POLITICIANS
I would like to begin by introducing you to The Honourable Mia Mottley who is currently a serving Prime Minister of Barbados and the leader of the Barbados Labour Party. She gave quite a fearless speech at the opening of the #COP26 World Leaders Summit. I have no idea what kind of politician she is but she must be doing something right in Barbados because according to Wikipedia “… the Mottley-led BLP won an historic landslide victory in the 24 May general election, securing all 30 seats in the House—making them the first party to accomplish this feat—in addition to winning 72.8% of the popular vote, which is the highest share ever achieved by a party in a general election.”
LAND DEFENDERS
Delee Nikal, is “a Wet’suwet’en woman & Gidimt’en clan member. She grew up within her Wet’suwet’en community, and actively participates in the traditional governance system. She has been an activist & advocate for Indigenous and MMIWG2S issues through labour organizations for over a decade, and has presented at the United Nations. Delee now focuses on organizing with grassroots movements, and education through social media, as a content creator with Wet’suwet’en Checkpoint.” RAVEN
I have not met her in person but when she talks I listen, I get mad and I know once I’m pissed off enough I’ll move heaven and earth to take the right action.
‘ Shame On You’: Indigenous Campaigners Demand JPMorgan End Fossil Fuel Finance
Sii-am Hamilton is a land defender from British Columbia, who told the crowds gathered at the high fencing surrounding the COP26 summit: “Remember my face. […] “Remember because it’s not if, it’s when you will go missing, if you are involved in land rights.” The Guardian
YOUNG ACTIVISTS
Leah Namugerwa is a young climate activist from Uganda, who celebrated her 15th. birthday by planting 200 trees. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, she has been supporting the school strike since February 2019. She is the founder of the Birthday Tree Project and team leader for Fridays for Future Uganda.
FollowLeah Namugerwa on Twitter
Artemisa Barbosa Ribeiro (known as Artemisa Xakriabá) is a Brazilian human rights activist. A leader of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, her work focuses on the Amazon jungle and environmental destruction. (Wikipedia)
Autumn Peltier – is an Anishinaabe Indigenous clean water advocate from the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. She is Chief Water Protector for the Aniishnabek Nation and has been called a “water warrior”. In 2018, at the age of thirteen, Peltier addressed world leaders at the UN General Assembly on the issue of water protection. (Wikipedia)
Isra Hirsi – is an American environmental activist. She co-founded and served as the co-executive director of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike. In 2020, she was named in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 Government and Politics list. (Wikipedia)
Isra often starts her speeches with “is the fight of my generation, and it needs to be addressed urgently.”
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Ridhima Pandey – Ridhima is a young climate activist from India. At the age of nine (she was born in 2008) she filed a suit against the Indian government for not taking enough steps to combat climate change. She also was one of the complainants to the United Nations, along with several other young climate activists, against several nations’ failure to take action against the climate crisis. (Wikipedia)
Follow Ridhima on Twitter