Interview with Meghana, a climate activist in her 20’s.

What brought you into climate work and the climate movement?

One of my friends had been organizing for several years — his hard work and dedication continues to inspire me. I have so enjoyed seeing positive effects from my organizing within my community, such as improved public transit access.

How would you describe your approach to organizing and mobilizing young people on climate?

I primarily work in communications, so young people are a major focus — they’re the people following us on social media. I really enjoy looking at analytics and seeing how many people clicked on our website because of a post. I hope it has inspired at least a handful of people to take action!

Do you see any differences in your approaches based on age? 

I don’t think so! I’ve been very fortunate to work with activists of various ages, from high school students to middle-aged people. I think it’s important to have a diverse array of activists from all backgrounds.

Thinking back to before the pandemic, pre-March 2020 – what did you consider the most effective way to engage and mobilize young people on climate? 

Not applicable — I began climate organizing in 2022, near the end of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, what were the primary ways that your organizing and your job changed? 

Same as above.

Do you think it’s important to build a sense of collective efficacy or confidence among peers? How does that change with online organizing and activism?

Absolutely! I think it’s especially important to build a collective mindset while online organizing, because there’s less of an automatic connection than there is when organizing in person.

Do you see any parallels between the ways in which the U.S. govt has handled Covid and the way that it could address climate change?

In both cases, I feel like the U.S. government didn’t take it seriously enough, and that their approach was not human-centered enough.

Similarly, do you see any parallels between the ways in which the U.S. public has handled Covid and the way that it could address climate change?

We need to aggressively ramp up our campaign against climate change, and we need to advocate for our local communities, starting with the most vulnerable populations.

How do you feel about the Biden-Harris Administration’s approach to climate action, and any actions they’ve taken thus far?

Overall, I’m leaning towards disappointed — I’m grateful to have a president who believes in climate change, but I feel like Biden has not measured up to all of his campaign promises re: climate change. I hope to see the administration ramp up their efforts soon.

How about Congress?

I really appreciate the Inflation Reduction Act, but there is still so much left to do!

How do you generally feel about the state of the youth climate movement and our prospects for progress? Are we moving in the right direction?

I feel optimistic! I’m very inspired by the work of other young people, especially those within the Sunrise Movement. I look forward to continue advocating for climate action and environmental justice.