[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: Welcome to Uptown Chats, a podcast where we share stories about environmental justice by and for everyday people. I'm your co host, Lonnie.
[00:00:24] Speaker C: And I'm your other co host, Jaron.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: And today we're continuing our conversation about young people and climate action as we celebrate Children's Environmental Health Month.
[00:00:33] Speaker C: That's right. Our episode today will feature Shiv Sowen, founder and co executive director of Triage, an organization based here in New York City that's building the next generation of leaders fighting for environmental justice and their communities.
[00:00:46] Speaker B: But before we get too far, Jaron, can you share WEAC's mission?
[00:00:50] Speaker C: I sure can.
WEAC's mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and and or low income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices.
[00:01:03] Speaker B: As we mentioned, our episode today focused on the role that young people have played in the climate justice movement and what they're currently doing right now. And we're lucky to have Shiv Soen from Triage join us because they've been organizing youth since they were a youth.
[00:01:17] Speaker C: Yeah. Which is great because Lonnie and I both know that we are not youth anymore.
[00:01:22] Speaker B: Nowhere near it.
[00:01:23] Speaker C: Hence using the word youth. I think we should probably just say young people instead.
You know, here we are. So we did have to bring on someone else who can speak a little bit better to this topic than we can. And luckily Shiv is that person.
[00:01:35] Speaker B: Exactly. And I don't think there's much for us to say other than let's just jump into our interview with Shiv.
[00:01:39] Speaker C: Let's do it.
Well, thank you so much for joining us, Shiv. We're super happy to have you on the podcast. I think this is actually a really fun episode. I think that we've wanted to do for a while just thinking about youth and the climate movement and how we can really get more youth involved in climate advocacy. But also highlight and celebrate all the work that youth have done to really create a lot of the pieces of the movement and bring it forward. So before we get into too much of the episode, I just want to give you a chance to briefly introduce yourself and just tell us about your role and some of your work at Triage.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Yes, happy to. And thank you so much, Darren and LJ for having me here.
It's been great working with we act. I have so much deep respect for the work that both you do as well as the entire organization does. Just very honored to be here. My name is Shiv. I use he him pronouns. And I serve as the co executive director of an organization called Triage and I actually founded the organization back in 2019. Triage is a student led organization focused on hyperlocal city and state climate action. We started the organization back in 2019 in the aftermath of the big climate strike that happened in New York City. But there was a global movement that happened and specifically here in New York City we mobilized over 300,000 young people, which is really incredible.
But the question that was on my mind throughout the planning of that and also just I think is the question I continue to continuously ask every single day is what comes after that? What's the day after the strike? And for us, our answer has been long term sustained organizing. So now we're in our seventh school year, we have over 2,000 students across our membership chapters on eight CUNY campuses and we're working across all five boroughs of the city doing a handful of things. So really our work centers on education, but not necessarily climate education in and of itself, but more so civic education. What are the leaders in our city and state government doing, but also what are they not doing? What is hampering progress, what's hindering progress and what's also unlocking that? And with that knowledge, it's not just knowledge in a vacuum, but it's knowledge for movement and knowledge for mobilization.
So we're actively involved on the state, city, city and state budget cycles. We have our legislative agenda every year. We do a lot of regulatory work with, we act in particular.
So there is a lot of different pieces that we really are focused on. But it all culminates together for how do we build a more resilient, just and equitable New York City and state?
[00:04:12] Speaker B: That's amazing to hear. To mobilize 300,000 young people that's bigger than some cities across the country. So that, that's, that's amazing to hear that. And also I just, you know, I also like the idea of the intersectionality of civic engagement is also really important too. You know, how, how are you learning? Because you know, I didn't when I was growing up as a kid or teen, no one's telling me like how to vote, how to think about candidates, where do you go? Like all those basic things are not as taught to you as they should be. And I went to, went through a very good school system where we spent like maybe like a semester on civics, but it didn't really include this idea of mobilizing and bringing your issues and your concerns to the forefront and educating, being educated on certain topics, especially within, like, especially in climate environmental movement, which I think is a lot, was like on the top of mind for a lot of youth and young people, among other things. But it's fascinating that it continues to rank high as an issue among young folks. So given that you kind of do that work, both that specific work that you do and the climate work that you do as well, what are some of the projects or campaigns that you're currently working on at triage?
