About Us

We are a diverse group of young climate justice activists working together to lift the voices of youth, in particular youth of color and working class youth. Our collective action aims to fight for a livable climate and an equitable, sustainable, and just world. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower frontline communities by building and equipping the next generation of climate and environmental activists. As a home for youth of color and working-class youth, we not only prepare them to lead but also enable our members to actively combat the climate crisis and environmental injustice. Our work redefines climate justice and organizing through an intersectional lens, ensuring that our efforts are inclusive and holistic.

Our Approach

We view climate change as a symptom of the same systems that fuel many of the social injustices our communities face. We fight climate change while also fighting various social inequities through tackling the root: a system that prioritizes profit and views people as disposable. Our members and staff are building a world in which most marginalized communities are not seen as disposable. We utilize practices that center and uplift community strength, self-determination, and genuine sustainability for all by building structures to strengthen youth leadership, in an intergenerational community and effort.

Our Origins

Our journey began powerfully in 2016, as impassioned Oakland youth united under the banner of Youth Vs Coal, rallying against a proposed coal terminal in our city. Evolving and expanding, we rebranded and broadened our work to various climate and environmental justice causes. Our momentum surged when a viral video captured YVA members urging Senator Feinstein to back the Green New Deal, sparking a cascade of action: press conferences, interviews, Op Eds, and the birth of our website. By September 2019, we organized a force of 30,000 for a protest. We organized transportation for students from across the Bay Area and worked with labor and community groups, many of whom were venturing into intersectional climate activism for

the first time. Since then, we've remained at the vanguard of climate action, spearheading local and statewide campaigns. Our enduring presence in communities and national media platforms has helped to reshape the climate narrative by redefining the face and purpose of the climate movement to uplift most impacted communities, low income communities, communities of color and youth.