Youth Advocacy: A Summer of Education

From L to R: Erica Gaines, Henry Coyle, JaQuavion "Quay' Gaines, Sajad Tarabi, Alan Goffinski, Teagan Palmer, Isabel "Izzy" Sanok, and Latricia Giles.

Hello, my name is Izzy Sanok. I am a C3 climate intern, and I’d like to give you the inside scoop of our summer of change. 

Advocacy, intersectionality, and equity are the words we hear around justice, whether it being climate change or systemic racism. And within these terms lay the secrets to a well-working society. But what do they mean? How do we use those terms to create a societal change, especially when we’re teenagers? We aren’t even old enough to vote in America, so how can we create an impact? Well, those are the questions we are tackling  this summer in our internship campaigns and Climate Justice Bootcamp with the Boys and Girls Club. 

Check out our Instagram @C3_teens2021

Beginning June 14 , five Charlottesville-Albemarle high school students, including myself, came together as interns to embark on  a journey of educating our generation on climate change’s impact on our lives. Over the span of nine weeks we will work with C3, the Conscious Capitalist Foundation, The Bridge, Charlottesville Mural Project, and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia to educate ourselves on becoming justice warriors, battling climate change and also systemic racism. All five of us applied for this job to become the leaders and voices that embody and empower justice amongst our peers and beyond. We teens are beginning the adventure of conceiving our own ideologies and beliefs, and this summer is an extraordinary opportunity to build those healthy ideals. 

Sajad Tarabi working on the beginning steps of a mural

I’m looking forward to refining my leadership skills; learning more about topics I’m not as familiar with like climate change’s effects on myself and my generation; and making local connections and experiences that will assist my journey of discovery. 

In the words of one of our amazing coordinators Latricia, “Our aim is to empower and equip the next generation on creating equitable futures for all.” This summer will be a space for us teens, those who are younger, older and all of those in between to learn and create a better future for the city of Charlottesville and the greater Albemarle area. 

Our first session with campers

My name is Izzy Sanok, and I’m a rising tenth grader at St. Anne’s-Belfield School. I find joy in writing, drawing and although it sounds rather corny, learning. I love to find what I can do to make a difference, whether it being in school or in my regular day to day life. Especially over the past four years, I’ve discovered my passion for leading and advocacy in the political field, specifically race and gender studies. I find that although I’m young, I can establish space for young voices to be heard. I am working as an intern to refine my leadership skills; learn more about topics I’m not as familiar with like climate change’s effects on myself and my generation; and to make local connections and experiences that will assist my journey of discovery.