[00:05:18] Speaker A: Yeah, and L.J. just what you said too, I think it's just. I'll touch on that for a quick second because, I mean, I started the organization when I was in college with other students around me and now I've been out of college for some time. And I think really, like, we are fundamentally filling a gap that isn't like being provided in the school system, not just in New York City, but across the country. How do you actually be an active stakeholder in your local and state government processes? How do you use your voice not just in a vacuum, but in an effective way with clear demands that actually can move the needle on issues that you care about? Because young people care about climate a lot. And how that actually is articulated can be different with a lot of. Different with a lot of young people. But over the work, over the last many years in New York City and globally, what I've heard is that young people care about building a resilient future. They're concerned about the impacts of the climate crisis, whether that's through hurricanes, floods. Those are the two most salient, at least to me, in New York, but also extreme heat and extreme cold. Like, there is a lot that's actually really dictating our future in relation to this. And that drives a lot of our campaigns and the work that's going on.
So one of our big campaigns and the one that we're actually doing with we act in particular, is reimagining public schools and our Green Healthy Schools campaigns. So in New York City, for those who may not be living here, buildings account for around 70% of the city's emissions. And largely speaking, these are buildings that are over 25,000 square feet. So think about the largest buildings in New York City, but not too far behind, are also school buildings. School buildings in New York City are on average 70 plus years old. I've heard reports from students that they're still having really dangerous air quality. There's still lead across the New York City school system.
And schools aren't just a place where students are going from like from morning to afternoon, people are spending like five days a week, morning to night, actually participating at this larger school community. But it's also a workplace. People are teachers, people are administrators, and it's also a community center. During the height of COVID schools were actually the place where food was being distributed. So schools in New York City in particular function in a lot of different ways. And there's thousands and millions of people who are really going through these school buildings that are not healthy, that are not safe for them, and also are contributing really heavily to the climate crisis. And how this even continues to look forward is I think it was this last April. There was a massive rainstorm where there was a lot of water that dropped really quickly. And what we saw was 25% of school buildings got affected across the entire city of New York that ranged from flooding to actually boilers, like, exploding. There was a lot going on. And what we have seen across the board is that our schools just need, like, immediate repair and also are a solution to fighting the climate crisis. So what we act, triage and others have been fighting for is actually reimagining our public schools. And there is a role that the city and state government can play, and that's what we're really actively pursuing over the course of this year and next.
So that's like one big campaign. And as a student organization, has been so vocal and has been a really important part of our work.
But outside of that, one other thing that I'll highlight that's coming up in the next kind of few months, we also, at triage specifically do a lot of work around elections because our leaders, if they're not the ones who are actually gonna create the change that we wanna see, we are more than willing to fight for the right ones and get them out of there or bring new ones in.
So earlier this year, we endorsed a slate of seven city council members across the city and also Zoramnani, who won the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York. And the general elections coming up in just a few weeks, in early November. So our members are out the door, really changing. Well, who the mayor of New York City is and who are our strongest allies in the New York City Council.
So that is also a big focus of ours. And one more thing that's been really exciting for us this year in terms of what the students want to do is. And what's really taking up top of mind for folks is this connection between immigration and climate.
It's not just. It's not just in New York City, it's not just the United States, but it's around the world that these impacts that I've been talking about to some degree are contributing to mass immigration and mass movement across the United States, across the city and across the world. And what the byproduct of that is happening is people are moving and we need to understand how we deal with that. And right now, our United States government in particular is being incredibly cruel, violent, and completely cracking down to a variety of different degrees on what immigration is acceptable. And it's blatantly racist, it's blatantly horrible. And in a city like New York, that is a city of immigrants, we embrace, we embrace our communities around us. There's so much that we can learn, and I mean, me personally, like the beauty and the reason I love this city so much, so much of it has to do with the people around us. So there's a lot to explore. And our students have been doing a lot of work in thinking about these interconnections between climate and immigration. And towards the end of November, I think we're still setting a date for this right now as of this recording, but we're aiming for around, like mid to end November. We'll be hosting a full day immigration summit, immigration and climate summit. And that'll be bringing together high school students, college students to really expand, explore and understand how they can actually equip themselves with the knowledge to fight against ice, to fight against these things that are also interconnected. So that's just a handful of things that we're working on. But what I'd also say is that every year our programming looks a little bit different. I mean, Green Healthy Schools is the overarching campaign of ours. That's been our North Star for a handful of years at this point. But I mean, with the Trump administration raging and fighting and like really brutalizing cities the way that he is, our work is also responding to the national landscape that's happening around us. And also every year, our students are setting our priorities. So we didn't do this immigration summit last year, but we have kicked off our school year and our students and our staff really have been wanting to, because there is just this moment around us that I feel like it needs to be had a really strong conversation on. So we are building our programming based on what students want to discuss, what they want to fight for, but also what needs to actually happen across the country in the world.
