Here are some of the final submissions from the Creative Challenge, our application for the youth delegation to COP23, the 2017 UN Climate Negotiations. From policy papers to oil paintings, and from podcasts to local opinion editorials, these pieces all convey why and how young people around the U.S. are working for climate justice. Read, listen, observe… be inspired!

Art, the Environment, and Teaching – Isabella Pardales – reflection writing and curriculum (above)

The Post That Started It All – Ivy Chen – blog post

I’m A Vegetarian Because I Hate Contradictions – Ivy Chen – blog post

Behind Closed Doors: Sit-In Negotiations and Penn’s Blatant Hypocrisy – Zachary Rissman – opinion editorial in university newspaper

Displacement: What is at Stake – Amanda Miles – video

An Open Letter to the People and Governments of the World – Zachary Rissman – Indivisible blog

One Fork At A Time – Isabella Pardales – mini-documentary

In Case You Were Wondering: Here is the Behind the Scenes of the CSSC Power Shift Convergence – Amanda Miles – blog post reflection

Sustainable Development Goal: Water and Sanitation in the Pacific Islands – Amanda Miles – Infographic

The Millennial Malaise – Jamie Tyberg – canvas bags (above)

Here’s why so many young people are joining the climate march – Morissa Zuckerman – opinion editorial

What if we told you? – Christopher Round – protest poster

Earth Day: Hawaiian Chant and Story Telling – Keoni DeFranco – video of traditional Hawaiian oli (chant)

Meet the globetrotting cyclist collecting 1,001 climate change stories – Devi Lockwood – article in The Guardian 

An Invitation to Change Everything – Alex Ortiz – personal blog 

Indigeneity & Sustainability – Michael Charles – video story (above)

Why I Do What I Do – Kate Weiner – personal essay, Loam Magazine

When Green Means White: Rethinking Growth in Detroit – Bean Crane – creative nonfiction essay

Wisdom of Youth (Conversation on Climate Change) – Troy Robertson – voice memo

A Really Really Free Market on Earth Day: Thoughts on Value, Labor and Material Culture in Late Capitalism – Amelia Diehl – opinion editorial

Waking Up at the End of the World – Jonathan Kirsch – blog, The Millennial Times

Birds and Bees – Lucia Whalen – musical composition (above)

How One Activist Is Using A Networking App To Fight Climate Change – Jonathan Kirsch – blog post

I’m a Millennial: Climate Change – Jonathan Kirsch – video

The People’s Climate Movement and why it’s more about the “people” than the “climate” – Zachary Rissman – opinion editorial in university newspaper

Steeped: Tea, Climate Change and the Groundedness of Blue – Amelia Diehl – personal essay

The Quest for Climate Justice – Joshua Nodiff – interactive essay

My Climate Story – Karrie Quirin – interview on Climate Stories podcast (above)

‘They asked me to write a poem to save the world’ – Annabelle Acton-Bond – blog post

Food Insecurity: A Social Construct or a Problem? – Emma Keeling – essay

Waiting for Change – Emma Keeling – poetry

National Parks: A Double Life – Emma Keeling – essay

Native Americans: National Parks to Pipelines – Emma Keeling – essay

Compassion in Action: and the Spiritual Ecology of Translating Sky Dragons into Power Grids – Kyle Lemle – article in Kosmos Journal

Portrait of Peaceful Resistance – Joyce Zhou – watercolor painting (above)

Your Place or Mine? – Georgia Reid – storymap

Environmentalism in the #Succulent Generation – Mara Moss – opinion editorial

Analyzing the Instrumentalization of Affect of American Think Tank Websites – Michaela Mujica-Steiner – academic research

Mixed Race in the Climate Justice Movement – Eva Malis – article in Torrey House Press

Spring STEM Camp – Joyce Zhou – volunteer service project/curriculum

Great Turning | Thrive Choir – Kyle Lemle – song and accompanying street choir (above)

Youth Impact Panel at Worlds Largest Earth Day Event – Cade Emory Terada – panel speaker (video)

Standing Rock, Moahdak Do’ag, and the Pervasiveness of Cultural Warfare – Kayla DeVault – blogpost

Words Unglued – Skylar Henry – blogpost and artwork

No More Dead Zones: My Journey to the Fight for Climate Justice – Allie Rosenbluth – blogpost

Resource Equity Now! – Lena Greenberg – video of public art project

Cultivating Compassion in the Climate Movement – Kate Weiner – essay in Loam Magazine

Passing the Test: Koro, Kiribati, Climate Change – Ben Walker – audio essay

Spring Corrosion – Joyce Zhou – artwork 

Southern Oregon People’s Climate March – Allie Rosenbluth – art, program, graphic design (above)

