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It's Our Future
What Can YOUth Do?
| Welcome toWhat Can YOUthDo?,the monthly bulletin of It’s OurFuture. | |
The climate crisis can be overwhelming, so we are sharing ways that you can connect with others who care, celebrate wins, and take action together. We are Chicago area high school students working together for climate justice.
This bulletin is for youth, by youth.
Write in if you have an idea, question, recommendation, art, poem or story to share! Are you doing climate work with another organization? Sunrise? Fridays for Future? A club at your school? Share your wins and opportunities here!
Write In
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Want to get involved? Join It's Our Future!
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Poppy Booth, the founder and editor of this bulletin.Is headed off to college! Good luck Poppy! We are excited to carry on her efforts to share opportunities for action for Chicago area youth as the new co-editors!
Hey everyone! My name is Lilia Gregg. I’m thrilled to take on the role as Co-Editor of the IOF Bulletin. I have been involved with the YCJS planning committee since my sophomore year at Evanston Township High School. I'm excited to incorporate more art into the bulletin! Send us yours at iof@sevengenerationsahead.org
Hello everyone! My name is Nikki Yerramraju, and I’m currently a Senior at Stevenson High School. As one of the Co-Editors, I’m so excited to be able to share the IOF Bulletin with everyone. I first got involved with IOF during the summer of my sophomore year, and I’m beyond grateful to continue to contribute to the team!
There's a ton of great stuff in here, so please scroll all the way through! And again, we want to hear from you!! Write In
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A special note:
In light of the recent wildfires and smoke we want to take a moment to encourage you to take care of yourselves, physically and emotionally. Take time to notice your feelings, do the things that comfort you and get support from friends and family. At IOF we use the Climate Emotions Wheel to check in pretty regularly. We'd love to know what you do to take care of yourself. Write in!
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Join the National Youth Climate Town Hall
As the wildfires in Canada are raging again and smoky air is blanketing our region right now, young people from coast to coast are demanding action on climate. Join the National Wildlife Federation's "No Denying Climate Change" National Youth Climate Town Hall with special guests Representative Maxwell Frost and Nalleli Cobo. Bring your questions, ideas and your friends. Let us know if you plan to join! Maybe you can write it up for the next issue! intern3@sevengenerationsahead.org
Join us on Monday, July 27th at 6pm CST (note registration form is for eastern time): https://www.mobilize.us/climateactioncampaign/event/929684/
P.S. The tour is coming to communities nationwide after the kickoff — stay tuned for an event near you.
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Support the Seal!
What if high school students who are passionate about climate action could earn a seal on their diploma to show prospective colleges and employers how much they care? The Climate Literacy Seal committee is making that happen in Illinois and you can help! This seal recognizes students who have proven themselves capable of creating climate action, serving a vital role in the future of environmental activism as a whole. Currently, students in Colorado and Maine can earn such a seal, with progress being made in California, Minnesota, and Hawaii. The passage of a state bill in support of the seal would provide countless Illinois students a way to demonstrate their passion and commitment! The Climate Literacy Seal is always looking for new people to help advocate for its introduction in Illinois! Next up, we are meeting with a State Rep who sponsored the bill in Colorado! email iof@sevengenerationsahead.org for details. Email intern3@sevengenerationsahead.org to get involved.
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Save the Date! October 27 at Loyola
Youth Climate Justice Summit
With the 2026 Youth Climate Justice Summit coming up in October, the marketing, logistics, programming, and vibes committee have been hard at work making sure this is an awesome event for you! As soon as school starts be sure to talk to your teachers and get your school signed up!
Here are some exciting updates from each committee!
Marketing Committee- by Sylvia
Everyone has been heavily involved in posting and promoting the Summit. We have been busy brainstorming post ideas and creating posts. We made a post about recruiting more students to join the planning team, and posts celebrating everyone who is already involved. We love the momentum we’ve created, and we look forward to doing even more! If you’re not already, be sure to follow us @ycjs.chicago!
Logistics Committee - by Sydney
Our team has begun working on plans to make sure the summit runs as smoothly as possible! We are organizing to-do lists and delegating tasks. We have been in communication with a representative from Loyola about the summit’s cafeteria situation and zero waste plans. We have also started to brainstorm and prepare for our Opportunity Fair.
Programming Committee -by Lily
Our committee has been busy working to make all the sessions at the summit inspiring and amazing. We started by brainstorming topics and organizations that we would like to have at the summit. We then emailed past presenters and prospective presenters, encouraging them to apply for this year's summit. The applications are rolling in! Do you have an idea for a workshop? Apply here! And share with others!