[00:11:37] Speaker C: Well, I feel like we need so much more time to unpack all these things with you. I feel like this is When I wish we were back to our hour long episodes instead of 30 minute episodes that just really so many good things and just really I appreciate you highlighting the interdisciplinary and multifaceted the reality of the climate crisis, that there's so many layers to it. There's thinking, the aspect of immigration into it and just all the different levels of government, federal, state and local. Just so many pieces to unpack here and I what's resonating with me is that youth are involved at all these different levels that you know, triage other organizations, but really here in New York, Triage is doing so much of that work and something you touched on earlier, just really building off of that pivotal, you know, 2019 climate rally and just all the work that's been done since then to continue to move things forward in all these different ways. I want to give you a chance to maybe share some stories. I think a lot of people feel intimidated or are kind of unsure about how to get involved with all this work. Maybe they see some of the work that triage or other organizations are doing and are excited by that, but then it's maybe hard to see themselves in that and doing some of that work. So just give you a chance to maybe share some of the, the, you know, highlights of mile important milestones. You kind of touched on some of those, but maybe some other ones that stand out to you and also, you know, showcase some of the really important advocates. I will include you in that as well. Obviously you're doing a big part of that, but other folks that you know, you want to shed some light on and highlight that are doing this important work to really move this movement forward, especially the youth led part of it. Because you know, I have a young sister who is 13, someone I'm always thinking about when I'm doing this work of like, what is her perspective on this issue? How does she see this landing on her in her future?
So really wanting to center that as a part of that and just hear some of your thoughts around highlights and some of the folks that you think are important to really draw attention to.
[00:13:36] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. And I'd say on the triage perspective, most of our members who come in, I'd say like 80 plus percent honestly, are brand new to not just climate work, but brand new to organizing, brand new to political work at large. And there's no prerequisite to get involved in this work other than a desire to do something and a passion, I'd say as well. And understanding where your passion is coming from and what we tell students when they first join is really harnessing your why and understanding what you're doing and being able to find joy and community in order to do that. So a lot of our programming actually is very kind of policy political oriented in the ways that I've described. But I mean, some ways that our students all student driven, again, like I've said, I mean, I know we're actually planning right now a Halloween mixer. This is coming off of our really popular and successful Valentine's Day mixer earlier in the year. And students just are looking for that community that also leads to this. Leads to this incredible work. So I think that's just one piece from the triage side at large that I think in terms of, like, practically speaking, like, who are some of the other people doing incredible work, how to think about this at large? I mean, if politics in and of yourself, quote unquote, or if you're hearing what I said, that's like. Like we get really involved on the legislative side. Regulatory. Maybe that's not super interesting to you. But I mean, what we do at triage is also work with so many organizations who are doing this a lot differently than we are. But there's so many shared collaborations and ways that we can all support each other.
So one example of this really that's coming to mind is there's a very large composting community around New York City who actually is servicing New Yorkers in terms of really managing compost, managing waste, training students and community members how to manage that process, because I don't know how to do that. And there's a lot of people who do, which is incredible. And one group that really comes to mind is BK rot, which is based in Bushwick. And they have a cohort of students that we've actually done for the last several years now a teach in on, like, how the composting legislation and the waste package passed through the city council and connects to their work. And they're not advocates in that sense initially, but they are now. And they really do move in that direction. But their initial grounding and how they view themselves are people who are composters and doing that work. But that's the passion that's driven. There is an extension and connection that we're able to really bridge together. And I mean, organizations like we act, environmental justice organizations, I think are so vital to this. We Act.
We work a lot with the point cdc, which operates in the South Bronx, they have an incredible cohort of students that actually are doing. I know they've done like circus classes in the past they've done art classes.
The point CDC in particular actually runs this massive ethernet service. So people are getting connected to a WI fi that the point CDC is running and students are helping build and execute that. But then they're also getting plugged into this kind of mobilizing and organizing. And I think these are two really clear examples of what I'm trying to get at is that your passion is what drives your work. And it's a privilege and a blessing to be able to actually look and internally reflect and see what's giving you that excitement, finding opportunities to do that, but then also taking it that extension further because you are like just composting for example, right?
