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that students have power, and they aren’t afraid to use it.

From the Vietnam War to gun safety to the latest protests in Hong Kong, student activism have played a crucial role in some of the largest social movements. Even Earth Day — the world’s largest civic observance — was started by rabble-rousing college kids with a passion for the planet. 

That’s right, 50 years before the rise of Greta Thunberg, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin noticed the growing influence of students in the anti-war movement. Wanting to harness this same energy for the Earth, Nelson recruited recent graduate Denis Hayes to mobilize campuses across the U.S. 

The rest, as you know, is history. On April 22, 1970, 1,500 campuses and 20 million people proved that the status quo doesn’t stand a chance against mass mobilization.

But the work is far from over. Fortunately, we’ve recently seen a resurgence of student environmental activism in grassroots organizations like Extinction Rebellion, Sunrise Movement and Zero Hour. And these young organizers are learning from the organizers and movements that came before them. 

Below are 7 times students raised hell for Mother Earth. 

1. Santa Barbara Oil Spill, 1969

When 3 million gallons of oil leaked off the coast of Santa Barbara, students at the University of Southern California and University of California, Santa Barbara, took matters into their own hands. After learning the spill killed over 9,000 birds and coated miles of coastlines in black muck, students formed some of the country’s first environmental organizations and initiated (peaceful) climate protests. 

An “ecological shot heard around the world,” the Santa Barbara oil spill triggered the first wave of direct environmental action in the U.S. — including Senator Nelson’s early inklings for Earth Day. 

2. The First Earth Day, 1970

As mentioned, more than 1,500 college campuses participated in the first Earth Day. Amassing 50,000 participants over a five-day “teach-in,” University of Michigan in Ann Arbor attracted the greatest turnout. 

University of Michigan was an ideal setting for this first Earth Day, having hosted strong protests to the Vietnam war, specifically in opposition to chemical warfare that harmed both the people and environment of Vietnam. This anti-war sentiment paved a clear path to environmentalism, a transition echoed on many campuses participating in Earth Day across the U.S. 

Organized largely by new student organization Environmental Action (ENACT), the teach-in at the University of Michigan consisted of more than 125 speeches, workshops, concerts and forums. 

The success of this student organizing, attracting international media coverage, was attributed to the deliberate efforts to make the event as inclusive as possible — tying into issues of the war, of course, but also topics such as women’s rights, racial equality and social justice.

3. Battle of Seattle, 1999

The protests against the World Trade Organization in Seattle saw a different take on environmental justice: fighting globalism and protecting developing countries. Upwards of 70,000 protestors, many of which were students, successfully shut down the much-anticipated WTO meeting in what was dubbed a “street party.” This “party” showcased the environmental and economic injustices stemming from global trade and mass globalization.

Even without social media, the Seattle protest tactics — costumes, floats, direct action, blocking intersections — quickly went viral and spread to protests around the world. It was an important lesson on sharing tactics across movements and countries (and that activism can be fun, too).

4. Step it Up Middlebury, 2007

In 2007, Step It Up was the first “nationwide do-it-yourself mass protest” against global warming, according to American environmentalist and author Bill McKibben writing in Grist. This mid-2000 movement called on Congress to “step up” and reduce 80% of carbon emissions by 2050, a commitment that was urgently needed even then. 

Fueled by very little funding and a whole lot of hope, the Step It Up team consisted of founder McKibben and six students from Middlebury College in Vermont. Relying primarily on email and a basic webpage, the small team asked U.S. citizens if they would join. To their surprise, 1,400 communities — many without any organizing experience — heeded their call. 

With this mobilization, simplicity was key. Participants were asked to choose a location, make a banner and recruit others. There were no hashtags, no live streams and no memes (gasp!) — just a massive group of people coming together over one unifying mission: carbon reduction. 

5. Global Strikes, 2019

In September 2019, a record 7.6 million people mobilized across the world to demand immediate action on climate change. The global climate strike is student-driven at its core, starting with one Swedish teenager-turned-activist, Greta Thunberg. 

When Thunberg started protesting outside the Swedish parliament in 2018, she helped birth an international movement for climate action. 

Students from over 150 countries attended strikes around the world in September. Groups such as Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion were key to this scale, the former organizing and maintaining student strikes every Friday.  

A notable strike within the university community was led by the UK Student Climate Network in Oxford, England, drawing over 10,000 participants. Working with their schools’ administrators to secure excused absences for the strikes, students weren’t going to let anything or anyone stand in their way. 

