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Isha Clarke is an activist with Youth vs Apocalypse. You may know her from a viral video where she asked Senator Dianne Feinstein to move the Green New Deal forward; she helped organize the youth Climate Strike in San Francisco that attracted 30,000 students, during the international "week of action" when Greta Thurnberg sailed to America. She is a high school student working every day to reverse the climate crisis because as she says..." we have this power and responsibility to make this radical change. And I hope that everyone listening will get involved and know that they have the power to do something."
Read the transcript for the interview
Listen to the Toolkit. Read the transcript for the Toolkit with Isha on “How to reverse the climate crisis.”
Get involved. See the direct actions YVA is taking right now.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Lauren Schiller:
Do you remember that video that was going around last February (2019)? It was put out by the Sunrise Movement and shows kids visiting Senator Dianne Feinstein to ask her to move forward with The Green New Deal. That young woman with the curly hair and the tan shirt, her name is Isha Clark. Isha also helped organize the youth climate strike in September in San Francisco, that made a very strategic circuit around the city, stopping at the offices of Nancy Pelosi, Bank of America, Amazon Go, BlackRock, PG&E, ICE, and yes, Diane Feinstein.
Isha Clarke:
For each of the targets that we stopped at, we had the reasons why, but in each of the demands, which also aligned with the targets that we stopped at, we had the one sentence bolded demand, and then we had an explanation of that demand and what it really means, and then we had an action item. So it was like one very specific thing that you could do or you could work towards to make that demand happen.
Lauren Schiller:
They even recorded chants ahead of time so the students would know what to say at each stop.
Protesters:
Speaker Pelosi, we are the youth. Green New Deal, we demand the truth.
Protesters:
Amazon do your share. You need to take your workers fair.
Protesters:
PG&E no more greed. We should own our energy.
Protesters:
Dianne Feinstein, listen to us. We are the people, you work for us.
Lauren Schiller:
What do you think is going to change their mind? Do you have any sense of that?
Isha Clarke:
Well, I think that pressure makes diamonds, and so I think a lot of what makes change is putting pressure on power holders. Because power holders only have power because of the people, and so we really have to always remember that and not feel disempowered.
Lauren Schiller:
Isha's a high school student in Oakland and as part of being a student at her particular school, she gets to have an internship, which means she gets to spend time working with Youth vs Apocalypse, which is a Bay area youth climate justice organization. She's there several afternoons a week working on an issue she's passionate about, which is clearly the climate.
Isha Clarke:
And when I'm explaining what we do, I say that our job is both to redefine what climate justice means and really working on the movement from the inside, trying to make sure that frontline voices are always centered and that we have this very clear agenda of justice, and then also pushing that movement forward and trying to normalize climate justice and reverse the climate crisis.
Lauren Schiller:
This is Inflection Point. I'm Lauren Schiller with stories of how women rise up. We'll be right back with Isha's story.
Lauren Schiller:
Will you tell me a little bit more about yourself outside the organization?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah. That's a question I don't get a lot. So I am a dancer. Really, I would call myself an artist in general. I live a lot of different forms of art. I am very much an overachiever. I don't know, I guess that's kind of a big part of my identity. I'm like always doing the most, I'm always very extra. Everything has to be the best. And I think that carries over to a lot of different areas of my life.
Lauren Schiller:
So you dance with Destiny Arts?
Isha Clarke:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Lauren Schiller:
I had a chance to see a performance of there's a couple of years ago and was just totally blown away. I'm sure you were in it-
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
A couple of years ago as well.
Isha Clarke:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Lauren Schiller:
So I must have seen you on the stage.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
And I'm also curious about, you know, you're a senior in high school. I've got two daughters, one's a junior and one's a freshman. And of course as a parent, I'm always trying to figure out, you know, how do I best set my kid up for success and how involved do I get versus how much do I stand back? So I'm kind of curious what your relationship is with your parents or how much they've been involved, and have you always been an overachiever like from the time you came out of the womb? You know, what's the interaction there?
Isha Clarke:
You know, that's an interesting question, and especially as I've been starting my college applications and like having to write personal statements and like thinking about like who am I, how did I become this person? How did I get to where I am? Like I've been thinking about that a lot and, I don't know. I think part of it, I kind of have always just been wired to be extra and be an overachiever, but I think I also have been super lucky to have a very supportive network. Always. And I never have any memory of anyone telling me that like I wasn't capable of doing something or that I wasn't good enough to do it or anything like that.
