Youth Climate Justice Activism

Climate activism is often described as a choice between staying committed and giving up. The experiences of young activists are usually more complicated.

This talk and exhibit follows the lived experiences of youth climate activists as motivation, pressure, and everyday life pull in different directions. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews conducted at two points approximately three years apart, the research examines how young people’s relationships with climate activism change alongside their lives. Rather than treating engagement as a straight path, it looks at how participation can deepen, pause, become less visible, or take new forms.

The talk will present key patterns from the research and show how young activists describe the forces that support or limit their engagement. Visual and narrative material in the exhibit will bring these experiences closer to the audience and create space to reflect on commitment, disengagement, and social change.

The event is for anyone interested in climate action, youth experience, or the personal side of political engagement. No specialist knowledge is required. Visitors will leave with a more human picture of what activism asks of young people and why engagement rarely follows a straight path.