What’s Going On Here?
With our planet’s health in a state of emergency, it’s hard to know the best thing to do, where to start and who to look to for guidance as a role model. So how about these two? Greta Thurnberg and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Two determined women, both under 30, fighting against the climate crisis on behalf of all of us.
What Does This Mean?
One, Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old Swedish school girl who ‘shot to fame’ after she decided to tackle climate change cynics head-on by skipping school every Friday to sit outside the Swedish Parliament.
The other Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at 29 is America’s youngest-ever congresswoman, represents New York’s 14th district (made up of some of The Bronx and Queens). She is an advocate for a healthcare system similar to the NHS, fairer tax systems, abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a proposed Green New Deal – to mention a few.
The pair have yet to meet face-to-face, particularly because Greta holds a firm stance on not flying, but last week the pair finally spoke for the first time via video link. Despite being two of the most powerful voices on climate change, they discussed how they are constantly met with adversity and dismissed due to their age. They also shared tactics they found had worked, when being an activist. You can read their full conversation here.
Why Should We Care?
If you look back through history, any war or battle has had a leader. So, as we find ourselves amidst what is undoubtedly the greatest war of all, why wouldn’t we want 2 passionate women who are prepared to stand up and be a clear voice amongst the noise that is sometimes so hard to navigate amongst?
Plus, what I think is encouraging and something I think we should grab whilst we have the chance is just how starkly different and refreshing the 2 of them are when it comes to leaders…
- They are women
- They are ‘young’ and therefore also fighting for their own futures
- They much closer represent the population than most leaders we have
Be Curious!
So how can you get behind Greta and Alexandria and the causes they stand for?
Greta
Find your local Extinction Rebellion or Youth Strike 4 Climate marches and join them.
Alexandria
Follow and support AOC on Twitter, RT her and attend her public appearances.