Was a really long fought battle to even get that legislation passed in the city council. And it's been on the precipice of getting cut, if not cut by mayors, by the city council, this extensive funding. So if your passion, if what's driving you in your work is composting, for example, there is also a need to be involved on the city processes because these are people dictating $100 billion plus budget, budget annually, that is creating and maintaining programs that you're working towards. So that to me is like how the passion bridges with the advocacy and how you can find different ways. And I mean one other thing that we really have invested in is art. Being able to do a lot more art programming because that I think there's a very direct line between art and activism, art and advocacy. But being able to harness that in relation to the legislative calendar that exists in New York.
Because in terms of like practical milestones that exist for us, right, there's really January through June slash July is our busy season which is coincides roughly with the school year. But we prep between the September to December because in New York State, a 200 plus billion dollar budget that actively is dictating your life in a lot of different ways. So like how the public transit is running in New York City, what services you have access to, that gets decided by April 1st of the calendar year for the following year. And the city with $100 billion budget is due July. So we actually work with a lot of organizations to connect the work that they're doing into these key milestones so that their voice is actually given effectively. So whatever your passion is like, there is a lot that one can do. But also we're at a point in time where there's so much capital that's actually existing in New York City and state that can make real tangible changes that has a larger impact outside of just the practical New York City and state sense. Like, what we do here has ripple effects across the country and world, but also you have the agency and the ability to influence these things is what we tell students all the time. And not just tell them, like, how do you actually bridge that gap from learning it to taking action further? So those are some of the key things that I'd say in terms of milestones. But there is so many more that I can. I can tap into. But I'll pause there.
[00:19:26] Speaker C: One of the other things we want to ask you again, you kind of touched on this already, but maybe putting it more explicitly, but thinking about why is it important for youth to be involved in climate advocacy? If you had your 30 second elevator pitch, you had a room full of youth in front of you, what do you tell folks? How do you help light that spark for folks who are passionate, who do care about climate advocacy, but help them take that next step and actually get involved with some of the work that you all are doing?
[00:19:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, at its core, I think it's a fundamental belief that young people have a voice and have a right to participate in how we're governed. I think that's really the fundamental core of how I feel about this. And I mean, lj, just hearing you speak, I think a lot. And like, the way that I got first started in this was I really was like the youngest person in the room doing political work starting when I was 14 years old, by, like decades. And it was a really lonely experience that I was kind of forced to go through by myself. And, I mean, I'm blessed that I feel that I can hold myself in some ways and, like, get my way through it. But, like, it wasn't like, the most, like, positive environments to be in. It wasn't something that I was particularly thrilled about, just being like, so isolated in that way. And what happens in that respect is that there's so many, like, different ways that young people can get involved. But what I think that we're doing here differently at triage and is that young people have the agency to also build and collaborate and really take ownership and leadership themselves. And what that translates to me in the policy making process is that I view triage as an institution for young people, built by young people, powered by young people. And it's not that we are the only voices doing this, but it is like us in collaboration with organizations, like we act in collaboration with dozens of organizations across New York City and State, that we provide voice to a Stakeholder, that can also, in collaboration, create real, thoughtful policy. And I think that that combination of everything together is why young people should be involved. But also in, like, that involvement can look so differently. Like, it's in a way that's in an environment that's with young people, but it's also not entirely isolated, because the way that, to me, the most effective policymaking happens is this intergenerational way, is this, like, set, like multisectoral analysis, because we can't do this alone. But at the end of the day, young people do still deserve to have a distinct voice. And I do think, at least when I was growing up, that was something that was completely missing, that I feel blessed that now young people, like, I mean, our membership ranges anywhere from like 14 to 24, that they're growing up in a time where they do have a vehicle to just come right in at this age, learn, grow. And if they, like, when they graduate, they can keep going and doing additional things, but they have the foundation that they've learned and can get even better, even stronger in the work that they're doing.
[00:22:23] Speaker B: Hearing you talked a little bit about earlier about things like, I was, like, getting excited about, like, having Halloween mixers and then Valentine, like, dang, I want to be a youth, and I want to be. I want to do all these things, which I could do as probably as my age, but, you know, you're invited.
[00:22:37] Speaker A: It's all good.