Climate justice activism: ‘To call a place home’ – Aly Tharp – article

People’s Climate Candidates Training Speech – Varshini Prakash – speech (at 17:50)

Sustainable America Series – Jonathan Kirsh – series of 6 opinion editorials

Untitled (Another Gulf is Possible) – Aly Tharp – spoken word poetry 

Student Environmental Resource Center – Eva Malis – zine

Oregon Youth Are Taking on the Climate Crisis – Allie Rosenbluth – blog post

COP23 Creative Challenge vs. Trump’s Paris Agreement Decision – Allie Rosenbluth and Jon Kirsch, plus over 600 other youth (and counting!) – blog post and letter to Trump (above)

Climate Insurgency: The Final Stage – Francisco Ferreyra – song

Environmental Activism Drives YHS Senior – Isabella Pardales – article in local paper

Where Roots Run Deep – Maia Winkler – article coming to FLURT Magazine

6 Poems for Climate Justice y la Resistencia – Francisco Ferreyra – poetry

Power To The People – Joshua Nodiff – speech recording

Graves of Changing Skies – Morissa Zuckerman – poem

Where We Are – Anya Gleizer – opinion article

Where is the Heart in the Climate Justice Movement? Where is the music? – Kyle Lemle – editorial

Climate Catastrophe and the Legacy of UC Students – Francisco Ferreyra – opinion editorial

My Mother is Brown / People’s Climate March 2017 – Eva Malis – artwork (above)

In the Climate Movement, Making a New America – Charlie Jiang – essay

BEYOND AMERICA & THE PARIS AGREEMENT: Eco-Cultural Regeneration as Climate Justice – Kyle Lemle – blog post

Dancing with this Delicate Earth – Michaela Mujica-Steiner – poetry and self portraits

Fermi’s Paradox Amidst a Planetary Endgame – Mara Moss – blog post and photography

Updated and Upgraded: Improving Energy Efficiency in Athens-Clarke County – Shreya Ganeshan – policy proposal

Mother Earth: Model, Measure, Mentor – Michael Charles – blog post

Why Me, Why This – Joyce Zhou – personal essay

Storytelling is Our Ancestral Medicine – Niria Alicia – essay

A Line by Line Analysis of this List of Garbage Reasons Provided by the White House for Leaving the Paris Climate Agreement – Christopher Round – opinion editorial

Why I Fight for Climate Justice – Jack Meyer – video

Climate Change Sucks – Sofia Ramcke and Jack Meyer – song

THE FUTURE IS OURS – Will Lawrence – poem

The Five Stages of Climate Grief – Susan Davidson – artwork (above)

Divest UPenn Sit-In – Zachary Rissman – NowThis video interview

A Very Long Conversation – Rainey Aberle – video poetry

Ripe for Transformation – Kate Weiner – personal essay, Loam Magazine

Patient Name: Mother Earth – Karrie Quirin – poem in Climate Justice Poetry Open Mic Night

In defense of life itself: What I learned from indigenous women in Guatemala – Rebecca Haydu – WhyHunger blog and photo essay

Sweet Home, Louisiana – Madelyn Smith – spoken word poetry

The Cracks are Where the Light Shines Through – Michaela Mujica-Steiner – short story

LatinX and the Climate Justice Movement: Something New to the Table – Andrea Schmid – podcast (above)

Over and Around – Susan Davidson – personal reflection, blog post

Arctic Youth Have Solutions – Cade Emory Terada – quoted tweet from U.S. Embassy in Finland

Why I Fight – Annemarie Manley – poetry and photography

Louisiana Gone – Madelyn Smith – photography book (photo featured above)

Letter to the Children I Will Not Have – Astrian Horsburgh – poetry and video

Healthy Ecosystem Healthy ME/Why I Fight – Sofia Ramcke – personal essay

Where does it come from and where does it go? – Lena Greenberg – video (above)

San Francisco March for Science – Ivy Chen – blog post

Reflection on the People’s Climate March – Annemarie Manley – blog post

Ranchers and Tribes Unite Once Again to Fight Keystone XL – Devi Lockwood – article in YES! Magazine

Resisting Capitalism: the Coloring Book – Bean Crane – zine and coloring book

Write Your Reps – Giuliana Viglione – series of outreach postcards (above)

How Can Design Be Used To Create A More Sustainable Future? – Isabella Pardales – artwork

What Could a March do for the Climate Movement? – Annemarie Manley – blog post

Building Resilience – Danielle Neighbour – white paper

Alaska Youth for Environmental Action – Cade Emory Twrada – fundraising video (above)

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for – Espoir DelMain – blog post on Climate Generation

Fleur de lis Litter Letter – Karrie Quirin – collaborative artwork

Climate Marches Are Useful, But Real Work Has to Follow – Isabella Pardales – letter to the editor