6. Harvard-Yale Football Game, 2019

After the global climate strike in September, 300 students from both Harvard and Yale kept the momentum going. Adding a new dimension to storming the field, students from both universities delayed the rivalry football game for nearly 30 minutes at halftime. 

A large banner carried by a few brave students read: “Nobody Wins: Yale & Harvard are Complicit in Climate Injustice.” Their demand? University divestment in the fossil fuel industry. 

Students felt that universities cannot encourage their students to improve the world while also contributing to the industries spurring the destruction of our planet. Ryan Dougherty, a member of the Endowment Justice Coalition at Yale, echoed this sentiment in a text message conversation with Earth Day Network. 

“Students who attend universities like Yale and Harvard will not face the brunt of the injustices that are to come as climate change evolves into something more visibility catastrophic,” he said.

Dougherty and his peers recognize the privilege their situation offers, and understand many don’t have this type of protection. They therefore feel a duty to fight for those who aren’t as inherently separated from climate injustice.

Although neither school has heeded to the divestment demands, the Cambridge City Council did pass a resolution supporting the students who were arrested. Maybe we’ll see more disruption of business (or football) as usual in 2020 from universities across the country. 

7. 50th anniversary of Earth Day, 2020

How will you be a part of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day? 

The students of the first Earth Day fought oil spills, polluting factories, toxic dumps, pesticides and biodiversity loss. Today’s youth are fighting a lot of the same issues, but the urgency is far, far greater. 

“My hope is that this time through, it’s not gonna be a matter of shifting priorities but rather a firm bedrock commitment across all these different interest groups to radically and abruptly change the way the world operates,” said Denis Hayes, the organizer of the first Earth Day, in an interview with Earth Day 50 Years.  

College students, this day was made for you. How are you, at your universities, going to show up? You have the power to ignite change on your campus — and worldwide. 

Earth Day Network wants every university participating in an EARTHRISE direct action event on April 22nd, 2020. Our MobilizeU campaign has the resources to help you get started and to help you amplify your impact. It’s easy. Just sign up as a MobilizeU Ambassador and you can bring the global Earth Day movement to your campus. 

And for everyone else: How are you going to support the youth this April and every other month? 2020 must be the year we see sweeping and radical change across the world to stop the destruction of our planet. Earth Day 2020, the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, is the quintessential moment to harness our global enthusiasm for action and the promise of a livable, sustainable future. 

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Yesterday, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who founded the global youth striking movement Fridays for Future, was named TIME’s 2019 Person of the Year. The latest honor from TIME is reflective of a large (and growing) youth climate movement, a movement that is pressuring world leaders to take climate action.

Here in Washington, D.C., for example, 17-year-old Jerome Foster II strikes outside the United States Capitol every Friday. Two-hundred miles up the coast, 14-year-old Alexandria Villaseñor strikes outside New York City’s United Nations headquarters.

But you don’t have to be in a metropolis to strike for change. Deep in the heart of the South, another 17-year-old activist, Isabel Hope, strikes for climate action in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Hope in Alabama

Every week, Hope’s mother drops her off at the Tuscaloosa Federal Building to strike as a part of the Fridays for the Future movement.

“I’m out here every Friday to make people think about not only climate change but also what role the South can play in climate change,” Hope told Earth Day Network last month.

Hope started striking after seeing the lack of action taken by her government officials. She called these leaders “climate deniers” and was angry that these politicians accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the fossil fuel industry.

In the fiscal year of 2019, Alabama received $34 million from energy revenues produced in offshore oil and natural gas collection, making the state the ninth-highest recipient of energy funds in the country.

To ensure Alabama government officials heard youth voices, Hope organized the first Alabama Youth Climate Strike on March 15, 2019. Around 60 people from across the state joined Hope on the steps of the Alabama Capitol Building in Montgomery to demand for a change in climate policies in the state government.

Mobilizing youth in Alabama

In addition to striking, Hope wishes to create a platform for other youth voices in Alabama. That’s why in June of this year, Hope founded Yellowhammer Youth, a digital space where young people in Alabama can submit opinion pieces and discuss “varying topics from all political and socioeconomic backgrounds.”

“Our staff of students from across the state believe it is important, now more than ever, to showcase the youth perspective here,” reads the Yellowhammer Youth website. “A lot of Alabama lawmakers want to ignore our voices, but sadly those days are over.”

Yellowhammer Youth also acts as a media outlet to fill in the gaps in news coverage on climate issues in Alabama. Hope wishes that more Alabamians understand climate change and realize the importance of the South as a frontline community.

