Investing in climate education for youth is a powerful form of climate action. As part of our ongoing efforts to foster student leadership, EarthGen launched a new Youth Fellowship program that offers high school students a paid opportunity to go deeper with their climate justice learning. Following a thoughtful selection process, fellows will receive mentorship and develop a research project that centers around the status of climate change education.
Please join us as we welcome our first fellows Deja, Charles, and Jwan, three exceptional high school students who will partner with us, as we continue to find ways to support youth leadership.
Meet our amazing Youth Fellows! We invited each one of them to introduce themselves and tell us what motivated them to apply for the EarthGen Youth Fellow program.
Charles Johnson (he/him)
“My name is Charles, and as a visually impaired 16-year-old environmental justice advocate, I want to promote climate awareness and ensure all communities have a voice in the discussion of environmental justice. I have always had a passion for the environment and started an environmental justice club at my school, the Washington State School for the Blind, called the Green Beings. I believe you don’t need sight to have a vision for a sustainable future, but we do need to give everyone an opportunity to be included in the solution. I enjoy being in nature, playing with my dog, reading books, and swimming competitively.
I wanted to apply for the Fellowship because I wanted to channel my passion for the environment into something to help make that dream a reality. I am excited to learn and work with everybody as we work to influence positive change.”
Deja Jangana (she/her)
“As a young girl, I moved around a lot. Jumping from metro area to metro area and even living in the countryside to the mangroves. From the ages of 6-16, I lived in 7 major cities in two different countries—each city with its unique culture, customs, and attitudes. I picked up mannerisms and lingo from each place. Something I’ve always looked for first when settling into a new place is how the area is laid out, what type of houses are there, how they’re built, the community relations, etc. I’m really inspired by the variety in community. Urban relations and development are such a passion for me, and I’m excited to find a place for myself in this world where I can enjoy the intersection of urban development and sustainability.
I am also passionate about environmental science. I felt this fellowship would give me confidence in my ability to carry out research. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get a comprehensive learning experience, a good way to expand my knowledge. I’m also really looking forward to connecting with the other youth fellows and working together with them to really make some change.”
Jwan Magsoosi (she/her)
“Have you ever wondered why anything in this world matters? Has it ever occurred to you that we are insignificant in the course of human history? Because I think about this DAILY. And this drives me to the conclusion that I, Jwan Magsoosi, have to make a change on this lonely planet. It’s a big dream: I know. But with big dreams comes hope, and sometimes I have that. Haha. I am a young Iraqi woman. A horrible combination, and yet it feels just right. I love the arts: painting, cinema, and photography. I believe that it can tell a story to the world. That ties in with one of my strengths, being inquisitive. I have a passion for questioning everything. I love to read to gain knowledge and I always look for new ways to apply my knowledge. In my free time, I try not to goof off but fail. I draw, read, write, etc. I’m working on crocheting a sweater (I hope I don’t quit last minute!).
I applied for this opportunity to learn how to use this knowledge in the world around me! I’m looking forward to gaining more perspective and experience around the topic of climate change and to meeting new people!”