[00:22:39] Speaker B: That's where I was going with that.
[00:22:40] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:22:42] Speaker B: I want that invite. So, like, right now, when you talk about. I feel like when you were talking about some of the things, I think that's a way to organize youth in an exciting way. But, like, do you find any challenges when trying to excite you? Especially in a time period where I'll, like, politically and just the climate anxiety. But our political environment right now is very dark right now. If I. If I can just be kind of honest. But, like, how do you overcome that challenge of this being a moment of kind of. It feels like a lot of dread and doom. And also you're dealing with a bunch of angsty teenagers who are going through a lot just on their own way. And, you know, there's online and there's social media and there's being chronically in front of screens. Like, how do you balance all of that in order to keep people interested in the movement or keep youth interested in the movement?
[00:23:27] Speaker A: I get this question all the time, and I feel like I have a very simple answer to this, which is, I'm very honest about what's going on. Because I feel like I have an obligation to the students around me and in our membership to actually explain the world around me. And as like somebody who's involved in politics, it's not helpful for me to be deluded or to be like, so deeply jaded, but also like unreal about what's going on. And a lot of times, like last year, for example, it's 25. Trump's been in office less than a year. My God. And we have continued to do this kind of cycle where we're like, listen, like you are feeling upset because there is a reason to be upset. Like there is a five alarm fire that is happening right now and we need to acknowledge the world as is around us and what the problem is. Does that mean, like, apathy can come in? Does that mean fear, anxiety can come in? Yes. And like, you need to understand when you're feeling that and also be able to articulate when that's happening and take care of yourself in this moment. But I mean, I, at least I studied history in college. I'm a student of history. And I mean, I don't know, like, based on that, I'm forced into this worldview that these things are not permanent and that there is, like, the way the world bends towards justice. And with that in mind, we have to keep building, we have to keep moving forward. And I think the acknowledgement of what's going on and like the acknowledgement of the fear and anxiety actually is so important to lead to the second piece of, practically speaking, where do we go from here? And the answer that we give to students, I think, at least from the triage perspective, is there is a lot that you can do and here is where you can do, especially here in New York City and state. And truthfully, I'm just like, listen, don't talk to me about the federal government because that's not my circus, not my monkeys.
It's not something that I can answer super credibly in terms of what to do with that. But there is so much change and impact that we can create right here. And I talked a lot about this earlier in terms of just even sheer size of numbers, like what the actual impact monetarily of the work that we do here is outside of just like the size of the city and the community, like it literally being our community, ourselves. But the actual acknowledgement of the anxiety that one's having, the community building that helps ease that anxiety and also increases the joy and increases the willingness to act and then also Here are some really tangible ways to go and actually get involved. I mean, people like members across our, like the last several months told us, knocking doors for Zoran, talking to their representatives about our key policy priorities. These are things that feel like you're actually doing something because you are actually doing something and help you refill your cup. And I think that that combination is potent. And what also is required with that is like a commitment to oneself that you're not just doing that once, but you're continuously doing it. Advocacy, activism, world building. And also this kind of future oriented vision doesn't happen overnight. It's not a passive exercise. This is something you actively have to do to build. And how that takes shape can change based on your maturity level, based on your age, based on what you're able to do, what you're willing to contribute, the time you have. But if you are willing to give that part of yourself, like it refills your cup in ways that you'd be surprised. And I find that students, once they actually think through these three pieces together, walk away feeling at least a bit better. I don't want to overgeneralize here, but I do think that it is a big part of why our membership has grown so much, why our work is continuing to accelerate, and at least it's the world view I believe in.
[00:27:15] Speaker C: I so appreciate the balance of transparency, honesty, but also optimism and hope. I feel like that is the line that we're all trying to walk every day of. Like how do I stay pragmatic and accept the reality that we all live in, but also stay hopeful and try to work towards this better future that I hope and I want to see and keep all of myself in that, you know, and I appreciate you kind of highlighting the, that balance that we're always working towards. So I think those are all the questions that we had. I will say I'm going to throw in one last question. This. It's more of a tangent, but I think there's room for it. But just give you space to share some of your other, you know, closing thoughts, final remarks, things that you feel like maybe you didn't have a chance to share with us yet that you think is important for listeners, especially young people, to hear. And that's my little bit of a tangent, less of a question, but more of a observation for Lonnie and I as maybe we're aging ourselves as we keep using the term youth. And I think as you get older you start to lean in towards say, youth instead of young people. The youth Yes. I was like, oh gosh, it's happening. Oh.