Isha Clarke:
And so, I guess my whole life I've been surrounded by really intelligent, really compassionate people who have always told me, "You can do anything you want to do." And so I think it's definitely nature and nurture.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. Do you ever feel like, you know, this whole thing around perfectionism has started coming to light, that we ask so much of our daughters that it can be overwhelming? I mean, does that ever come into play for you?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah, I mean, I'm starting to realize that the only thing that really matters is that you are happy and that you feel comfortable in the body and in the being that you are. And so, that's something that I've just started to realize that like, I feel comfortable in who I am and in what I'm doing. And if I start to not, then I know that I need to change something to make sure that I feel comfortable and that I'm happy. And I think that's the only thing that really matters. But that's really hard to do in a society that's telling you what you should do and who you should be all the time. So it takes a lot of self-reflection and self-awareness constantly to really like be aware of that.
Lauren Schiller:
And where do you find the time or space to have that reflection?
Isha Clarke:
That is a great question. [inaudible 00:07:03].
Lauren Schiller:
You have all the insight.
Isha Clarke:
Yes. You know, I think to be so honest, I need to do a better job of giving myself time to, you know, do self-care and to have time to self-reflect. But something that I started doing was keeping a journal. And it kind of started off as a thing where I only wrote when I was in crisis, and I felt like it didn't keep a very true reflection of my life, like when I would read back on it, you know? So I started trying to write every night. And I hated like the corniness of it, like, "Today I did this and this and this."
Isha Clarke:
So it depends on like, whatever I'm feeling that night is what I'll put in it. So sometimes I'll do like a really corny journal entry and sometimes I'll write a poem, or sometimes I'll make a list. You know, it just depends. And like really being able to just drain my brain, not really think about what I'm writing, and in that, I think, one, it clears my brains so I'm able to have like better thoughts, and that's when I really get to check in with myself. And also just seeing like what gets put on the paper, what was I thinking today, what did I do today. I guess that's just one thing that I do.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. Well, okay, so tell me how you got involved in Youth vs Apocalypse?
Isha Clarke:
I got involved with Youth vs Apocalypse before YVA was actually like a thing. So I was a part of a different organization called Jewish Youth for Community Action, JYCA, and through JYCA, we kind of partner or work with other organizations and we go to their actions that their planning. And so one of these actions was targeting [inaudible 00:08:53], who is a very prominent developer in Oakland and was suing or is suing the city of Oakland to try to build a coal terminal through West Oakland, which is a very disadvantaged community and is disproportionately black and brown and low income.
Isha Clarke:
And so, at that action, I really realized how central environmental racism was or is to climate justice and how, historically, the environmental justice movement didn't reflect the actual people who are on the front lines of the injustice. And so, I was like, wow, this is real. Like this is a fight for lives. This is not a fight for the polar bears and the rain forest. You know, it is, but really, it's about saving our lives and about creating an equitable just world. And so I really felt like that was where I wanted to be and what I wanted to fight for.
Lauren Schiller:
Do you mind if I ask, are you Jewish?
Isha Clarke:
I am. Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
Are both your parents Jewish?
Isha Clarke:
No, my mom is Jewish.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay. And your dad?
Isha Clarke:
My dad-
Lauren Schiller:
Do you want to talk about your dad?
Isha Clarke:
My dad's black. He's not like religious at all.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay. Just curious. Me too, Jewish.
Isha Clarke:
Oh. Nice.
Okay, so you were at this action protesting. It was a protest, really, about this coal terminal?
Isha Clarke:
Yes. So it was a direct action. So we went to his office and it was really funny. So the theme was Christmas in June, and so we were all dressed up as elves. Like we had little elf hats and stuff like that.
Lauren Schiller:
This is the Jewish organization?
Isha Clarke:
No.
Lauren Schiller:
Oh.
Isha Clarke:
No, no, no. It was not.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay.
Isha Clarke:
So it wasn't like an organization, but it was a group of people from, I think, mostly middle schools who organized this action, and JYCA was like bringing some of our members to go help them out with that.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah. Okay. Clarified that. So the theme was Christmas in June. That's ironic. I never thought about it thought before. We went into his office with these elf hats on, and there was like a long scroll, and it was signed by a bunch of kids all over the Bay ara, or all over Oakland, specifically, who were saying that they didn't want coal for Christmas.
