Faces of the Climate March

In September 2019, over 7.6 million people gathered in cities around the globe to demand climate action, inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. The contagious spirit of these youth-led events reminds us that an issue so often wrapped up in intimidating science and statistics is also an undeniably humanitarian cause. This series, Faces of the Climate March, showcases young people courageously leading the climate movement in their own communities across the country.

Tags:

environmental activism, climate change, climate action, youth, youth climate movement

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Hub Content

Opinion | Striking for climate in Plattsburgh

Charlie Olsen

SUNY Plattsburgh

In this podcast, Correspondent Charles Olsen discusses the experience of organizing the youth climate strike from the perspective of a few of the young organizers.

Faces of the Climate March: Arizona

Will this youth-led movement be a tipping point in the climate crisis? (Jake Meyers/University of Arizona).

Jake Meyers

Planet Forward Senior Correspondent

Mothers, like Janet Rothers of Arizona, believe it is important to let their young children know that climate change is going on in the world.

Faces of the Climate March: Oregon

Student activist Giselle Herzfeld poses in front of a tree.

Student activist Giselle Herzfeld (Mahalia Dryak/Reed College)

Mahalia Dryak

Planet Forward Correspondent | Reed College

Giselle Herzfeld, 22, chats about the Global Climate Strike movement, 350 Colorado, and her work getting Reed College students involved in the Portland Climate March.

Faces of the Climate March: Québec

Clarice Knelly

Planet Forward Correspondent | SUNY-Plattsburgh

In the second week of international climate striking, Montreal had the biggest turnout of about half a million people, and Greta Thunberg gave a speech.

Faces of the Climate March: Wisconsin

Brooke Bowser

Planet Forward Correspondent | University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sophie Guthrie, executive member of the Youth Climate Action Team, rallied alongside other youth leaders in Madison, Wisconsin's Youth Climate Strike.

Faces of the Climate March: Texas

Shaylyn Warrior at the Lubbock, Texas, Climate March

Shaylyn Warrior at the Lubbock, Texas, Climate Strike. (Codi Clark/Texas Tech University)

Codi Clark

Planet Forward Correspondent | Texas Tech University

Despite growing up around the oil industry, Shaylyn Warrior talks about how she and others at the Lubbock, Texas, march think it's time the Southwest turns away from fossil fuel production.

Faces of the Climate March: Florida

Pielet speaks at St. Petersberg Climate Strike.

Melissa Pielet speaks at St. Petersberg Climate Strike. (Anne Orca/Eckerd College)

Anne Flaherty

Planet Forward Correspondent | Eckerd College

St. Petersburg, Florida, joined the global call for climate action on Sept. 20. Eckerd College student Melissa Pielet has some thoughts on the practicality of implementing the change we so urgently need.

Faces of the Climate March: New York

Tamia Parsons, 19, Sunrise Movement Coordinator for the Central New York Hub. (Lindsay Eberhart/SUNY-ESF)

Lindsay Eberhart

Planet Forward Correspondent | SUNY-ESF

One week after the climate strike, I sat down with 19-year-old Tamia Parsons, a sophomore at Syracuse University and one of the leaders of the environmental movement in Central New York.

Faces of the Climate March: Young people are leading the climate fight

Greta Thunberg at the Climate Strike in New York

Greta Thunberg on Friday, Sept. 20, during her closing speech for the Climate Strike in New York. (Elina Mariutsa/Northeastern University)

Elina Mariutsa

Planet Forward Correspondent | Northeastern University

With the goal of motivating world leaders, young people have drawn universal attention to global warming in ways that decades of scientific progress could not.