Roving Teen Reporter: Yes We Can

Only a few years ago, I felt as if I were drowning under a wave of fear and confusion. A constant weight of fear lived in my chest – a fear of not having the guarantee of a future. And on top of that, the confusion. The feeling of disappointment in humanity that those older than me were not responsible enough to give me a chance to have a life, and the utter betrayal I felt from humanity. Underlying that deep sense of sadness, some anger lived within me; I was mad at the world.

Seventh-grade-me felt powerless. But when I got involved, it felt like someone changed the narrative of my life. I went from dreading the worst to hoping for the best, from drowning in the darkness to making the light. And it is action that has kept me hopeful and fighting.

Youth involvement is necessary because we are inheriting this planet, and the generation before us hasn’t done enough to preserve this world for us – it’s time to take matters into our own hands. It’s accepting what our situation is and responsibly acting towards it – not only for ourselves but for the kids we might have one day, the infinite generations after us, and the millions of other species who suffer due to humans. Engagement in our communities is not optional.

Like every other youth, it is hard to remain involved. It’s hard to make choices to preserve this planet – adopting a vegan lifestyle, steering clear of fast fashion, using reusable products – and there is pressure to be perfect. And although we should all strive for perfection, in reality, we all need to contribute and better our ways just a little bit. Perhaps the most interesting part of climate change is the non-partisan nature of it; despite the hundreds of divisions we see in each other as humans, the Earth can fail us all the same, and it would affect every one of us. And that is why my work is not only for myself, nor should it be considered a choice – the work done by this small, but vibrant community of environmental activists is also done for all of us, no matter who acknowledges whether it needs to be done or not, and it should be done by all of us.