April is a big month for environmentalists, climate activists, and really anyone that loves this good green Earth we call home. With Earth Day on Saturday 4/22 and many opportunities to celebrate with incredible community groups along the way, we are so thrilled to be honoring Emma Weber as the April Climate Hero of the Month!

We wanted to start this month’s piece by telling a short story. Just a few months ago, Emma and her sister Molly were on an organizing phone call with two staff members of 350 Colorado. As the conversation weaved its way around multiple topics, it then shifted to discussing the journey of really getting into activism and how Emma got started. While it sounds so simple, Emma imparted so much wisdom when she said ‘you just really need to start and take that first step and go to that rally or meeting. It all starts to happen from there and it gets easier.’

Emma is fifteen years old and started climate activism two years ago. She began by organizing strikes every Friday with her sister Molly. By the end of the year, she had a small circle of support, but little idea where to go from there. The next fall, she joined her high school’s environmental club where she participated in various projects and events. Now she is part of their leadership team and spends most of her free time organizing different events for youth.

In September 2022, she joined the 350 Colorado Youth Action Committee (YAC). It only took a month on the team before she agreed to speak at the ‘For Our Future’ Youth Climate Conference in October and share about her experience in activism and vision for the future in a room of about 50 people. “Emma really shined in that moment, and her passion was just contagious,” said Chelsea Alexander, 350OC Movement Building & Volunteer Director.

Emma has continued to put herself into most organizing spaces and teams to see what feels like a good fit, what is fun, what is more challenging. She started off this year strong by collaborating with our Climate Policy Analyst Heidi Leathwood on the recent CFI report on oil and gas in Colorado. In a month’s time Emma had two letters to the editor that she wrote be published in two different Boulder news outlets! You can read those here and here. She speaks power to truth and uses her voice to shift the hearts and minds of others – a true leader!

Without pausing from there, Emma then dived into more YAC efforts. After some weeks and evenings of planning meetings and practice, at the end of March she teamed up with other leaders in YAC to put on their first ‘Youth In Activism’ webinar for the community. The discussion covered being an up-stander for youth and equity, how to be an adult ally, and how to avoid tokenism. You can watch the recording here. If you’d like to get in touch with YAC to discuss how you can better support youth activists in your spaces, just email them at youth@350colorado.org.

“The sooner we can collectively shift our mindset around the energy industry, the fewer losses, both economically and environmentally, we will face.” – Emma Weber

 

Most recently, with the Sunrise Movement, she is pioneering the Green New Deal For Schools campaign with Molly and their friend. Having published in local newspapers and spoken at numerous public civic events, she is passionate about elevating young people’s role in the climate movement. She is hosting a film screening at her high school in Boulder County in early April this month, and hopes to keep expanding the movement empowering others to act and use their voice. Outside of activism, Emma enjoys long distance running, spending time with her sister, and listening to music.

In all of her efforts, Emma has shown a relentless drive and energy for enacting change. She refuses to let the term “youth” define her, and displays skills in leadership, event management, and planning that are exceptional for a person of any age. We are so glad she brings her talents to the climate movement! Thank you for organizing alongside us, and thank you for everything you do to make the climate movement (and our communities) stronger!

 

Want to be our next Climate Hero of the month? Join us as a volunteer by emailing volunteer@350colorado.org.