Youth Climate Leadership, Equity & Workforce Development
The program equipped students with tools to understand climate equity, resilience, environmental health, and policy advocacy while directly supporting implementation of their city’s climate action plans and local resilience planning efforts.
This work emphasized youth leadership, workforce development, and pathways into climate, planning, and sustainability careers.
Impact & Outcomes
Built youth leadership pipelines aligned with city climate equity goals
Supported student-led climate action projects addressing all major strategies of the Austin Climate Equity Plan & San Antonio's Climate Action & Adaptation Plan
Strengthened youth participation in local policy and planning processes through YPAR-driven research, storytelling, and advocacy
Expanded access to green careers through paid internships, mentorship, and place-based learning; elevated youth voices through policy recommendations presented to the City of Austin and community partners
My Role: Senior Manager, Youth Programs - EcoRise
Year: 2021 – November 2023
Location: Austin & San Antonio, Texas
What I Did
I co-led the Austin Youth Climate Equity Council and the City of San Antonio’s Mayor Youth Engagement Climate Council Initiative, youth leadership initiatives supporting high school students in advancing local climate action through an equity-centered, youth participatory action research (YPAR) framework.
In parallel, I managed EcoRise’s Green Careers and Youth Internship Program, connecting students to environmental justice organizations, design firms, conservation groups, and community-based partners.
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Co-designed and facilitated the Austin Youth Climate Equity Council and the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives, developing curriculum focused on climate equity, resilience, environmental health, and policy advocacy.
Created workshops and learning materials aligned with the Austin & San Antonio climate planning efforts.
Integrated lived experience, local knowledge, and environmental justice history into all programming.
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Applied YPAR principles to guide students in identifying local climate challenges and developing action projects at their schools and in their communities.
Supported youth in developing projects and policy recommendations addressing food access, green spaces, community health, biodiversity, and urban planning.
Facilitated student presentations to city staff and community stakeholders, including policy briefings and public forums.
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Co-managed EcoRise’s Green Careers and Youth Internship Program, connecting students to paid internships with environmental justice organizations, design firms, conservation groups, and sustainability-focused partners.
Mentored students exploring careers in climate, planning, environmental health, design, and community organizing.
Designed field experiences exposing students to a wide range of sustainability careers and professional pathways.
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Coordinated partnerships across city agencies, school districts, universities, community organizations, and professional networks.
Organized regional convenings, youth workshops, and cross-city exchanges between Austin and San Antonio.
Supported communications and storytelling through social media, conference presentations, and public-facing materials.
Clients
City of Austin – Office of Sustainability(formerly Department of Sustainability)
UT School of Architecture
Partners
City of Austin – Office of Sustainability
Austin ISD
City of San Antonio – Office of Sustainability
Local EJ organizations and sustainability professionals