Vibes Committee - by Jimena
Vibes is tasked with making sure the Summit is welcoming, fun and energizing for people from across the area! Our friends at Accelerate Climate Solutions are leading the way with this team with the mindset of community building. We are investigating what goodies we want to give out, as well as icebreaker activities to connect students. We want to have a space where everyone feels welcome to use their voice. The vibes committee is thrilled to help make the summit a great place to be!
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Check out these great local events!
We would love to see you IRL at some of the fabulous events below! Please reach out to intern3@sevengenerationsahead.org and let us know if you plan on attending!
Check Out Chicago Climate Week
Are you looking for a way to connect with environmental leaders in your community? Join any of these great events from July 18 to July 25th There’s something for everyone at CHICW!
Here are a few highlights:
“Youth Voices: Busting Climate Myths in the Digital Age”, Naperville Public Library
Imagine a competitive, engaging trivia contest, where you could win exciting prizes while dispelling harmful climate myths—all while collaborating with other passionate students. Well, that’s exactly what you’ll find at Naperville Public Library’s “Youth Voices: Busting Climate Myths in the Digital Age”. This entertaining trivia night is held by our friends at Accelerate Climate Solutions, and even features the opportunity to join online for those who can’t attend in person! Make sure to register beforehand for the event, which is 6:30 - 8:00 pm, July 20th.
Loyola Campus Sustainability Tour
Choosing a college is a daunting process, so getting to know which universities prioritize sustainable practices can help you make your decision! Join Loyola’s Campus Sustainability Tour, which explores the college’s green initiatives across its lake shore campus on July 24th, 2:00 - 3:30 pm. oyola also happens to be where this year’s YCJS is going to be held, so attending the tour would be a great opportunity to get familiar with the campus!
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Beyond Climate Week...
“Double Dutch Fest” with Faith In Place
Looking for a moment to let loose with music and dance? The “Double Dutch Fest”, held by our friends Faith In Place, is the perfect opportunity to have fun and connect with nature with a welcoming community. Participate in exciting, educational games, listen to live music, and go on beautiful nature walks, at Rainbow Beach in Chicago on July 25th, 11:00 - 3:00 pm.
Native Led Climate Knowledge Exchange
Join the Native Led Climate Knowledge Exchange to learn more about how climate issues impact various Indigenous communities across the region.
You won’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with the leaders and change makers of the Chicagoland/Great Lakes area at Hill ‘N Dale Preserve in Barrington, August 15th, 1:00 - 4:00 pm.
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Youth: Empowered!
Being a young, growing leader can be intimidating. The IOF community are here to support you. Enter Kyra Woods, last year’s YCJS keynote speaker and an amazing climate professional! Kyra led an inspiring, interactive online leadership workshop.
YCJS committee member, Oyuka, shared, “Kyra Woods’ leadership left me feeling inspired and empowered, especially through her emphasis on valuing others’ perspectives, creating space for everyone to be heard, and delegating with strong task management”. Be on the lookout for future workshops; it's a great way to make new connections and grow as a climate advocate!
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Lily Aaron attended COP26 with IOF in Glasgow, Scotland, which was a formative experience for her. Lily (on the left in the photo at right!) just graduated from Pitzer College with a degree in Environmental Science, and has returned home to work with the Illinois Environmental Council on clean water advocacy and data center regulation. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
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New this month- we are sharing some of our favorite resources - films, articles, podcasts, accounts to follow, etc. Please write in with yours!! Or let us know what you think of these!
For those searching for a heartwarming, yet deeply dramatic, story that focuses on a changing environment, look no further than the Oscar nominated movie “Flow”. Directed by Gint Zilbalodis, this movie is another piece of climate fiction that centers on a group of animals who attempt to survive rising water across the globe. Although the movie does not include dialogue, the themes heavily focus on sustainability, and the potential consequences of ignoring humanity’s responsibility to the environment. Flow is available on most streaming platforms, such as HBO MAX.
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Are you struggling to find exactly what your role in climate activism is? Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s “How to Find Joy in Climate Action” is a deeply insightful and inspirational Ted Talk that offers a fresh perspective on how individuals can get involved in climate action. Johnson utilizes a Venn diagram to help people discover how they can best help with environmental concerns, while also devoting themselves to a task that they genuinely enjoy doing. Here’s her Awesome Ted Talk.
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Thanks for reading!
We would love to know what you think. Please get in touch with any comments. intern3@sevengenerationsahead.org
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Write In with your ideas, questions, or artwork and let us know if you'd like to write something for an upcoming issue of What Can YOUth Do?!
If you're on social media, be sure to follow @iofyouth and @ycjs.chicago on Instagram to stay up to date. LinkedIn too!
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| ~It's Our Future is a program of Seven Generations Ahead.~ |
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