Threats to the American South

Compared to other states, Alabama isn’t active in the environmental movement. As the 15th- most carbon-intensive state economy, Alabama favors a heavy carbon emission industry instead of green alternatives.

Yet, Alabama is one of the states most impacted by climate change. Alabama is highly susceptible to extreme weather patterns: “Flash droughts” occurred this summer, as the American South experienced the driest and hottest September on record, as reported by The New York Times.

Hurricanes are also more likely to occur along the southern coast of the U.S. Climate scientists predict an increase in the intensity of hurricanes. And these extreme weather events won’t just hit tourist paradise (and climate change posterchild) Miami; Alabama will also be hit. But even with these pressing climate issues, Alabama’s state government remains reluctant to act.

“I can tell you now our state government has done nothing,” said Hope.

In 2010, a massive oil spill caused by BP happened on the Gulf Coast, near where Hope lives in Southern Alabama. The oil leak peaked at more than 60,000 barrels per day. Animals were killed and tourism economies crashed. Yet, Alabama lawmakers have continued collecting money from big oil companies.

In 2017, Alabama had one of the highest per capita energy consumption rates in the U.S. They also had the third-most expensive monthly electricity bills by state.

Fortunately, Alabamians are starting to realize the climate emergency we’re in. On September 20, nearly six months after Hope organized her own youth climate strike, several strikes occured simultaneously in the state (that Hope had nothing to do with) —including in Montgomery, Birmingham and Huntsville — as part of the Global Week for Future.

“I would rather be in school right now,” 14-year-old Stella Tarrant said in front of the Birmingham’s climate strikers on September 20. “I would rather be sitting at a desk doing math, because that would mean the adults were taking care of our planet and we wouldn’t have to.”

Your actions

Young leaders are driving the fight to protect our planet, when they should be in class learning. So, how can we support them?

Hope had plenty of suggestions. Strikes for the climate happen weekly in the capital, so if that fits your schedule, try finding something local. If you’re not free every Friday, global mobilizations occur throughout the year.

Don’t fret if you can’t make it out to your government officials, though. Digital striking is another option. In this case, Hope recommends sharing youth activists’ projects, hashtags (including #digital strike, #fridaysforfuture) and tagging @fff.digital.

In this age of environmental inaction, we need to do whatever we can to get our leaders to listen, especially if it’s supporting our youth who are running the movements.

April 22, 2020 is Earth Day’s 50th anniversary. It will be the largest, most diverse global mobilization for the defense of our environment. Join the EARTHRISE movement today.

Photo credit for photo at top: Isabel Hope

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A pink and yellow boat shut down a major Washington, D.C., intersection this morning. Yes, you read that correctly.

The boat was strategically placed by climate activism group Extinction Rebellion as part of its attempt to “shut down D.C.” The event intends to “block key infrastructure to stop business-as-usual, bringing the whole city to a gridlocked standstill,” according to the Shut Down DC website.

“A lot of people will be upset, but a lot will be inspired,” Adil Trehan, who supports media relations for Extinction Rebellion, said to Earth Day Network on Monday morning. “We need mass participation [to combat climate change]. A lot of options have been exhausted.”

Hundreds of activists from Extinction Rebellion, and other climate activism groups like 350.org and Sunrise Movement, divided into groups to shut down major intersections around the city. Mobilizations included a ten-foot tall fire hydrant, dance parties and the previously mentioned boat, emblazoned with the phrases “Tell the Truth” and “Rebel for Life.”

Charlie Abrams, who traveled from Atlanta to support the strike, said movements like these are “a critical step to save the planet. We can’t wait until 2020,” referring to the U.S. presidential elections taking place that year.

The most high-profile blockade was the boat, placed at the corner of 16th and K streets. The intersection is an important one for logistic and symbolic reasons — in the city, “K Street” is shorthand for lobbying and advocacy, while 16th Street provides an unobstructed view of the White House.

About half a dozen strikers attached themselves to the boat’s steel frame, while a hundred or so activists held signs and banners calling for climate justice and action.

“We’re in the belly of the beast right now,” yelled climate activist Russell Gray, sporting a pink Extinction Rebellion shirt and yellow vest, standing on top of the boat.

An hour or so into the strikes, the D.C. police force, which was present since the strike commenced early Monday morning, descended into the group. Police officers created a perimeter around the boat and after removing two people, began sawing off the steel frame in which some activists had attached themselves to.

Chants of “What side are you on?” quickly ensued. Fortunately, no violence broke out, and in some cases, activists and police officers had friendly conversations with each other.

“Joining a mass mobilization can be scary, but all these people feel this is the right thing to do,” said Trehan, when asked about the risks associated with the movement. He also stressed the importance of safety and nonviolence.