[00:28:20] Speaker A: Yeah. I think maybe I'll segment my thoughts into two different ways. Kind of just like if they're like, who, like the young people listening and not young people, I guess, is how I'll so crudely segment them out. I think in terms of if you're a young person listening to this right now, I think really the most important thing to understand is that your voice has power and you have power in changing the world around you and how that takes shape is really up to you. And there's so many different ways to do this. But I think the way, the way that this becomes a practice for you is how you move forward. So what are you passionate about? What actually needs to be done and how do you actually connect, continuously do this? This is not my kind of principle, actually. Ayanna Elizabeth Johnson is the one who came together with this chart that you can actually put all three in the nexus of those three different factors is how you actually can create climate action and in the way that's most meaningful to you. So I'd say really understanding, despite the age that you're at, that you are an expert in your lived experience and that there is a way to build this knowledge, build this kind of understanding of advocacy that can serve as an extension of the expertise you already have, not like hinder it in that type of way. And if you're not there, if you're not getting involved in this process, the unfortunate reality is that your voice just won't be included in that perspective. Won't be included. So it's a structural problem. It's something that exists in our government, but it's not something that I want to see as a hindrance, but more so as an acknowledgement of this is the world as is and how do we actually move forward from there? So as a young person, just understand the power that you have to define the passion that you already have and move forward in that way to get even further involved. So I'd say that's kind of the first segment. And then to non young people, I guess, like it's kind of. Well, I think everybody's eternally young as the first thing, because I'm also slowly aging out of the youth space myself and I think I still got a little bit more time, but we're not, we're not fully there quite yet. And I think there is something to be said around, like, what is the world that we want to live in? I think oftentimes when we talk about with, like, climate work at large, there is this kind of tendency to think about the future as something super far ahead and thinking about it as the next generation. And, like, how are we leaving this forward for the next generation ahead of us? I understand that instinct, I understand that intuition, but I think it's really misguided because the reality is, like, we're all still here. And, like, the impacts of the climate crisis are being felt right now in New York City in particular. It's not when is. It's not if another hurricane is hitting, it's not if there is a massive flood that's about to happen. It's not if, like, our kind of coast is resilient enough, but it's when these impacts will actually make a problem. We lost lives a few years ago during Hurricane Ida. Thirteen people died across the borough of Queens because we're not adequately prepared. And truthfully, I don't see it being taken seriously enough by our city and state leaders about the real tangible impacts of what the climate crisis is causing right now. And not just like 10, 20, 30 years from now, the next 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years. And I think that there is an urgency and also, like, an agency that we all need to have in terms of actually reimagining our future in the present and building that starting now. And what that means, I think, is a handful of things. I think it's actually getting involved in this intergenerational way and this multisectoral way, as I've been saying before, like, really actively getting involved. If you have, if you have, like, political power, if you have, like, financial capital, if you have something that you tangibly can do that you're not doing, and you're listening to this podcast like you should be getting involved. And that, like I keep saying, this can take a lot of different shapes. You don't have to be that prescriptive. But there is also, like, something to be said about also supporting the work that incredible young people do. And I mean, we ACT has an incredible youth organizing program. A lot of other organizations are doing this. There's ways, like, I mean, I'm hustling nonstop to even just make sure that we can pay our students. So there's a lot of different ways that you can support and just allow yourself to have the flexibility, allow yourself to see the world around you and get involved, because it's not. This is not an issue that is happening down the road. We are facing the impacts right now. What we do in this moment will determine, like, our next generation. If that's really what you care about that needs to be dealt with right now and I hope that people listening just are ready to act, ready to be curious, ready to listen, ask questions but also ask questions in an active way. Don't be passive about it. How do you make this a ritual? How do you make this an exercise? And where do you go from here?
[00:33:19] Speaker B: Thanks for listening. If you like this episode, make sure to rate and review the show on whatever platform you listen on. If you have thoughts about the show, we encourage you to reach out to us with your thoughts and
[email protected] and.
[00:33:30] Speaker C: Check out we act on Facebook eact4ej that's W E a c t f o r e j on Instagram bluesky and YouTube react4ej that's W E A C T number 4ej and check out our website weact.org for more information about environmental justice.
[00:33:49] Speaker B: Until next time I beat you.
[00:33:51] Speaker C: Dang it.