Sustainability minor? Career path? What I’m most excited about? – Ivy Chen – blog post

Erasure – Joyce Zhou – oil painting

Innovation versus Desecration: A Look at the Up-versus-Downstream – Amanda Miles – research essay

Latrobe Valley: Jobs, Hope and a Just Transition – Bean Crane – podcast (below)

Women in Resistance – Rebecca Haydu – photo essay

The Essential Role of Art in the Building of a Movement – Lucia Whalen – blog post

“Clean This Place, Don’t Displace”: Activists Battle for Environmental Justice in Washington, DC – Devi Lockwood – article in Truthout

Still Life – Joyce Zhou – poetry

Option vs. Option – Susan Davidson – artwork

Dionysus : Tristeria, Old | New Myths and Man’s Battle against Nature – Anya Gleizer – painting, sculpture, performance (above)

Protect Moadag Thoag: Arizona DOT and Federal Highways Threaten Sacred Mountain with Loop 202 Proposal – Kayla DeVault – call-to-action article

After This Long Night, A New Day Will Come – Michaela Mujica-Steiner – persuasive essay

Why we march for climate, jobs and justice // Por qué marchamos por el clima, trabajos y justicia – Allie Rosenbluth – opinion editorial

Why the Fossil Fuel Divestment Still Matters – Christopher Round – blog post

Earth Day Community Cleanup – Joyce Zhou – community volunteer event

What’s this all about – Bean Crane – The Re-Everything Project

We Must Disobey, Civilly – Zachary Rissman – blog post

The Solar (dis)Incentive – Sofia Ramcke – blog post

#EnvironmentalismSoWhite – Eva Malis – photo story project (above)

Climate justice demands active solidarity – Ben Goloff – blog post

What does civil disobedience mean to me? An Essay for the University of Pennsylvania’s Office of Student Conduct – Gavriela Reiter – personal story and photo essay

Philadelphia Energy Hub Transition – Gavriela Reiter – story map

Coconuts and Climate Refugees – Ben Walker – audio lecture

The Global Citizen Toolbox I Carry – Espoir DelMain – photo essay

dapl – Giselle Hart – poetry

Mad World – Michaela Mujica-Steiner – dance (above)

Carbon Nullius: The Alberta Agenda – Maia Winkler – opinion editorial

No Justice, No Peace, No Racist Police at the March for Science – Aly Tharp – blog post

An Ode to Forces of Nature – Espoir DelMain – blog post

Why Pulling Out of the Paris Accord is Misguided and Uneconomical – Harrison Beck – article in DailyKos

Climate Change: a feminist issue – Devi Lockwood – essay in Women’s Media Center

Just Eat It: Film Screening – Maia Winkler – public film screening

Environmentalism While Brown: SCOPES, “EJ”, and Life as a Student of Color in the Environmental Movement – Andrea Schmid – opinion editorial

Coastal Lifeblood – Maia Winkler – writing and video

Close to Home – Christopher Round – article in Earth Island Journal 

Why I joined Sunrise: Our jobs, our air, our home – Victoria Fernandez – painting and essay (above)

Spotlight: Francisco Ferreyra on EJ, Organizing, and Collective Liberation – Francisco Ferreyra – interview

Prescribed Burning – Joyce Zhou – poem

The Heart of the Homeland – Skylar Henry – travel blog

Finding Breath in Resistance – Maia Wikler – personal essay

Daily Blog Challenge – Amy Meyers – blog posts

We are the Guardians – Taylor Schad – blog post

By Exiting Paris, Trump Opened a Door for Us – Charlie Jiang – blog post

My Climate Movement Story: Fracking, and Environmental Legislation – Amy Meyers – blog post

Keep Families Together – Niria Alicia – banner (above)

From Abu Dhabi to the District of Columbia: Why I Engage in the Movements for Climate Justice – Julia Gifferty – video story

Para El Pueblo: Racismo Ambiental en Oxnard, CA – Francisco Ferreyra – essay

Climate MOVEMENT – Annabelle Acton-Bond – blog post

Mother Nature and our Home Earth – Valentin Camano – poetry

I’m not an environmentalist, I’m human – Ivy Chen – blog post

Environmentalists might be sabotaging the planet – Jack Meyer – blog post

Why a Creative Challenge?

We believe that people understand and shape our world through stories, and that as young people we have significant power in our ability to build a different story for the world we live in – one that is free from systemic injustice and supports thriving ecosystems. That’s why our application process for our youth delegation to COP23, the 2017 UN Climate Negotiations, was a creative storytelling challenge to write op-eds and generate creative media. Last year’s COP22 Delegation was selected in this format, and we found it very successful in both forming the team we want and building the youth climate movement across the country. For two months the Challenge window was open. From all corners of the country, this is what we received.

Thank you to all who participated!