Grist
Tuesday March 26, 2019
By Isra Hirsi
16-year-old Isra Hirsi, cofounder of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike Grist / Livia Ferguson
I am a black muslim woman in the environmental justice movement.
I grew up in Minneapolis, where the Somali population is visible. I
went to schools with kids who looked like me and had the same culture as
me — people I could relate to. Growing up in these predominantly black
and Muslim neighborhoods, I was always aware of who I was.
When I first got involved in environmental work, I wanted to keep my
identity and my community with me in my activism, especially given the
droughts in my parent’s birth country, and the increased air pollution
in my own hometown. But that hasn’t always been easy.
When I joined my high school’s environmental club, I was the only
black kid at most meetings, and usually the only person of color. The
club consisted of a group of white students talking about their camping
trips. I knew that I would never fit in. It was difficult to look like
their token and attend their meetings, but I kept going because I wanted
to change that.
Being the only person of color in these spaces made me realize why it
was so difficult for other people of color. I remember, in late
January, when we first started organizing the U.S. Youth Climate Strike,
reporters would ask me, “So do you strike every Friday?” My immediate
response to that question was, “No, and I’ll tell you why.”
While striking is a powerful form of protest, there are many barriers
that make it inaccessible. Being able to skip class that frequently,
even if it’s for just a period or two, is not an option for many middle-
and high school students. Just getting to your state capitol or city
hall, or anywhere symbolic, can be difficult, especially for youth of
color and low-income communities.
So, no I don’t strike every Friday, because I can’t. But that doesn’t
mean my activism is not valid. That doesn’t mean that the activism of
thousands of youth across the world is not valid.
Attending the climate strike in Washington, D.C.,
was everything I wanted but also dreaded. We had amazing speakers — our
own organizers! But a diverse group of organizers didn’t mean a diverse
group of participants. Talking about my experiences to a crowd of
thousands was amazing, but it was discouraging how few of the faces in
the crowd looked like me. It showed how the climate movement needs a
drastic change toward diversity before we can truly be intersectional
and effective.
All of these experiences taught me that it is so important to make
sure that those that are disproportionately affected by climate change
be at the forefront of the issue, advocating for ourselves and our
communities.
Let us remember our privilege for being here and the work of hundreds
of indigenous activists before us. We strike because we can. Because
the media focuses on some and not others. But many can’t.
This movement is not one person, or one group. This movement is all
of us and we need to make sure we value those who are disproportionately
affected by this crisis. And allow those who are affected to lead.
Isra Hirsi
is a 16-year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is one of the
cofounders and co-executive directors of U.S. Youth Climate Strike.