Isha Clarke:
And so, we were expecting to just go into his office and probably deliver this scroll to his secretaries, like not thinking that he would come out, but we wound up running into him on his way to the bathroom and that was really interesting. So we wound up actually being able to talk to him and, you know, I don't know how many people know about what happened with Senator Feinstein, but the interaction was very similar, where it was like this super powerful person who had some role in climate change. I challenged what he was saying and he like walked up on me and was like trying to intimidate me. And he was sweating bullets. Like I could tell that he was really nervous.
Isha Clarke:
And, you know, now that I think about it, that was the first time where I like had that feeling of that real direct action where you're like looking into the eyes of the power holder and challenging the nonsense that they're saying. And I was like, whoa. Like this is awesome. This is exactly what I need to be doing. And now, it's been a pattern apparently.
Lauren Schiller:
That's amazing. So can you just paint a little bit more of the picture? So how old were you guys?
Isha Clarke:
I was 13.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay.
Isha Clarke:
I believe I was a freshman in high school.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay. And how many? It was mostly 13-
Isha Clarke:
Yeah, it was mostly middle schoolers. I think there must've been a few high schoolers because I was in high school. But yeah, it was like between the ages of maybe like, what? Probably 10 and 14.
Lauren Schiller:
And how many of you were there?
Isha Clarke:
Ooh. There was probably about 10 to 15 okay.
Lauren Schiller:
So 10 to 15 10 to 14 year olds-
Isha Clarke:
Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
Are marching down the hall with your scroll and you run into this guy-
Isha Clarke:
Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
On his way to the bathroom-
Isha Clarke:
Yes. Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
And you just say, "Excuse me, we need to talk."
Isha Clarke:
Yeah, pretty much.
Lauren Schiller:
So that was a few years ago now.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
And so what led you to be so involved and in a leadership position really with Youth vs Apocalypse at this moment?
Isha Clarke:
You know, I think it kind of just happened. I think because I am an original member of Youth vs Apocalypse, so I've been in it like almost the longest. I think there's a couple other people that were original members with me, but just having been in it the longest, and also, YVA really went through this very quick transition between this local like kind of organization where we were fighting against this coal terminal, and then we quickly transitioned to organizing on national and global levels. And I had been a part of the group in like both areas or whatever, so it just happened.
Lauren Schiller:
Are you thinking in terms of local action or are you thinking on a broader scale? Or kind of how do you think about the best way to approach challenging injustice and challenging the problems that are creating climate change from where you stand? I mean, where do you focus your energy?
Isha Clarke:
I think that you can't separate one from the other, especially now with all the climate strikes going on. I think what we're doing is we're connecting a bunch of local fights and that becomes this global movement. And so like the Bay area climate strike, we had our own list of demands. We were targeting local perpetrators, I guess you can call them, and so were other people all over the planet. And so, we were each kind of fighting our own local battle, but we were standing in solidarity together and so it became this global movement.
Isha Clarke:
And so I think, at least for right now, the most powerful, I don't know if I want to say powerful, but the way that we're going about it is saying, if you take on your local battle and I take on mine, then we're getting both at the same time and we're making global change. And so, that's how YVA's kind of approaching it right now.
Lauren Schiller:
Well I'd love to talk about the climate strike. What was your involvement in pulling all of that together? I mean, there were like over 10,000 mostly students marching in San Francisco in September for the international week of action.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah, I think there was actually like 30,000.
Lauren Schiller:
Nice.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay.
Isha Clarke:
Our estimate-
Lauren Schiller:
Tens of thousands.
Isha Clarke:
Yes, tens of thousands. I helped write the demands and helped with some of the logistical things, but mostly, my job in YVA is media outreach and press. Like I wrote the press release, almost forgot about that, and then I do a lot of interviews and call the media outlets and make sure that they're coming. You know, it never happened if it doesn't get recorded or talked about. So that's mostly what I do, with little other things here and there.
Lauren Schiller:
Okay. So I mean, what are the main barriers to actually changing the course of history?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
What are you seeing that's in our way?
Isha Clarke:
Wow. There's a lot of things. I guess I'll connect it back to the climate strike. So we had seven demands, and our demands were very intersectional and, you know, called out ICE and asked for Medicare for all, and also asked for The Green New Deal. And, you know, we were talking about things that people said were too far away from climate justice, and what we were really trying to convey through those demands were like all of this is connected and that fighting the climate crisis is also fighting all of the systems of oppression that undergird our world that have led us to this crisis. And in doing that, we're taking on the task of completely dismantling everything that we know. And that is really scary, and people say that it's idealistic.