Police involvement in mass civil disobedience isn’t new to D.C., nor is it new for many of the activists. Mike Warburton, who donned a Sunrise Movement t-shirt as he passed out information cards about the strike Monday, was no stranger to these risks. Warburton was arrested last year when he and more than 100 activists showed up in or outside congressional offices, urging lawmakers to confront climate change.

“This really is a crisis. We don’t have time to spare. As Greta, says, ‘Listen to the scientists,’” said Warburton, referring to the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who founded the global climate strike movement Fridays for Future.

In addition to the boat at the corner of 16th and K, other intersections were blocked around the city. Groups were divided into different themed groups, said Tarek Maasaraui, an Extinction Rebellion activist who was passing out apples at the vegan-themed group.

According to its website, the Shut Down DC strikes will take place all day across the nation’s capital. Maasaraui also said the strikes could continue throughout the week. That means tens of thousands of commuters, pedestrians and government officials could be affected by the blockades. Hundreds of thousands more will hear about it from media outlets.

The D.C. shutdowns were coordinated to overlap with today’s U.N. Climate Action Summit, a gathering of world leaders at U.N. headquarters in New York to examine national plans to meet the emissions target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. Shut Down DC also follows the global climate strike movement, which turned out 4 million people worldwide on Friday.

“The intention is to bring attention to the importance of this issue,” said Maasaraui. “[Shutting down intersections] is a risky tactic … but it’s a potentially impactful strategy because it’s such a visible one.”

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An estimated 250,000 people, mostly youth, showed up in New York City today to send a message to leaders: The planet is in a climate emergency, and young people will not sit by and do nothing.

Holding signs that read “Respect Your Mother (Earth),” “The Climate Crisis is Now” and “It’s Time to Panic,” young people took to the street, gathering in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan for a rally before marching to New York’s Battery Park.

Between chants of “We are unstoppable, a better world is possible,” climate activist Vic Barrett took to the stage to lament and protest the injustice of the uninhabitable earth he is inheriting.

“I was born into a culture that has been stolen from us,” said Barrett, a plaintiff on the constitutional climate lawsuit Juliana v. U.S. “This is our time. This is our future.”

New York City hosted America’s largest climate strike, but around the world, an estimated 4 million people from all seven continents (yes, even Antarctica) took to the streets to support the movement. The strikes were largely inspired by the Fridays for Future movement, started by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg just over a year ago.

“We will not just stand aside and watch,” said Thunberg at the New York rally. “We are united behind the science, and we will do everything in our power to stop this crisis from getting worse, even if that means skipping school or work, because this is more important.”

In a surprising show of solidarity, New York City Public Schools supported the strike, encouraging teachers and classrooms to join the march in an announcement made the previous week.

“If we don’t fight then nothing is ever going to change,” said Nadia, a sixth-grade student from Brooklyn. “And things can change, but what we need to do is take action. If we participate in protests and strikes like this, then every single person can help to make this situation better.”

The protests come after a decades-worth of disturbing (and largely ignored) reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. One of the most referenced reports came last year, warning that we have only 12 years to slow the most destructive aspects of climate change.

In 12 years, the high school students that rallied today won’t even be out of their 20s. A planet ravaged by climate change isn’t a distant future for them. It’s their whole life. That’s why the climate movement has been mostly driven and organized by young people.

Seventeen-year-old climate activist and Zero Hour founder Jamie Margolin also attended the New York strikes. Margolin has led her own youth climate movement for several years now, mobilizing tens of thousands of youth across the country with her nonprofit Zero Hour. Margolin shared her perspective on climate change, its causes and the potential for the youth climate movement to drive the solutions in an op-ed published in the New York Times today.

“I am trying to send leaders the message that this is Zero Hour to act on climate change. We have no more time,” said Margolin to Earth Day Network on Monday. “I am here striking and telling leaders to stand up for what really matters: The Amazon rainforest, my future … because people are dying, and it is important that they step up and give a damn.”

Multiple reports and studies have shown that worst impacts of climate change can be slowed through better management of land and preservation of biodiversity, especially in places like the Amazon. In recent years, the role of indigenous knowledge has risen in the public consciousness as an important climate solution as scientists and civil society alike recognize the unique, long connection that these first peoples have to the forests and lands.

“We are connected with nature, we live within nature, we are the ones who have been guarding the forests for the longest generations, for [millennia],” said Michael McGarrell, of Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin, at the rally.

