The Activist Academy - Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Leaders

Most of the spaces I have stepped into throughout my life have not centered voices of people from my community, the climate justice space being no exception. I felt a strong disconnect when I heard people who live outside of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities talk about saving the planet, knowing they most likely did not grow up watching their loved ones suffer from the impacts of Environmental Racism. Growing up, I was not taught of the environmental injustices in my backyard or those my community was facing. Many are still in the dark and unaware of the harm our communities face from pollution, lack of access to nature, and inequity in resources and investments where I live and grew up. That is why I became an Activist and joined the Activist Academy for its inaugural Cohort last year. This program changed my outlook on my own power, not only to help the planet but to advocate for climate justice in my community. As a brown 1st generation Chicana (mexican-american), I see how climate justice is an issue that spans across borders, cultures, and races. Climate justice is an intersectional environmental issue.

This year’s cohort Session 1 Peanut Lake 

Now, almost one year after graduating from the Activist Academy, I am honored to be the intern working alongside Kim Orbe, the senior conservation program manager at the Angeles Chapter, to welcome the second cohort for the Activist Academy Leadership Program. The Activist Academy is a leadership program for young  Activists who want to get involved in the climate justice movement and who are seeking to gain the skills to take action in combating climate change and fight for climate justice. Many of the participants from the inaugural 2023 and 2024 cohort come from BIPOC communities experiencing the negative impacts of climate change in the LA and Orange County areas. Ana Cobarrubias, a participant of this year’s cohort shares, “Growing up in South Central LA has fueled my passion for environmental justice, access to green spaces, and sustainable food systems in Black and Brown neighborhoods.”

The Activist Academy, from vision to implementation, is intentional about creating a program that is rooted in equity, and collective responsibility for us all to steward the space as we need to learn and be present. Sometimes it means having difficult conversations about the climate movement, past, current and future. The trainers’ thoughtfulness in how they present and use local campaigns to introduce tools and trainings in this program is also one of the many things that sets the Activist Academy apart from other programs I have participated in.

Everyone in the program comes from a diverse background, all with different experience levels and knowledge about Environmental and Social Justice. Many of the participants, including myself, appreciate the opportunity to lean on the expertise in the room, from trainers and participants. The Activist Academy offers a variety of sessions for participants to build their understanding and “tool-kit” in issues like community organizing, campaign planning, even generative conflict. In just one year, the Activist Academy has grown and established rituals centered in collective care and wellness, each session offers learning opportunities via presentation, activities, group discussion, reflection questions, direct actions, and deep connection.

Last year’s graduation

There is an overwhelming amount of excitement in this year's cohort to be a part of the Activist Academy community. We are especially looking forward to the collective actions, which are campaign-focused actions that participants of this cohort will be facilitating around one of our climate justice campaigns. I am excited to support a program that has so much to offer the next generation of activists, and that I can attribute a lot of my personal growth in the climate movement to. The climate justice moment needs all of us and requires we co-create the resilient, transformative, safe, equitable and joyous spaces we need to secure more climate wins in the years ahead. 

Many of my Activist Academy peers who have gone through the program, like myself, have even transitioned to climate and environmental careers. I am excited to take what I have learned and continue to gain from the Activist Academy to mobilize my community to fight for more green spaces and clean energy in our homes and our collective fight for Climate Justice. 

You can learn more about the Activist Academy at angeles.sierraclub.org/activist_academy