Isha Clarke:
And so, I think that's one of the biggest fights, shifting people from this idea of the task being too big and too hard and that needed change isn't attainable. And also our time restraint. You know, we just had this action at Chevron on September 27th, and we actually got to talk to some Chevron executives. And what we were saying was we don't have this time for this long slow transition to renewable energy. We just don't have that time. And they were saying, you know, well, change is slow, and over the course of history you see that change has been slow.
Isha Clarke:
And that's exactly the problem. You know, we cannot do things the way that they've been done before and that scares people, and it forces us to think in a completely new way than we ever have before. And so I think that's the largest task, is shifting from believing that what we need is idealistic and finding a way to do it is the biggest task.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. So really convincing, not just our own community and the people around us to participate in making those demands, but convincing the, as you call them, the perpetrators-
Isha Clarke:
Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
But really the power holders-
Isha Clarke:
Yes.
Lauren Schiller:
To change the way that they're approaching things?
Isha Clarke:
Definitely. So I would really encourage people to go to our website, youthvsapocalypse.org, and look at those demands from the strike and look at the action items because there are specific things that you can do. And I think that was another one of our goals of this strike, to show people that there are tangible actions that we can all take to do something about this, to target these really powerful corporations and companies.
Lauren Schiller:
We'll be right back with Isha Clark, a high school student and activist with Youth vs Apocalypse. Contribute to our Crowdfunding campaign with a tax deductible donation at inflectionpointradio.org and remember to subscribe or favorite this podcast.
Lauren Schiller:
So you alluded to this a little bit earlier, but in terms of who you are thinking about that is, I mean, we're all going to be affected by climate change in one way or the other, but some people are more insulated than others. And, you know, you started to talk about the coal terminal going through Oakland. I mean, who are the communities that are going to essentially be on the front lines of being effected as our climate gets into more and more trouble?
Isha Clarke:
You know, historically, communities of color, indigenous communities, low income communities have been targeted by environmental injustice. And so, all the oil refineries are put in communities of color. The coal terminals that are being planned to build are built through communities of color and pipelines are built through indigenous water supply and sacred lands. And we see it happening over and over and over again, and it's really, it's so sad to think about that.
Isha Clarke:
And the other thing I would say is actually a story, or not really a story, but something that we always talk about at YVA, especially like when all the wildfires were happening, you know, some people had the money and the time and the resources to be able to go out and buy air filters for their house, and other people just had to close the doors and the windows and hope for the best. And the people who were having to hope for the best are also where the highest rates of asthma were. And so, you know, that also just goes to show the systematic nature of that injustice.
Lauren Schiller:
I mean, do you think... I mean, I guess the real issue is that the people who hold the power are not feeling the pain.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
But they'll feel the pain when the people speak out, and pressure makes diamonds, like you said. I mean, how far does this have to go before these people who can make decisions that will change the course of our climate feel that pain? You know?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah.
Lauren Schiller:
Are there strategies for that?
Isha Clarke:
You know, I mean, I like to think that I have all the answers, but I really don't, and I guess that time will only tell. But I think that the biggest thing that we can do is to never forget the power that we have as the people. And really, I have to emphasize this point again, that power holders would not have power if it weren't for the people. And so, just every day as a mantra, as an affirmation, remind yourself that you have power and that power is multiplied and multiplied as you link arms with other people and stand in solidarity. And that really, you know, businesses and politicians are all needing us. And so, if we put pressure on them, then they're going to have to change eventually. I don't know when that will be, but the more pressure, hopefully the sooner it will be.
Lauren Schiller:
So I mean, what would you say is the big bold vision for Youth vs Apocalypse?
Isha Clarke:
I mean, to save the world. That's it. Well, let me add to that, to save the world and to make sure that the new world that comes from that is sustainable and is just, and is equitable, and is run by solutions that are created by frontline communities or communities that have previously been on the front lines because there will be no more frontline communities in our new world. I think that's like the dream, the mission.
Lauren Schiller:
Do you have any role models out there that you're looking to, that are accomplishing great things that you aspire?
Isha Clarke:
I would have to say AOC.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah.
