by Amber Benally, Rising Leaders Manager
Inspired by the Biden administration’s 30 by 30 initiative, which commits to protecting 30 percent of U.S. land and water by 2030, young people from the Grand Canyon Trust’s Rising Leaders Program charted their own action plan for a healthy and just future on the Colorado Plateau.
This summer, a small group of solar panel installers, farmers, college students, activists, biologists, artists, and more, all ages 15-30, met virtually to draft a climate to-do list for the Colorado Plateau — on it, 10 demands for the next 10 years. From access to local food, to new sustainable economies, their list of demands holds themselves and others accountable for local climate action.
Young people make 10 climate-based demands for the next 10 years. CASSIDY REEVES
Their vision comes from personal, lived experiences of climate change. This summer, I overheard a high school student say, “I was born the year of Hurricane Katrina and celebrated my 16th birthday during the Texas power crisis,” while others chimed in with their own stories of climate impacts on their everyday lives.
Join us in turning our ears to those who have grown up in this reality. Let’s dive into some of their demands.
Land is a classroom for young people to learn the histories and stories of Colorado Plateau tribes. Unfortunately, many Native youth are unable to get out on public lands because of the high cost of recreation. The Rising Leaders Program prioritizes reconnecting young Indigenous people to cultural landscapes through field tours and place-based education, and it amplifies the work of local leaders.
Young people are no longer waiting for decisions to be made on their behalf or waiting until they are old enough to vote to take action. They are stepping to the front of environmental and social justice movements to assert their voices. The Rising Leaders Program pledges to include young leaders in our Program work, receive their guidance, and continuously work to meet the needs of the next generation.
The way we interact with our food changes the way we think about our environment. By working the soil and getting our hands dirty, we are able to connect with knowledge from past generations while creating sustainable systems for healthy food. The Rising Leaders Program supports the right to healthy and locally grown food for all people, and will use food as an educational tool.
The closure of the coal-powered Navajo Generating Station impacted communities across the Colorado Plateau by leaving a legacy of health disparities and a broken economy for Navajo and Hopi people. Without a transition plan in place, these communities feel the greatest impact and are working to ensure future plans for energy are just and equitable. The “just transition” movement on the Colorado Plateau is about shifting power to Native communities as they rebuild their economies. Young people of the Colorado Plateau demand a transition to a more regenerative economy that includes the voices of young people.
Our relationship with the land is a reflection of ourselves, and it is our goal as youth of the Colorado Plateau to ensure we are healing ourselves as we work toward the protection of these sacred landscapes. This means advocating for each other, holding ourselves accountable, and remaining kind to each other and to our movement. Healing means reconnecting with the land to ensure we are well-equipped to advocate for its protection.
Young people are stepping up to the front of the climate movement, demanding a better future for themselves and for future generations. It is our job to strategize a way forward and mobilize young people to be the change in their own communities.
This winter, we will convene the Rising Leaders Advisory Council, a small group of committed young leaders who have worked extensively with the Trust’s Rising Leaders Program, to map out a plan of action. And we’ll check in regularly thereafter to make sure our work meets the needs of young people.
Stay tuned for more good work from amazing young leaders!
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Read MoreRising leaders draft an action plan for a healthy and just future on the Colorado Plateau.
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