Sofia C, ACE Piedmont Hills High School San Jose, California

The intersectional impacts of climate change are what drive me to take action. Contrasting the green parks and sidewalks with foliage on one side of town to the brown and dull blocks in my neighborhood tell me something isn’t right.

I started an Action Team because I didn’t know about this intersectionality until I educated myself. My Action team has a major focus on educating local youth because simply informing the coming generation about the problem is already a huge step in the right direction.

Ever since I started my Action Team, I’ve noticed my team management skills and public speaking flourish. Finding ACE and getting involved is what opened my eyes to the dire climate emergency, and I just want to give other youth the opportunity to inform themselves and empower them to use their voices too.

Sofia is the Action Team Lead of ACE Piedmont Hills High School. She has skilled up and grown her AT; hosted a letter-writing event called "Cartas Para Newsom" where nearly 400 middle schoolers wrote to California governor, Gavin Newsom, demanding a statewide climate emergency; is working to increase climate education locally; and intends to connect with other Action Teams in California to deliver petitions to Gov Newsom.