Several hours into the rally, the strike at Foley Square transitioned into a march down Broadway and concluded as a rally in Battery Park, where Jaden and Willow Smith headlined a concert attended by thousands. Fridays for Future founder Greta Thunberg closed the event with a call to arms.

“Together and united, we are unstoppable,” said Thunberg. “This is what people power looks like. We will rise to the challenge. We will hold those who are most responsible accountable. We can, and we will.”

The strike comes a day before heads of state convene in New York for a week of major events at the U.N., including the U.N. Youth Climate Action Summit and the Climate Action Summit. The summit is a way for countries to get more nations on track to meet the standards set at the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement. For leaders of countries uninterested in cutting emissions and reversing the trends of global warming, Thunberg has a simple message.

“This is just the beginning,” said Thunberg. “Change is coming, whether they like it or not.”

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This morning, Earth Day Network and Twitter co-hosted “Bringing Youth to Power,” an event that showcased some of the most prominent voices in the youth climate movement. The panel gave these activists a platform to discuss the challenges, fears and motivations in the existential fight for the future.

“We have the opportunity to save the Earth, because we’ve led change before, and we have to lead change again,” said Jerome Foster II, 17, who strikes every week in front of the White House and recently helped organize the Fridays for Future D.C. strike with 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Moderated by Vice News D.C. Correspondent Elizabeth Landers, the panel comprised eight youth activists, representing organizations like Zero Hour, Earth Uprising, the Sunrise Movement, Earth Guardians and Fridays for Future.

To a packed room at Twitter D.C., Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., sporting a black hat that read “Climate Strike” in white capital letters, introduced the event.

“We must transition, and we must transition right now,” said Yearwood, speaking of the need to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry. “If we don’t win, we all lose. And we can’t lose.”

The climate activists discussed the origins of the climate change crisis across two panels, as well as laying out plans for the upcoming climate strikes on September 20. Jamie Margolin, 17, founder and co-executive director of Zero Hour, kicked off the first panel, citing colonialism as one of the major roots of climate change.

“This is really how we got here — that colonialist-extractive mindset, that everything is for sale, that other people, land, animals, everything is a resource to extract and take from,” said Margolin. “Really, the climate crisis started in 1492.”

Margolin referenced the vast overconsumption of industrial nations, like the U.S. If everyone acted like the U.S., she said, we’d be doomed. By understanding this, argued Margolin, we can begin addressing our current climate crisis, transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward more sustainable practices.

One way to transition is by incorporating indigenous perspectives into climate change solutions. With the climate crisis, governments must recognize the unique and impactful perspectives that indigenous communities bring to environmental conservation.

“All life is connected, all life is sacred,” said Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, 19, indigenous activist, hip-hop artist and youth director for Earth Guardians. “We have a responsibility to honor our ancestors and future generations by defending the sacred. Rather than just this notion of environmentalism, it’s about humanity.”

Alexandria Villaseñor, 14, founder of Earth Uprising, argued the importance of endurance and persistence when striking and advocating for the planet. Villaseñor regularly strikes outside of the New York City headquarters of the United Nations.

“I want world leaders to act on the climate crisis immediately, and if they do not, the youth will continue demanding they do,” said Villaseñor, in an interview after the event. “It is important for young people to stand up for our futures and demand action, because we are the ones being handed this future.”

With ages ranging from 14 to 21, the panelists are young by definition. Many skipped school to speak on the panel and many are juggling their speaking and organizing with homework and other obligations. To these students, though, there is no other choice.

“The weight of the climate movement has been put on our shoulders because of political inaction,” said Villaseñor.

The youth climate movement is one of the strongest forces in tackling climate change. The movement has gained a lot of momentum in the last year, partially due to the media attention drawn by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, whose striking led to the Fridays for Future movement.

“Bringing Youth to Power” seized this momentum to offer a preview of what’s to come later this week. Climate Strike NYC, taking place this Friday, is the major striking place for the youth climate movement worldwide. The turnout for that event and the momentum that follows will shed light on the potential long-term success of the youth climate movement.

“The biggest stress on my mind right now is what happens after [the climate strikes on September 20], because we have to be prepared to take that momentum and carry it forward,” said Kallan Benson, 15, national coordinator for Fridays for Future USA. “I have so much hope as to all of this energy, but I’m also so stressed as to what happens if we do not harness that immediately.”

April 22, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Much like the climate strikes of today, Earth Day started with young people, relying on youth to build the day into the global movement it is today. Strike on September 20 to support the youth climate movement and carry that momentum to Earth Day 2020. Together, we can take to the streets and demand climate action from our leaders.

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