Isha Clarke:
I love that woman so much. Oh my God. I just think that she is so bad ass. Like just plain and simple, you know? Well she was one of the people who even came up with The Green New Deal. She is super young and is unapologetically Latina, and just always speaks truth to power whenever it's needed, and often when people don't want it, which is when they really need it the most. And I think she just is so fearless and powerful and intelligent and I just love her.
Lauren Schiller:
So she's an adult, she's in the halls of power. You know, you're in high school, you're on the ground making a difference. What are you seeing in terms of, you know, I'll just put it in quotes, "youth" being taken seriously in this moment? I mean, do you feel like people are paying attention and that it's not just, "Oh, it's just a bunch of kids."
Isha Clarke:
You know, even in the past year, I think that young people who are leading this movement have been getting a lot more attention, and not even just like, "Oh, look at all the kids out protesting," like, "They're really doing something." And you know, the fossil fuel industry actually, they said that the number one threat to their way of doing business, which is poisoning the earth, is young people because we've been doing so much, making so much noise, putting so much pressure on them and other like banks and insurance companies that are supporting them and their projects, that we are making a statement and people are listening. And I think they're trying to, you know, keep us out, but it's inevitable that we're going to really make some change and I really believe that.
Lauren Schiller:
Is there anyone historically that you've looked back at and thought, okay, that that was a group of youth that went out there and made a difference? That you were like, you know, they did this, they made it happen. Any predecessors?
Isha Clarke:
I think that the first group that comes to my mind is the Black Panther Party. I don't think they were like specifically youth, but there was a lot of young people and I know that it was started by college students, or they were college students at the time, and that a lot of the people who are a part of it were like 17, 18, 19. So that's the first group that really comes to my mind. They were revolutionary and I definitely, especially being from Oakland and West Oakland, they're very influential to me and are another like group of people and an organization that I really look up to.
Lauren Schiller:
Well what have you found difficult about this work and how have you overcome any barriers that you've run into? I mean, we've already established that you're ambitious and you like to get a lot of stuff.
Isha Clarke:
Yes. Oh my Gosh.
Lauren Schiller:
I imagine like pretty much very little gets in your way, but what have you found to be difficult?
Isha Clarke:
Well, a couple things. One of them is, doing this work, you kind of live in this space of having to think about this really scary future all the time. And also now like, you know, the PG&E shut down and the hurricanes and all these things that are very like recent that are very tied to climate change and are just kind of giving us a peek into the world that we're facing is really like scary and almost like traumatizing to just live in that space all the time. And at the same time, having to be quote unquote normal and having to think about going to school and studying for your exams and applying to college.
Isha Clarke:
You know, you have to live in both of these worlds all the time, and it's really interesting and it's challenging a lot of the time. Like how can I study for this exam when the fate of the world is also on my shoulders, is something that I'm always, you know, bouncing back and forth between.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and it's sort of almost like to protect yourself, you have to, I don't know, for me anyway, and I'm not in the middle of it like you are, but I sometimes have to just pretend that that's not happening so that I can get the work done today that I need to get done to, you know, make a living and get food on the table and so on, but in reality, it's just omnipresent, ever moving forward, never stopping.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
So it's stressful.
Isha Clarke:
I think that's definitely something that I used to do, but what I try to do now instead of pretending that it's not happening is telling myself that there's no other option but for us to make sure that it doesn't happen. And I think that's a little bit more positive, or it's more positive, but it gets the same effect, you know? Just like this has to happen. Like this can't be real. Like we're going to do something. Especially just with all the progress that we've made. The first climate strike that we did, which was March 15th I believe, there was [crosstalk 00:28:22].
Lauren Schiller:
Of 2019?
Isha Clarke:
Yes. There was 3000, or 2000 people there, and we were ecstatic. It was like incredible. We were like, "Oh my God, we just did that." And then September 20th comes and we have like 30 to 40,000 people there, and that just shows how people are really paying attention and are getting inspired and are wanting to get involved. And moments like that just really like make me believe that, that we really can make a change. I really believe it.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah.
Isha Clarke:
And it's good that I believe it because I'd be in a bad situation if I didn't.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. I believe it too. And I don't mean to say that I like spend every day pretending that it's not happening, it's almost like a stress [inaudible 00:00:29:11].
Isha Clarke:
No, I totally understand.
Lauren Schiller:
But I do talk to people who say like, "It's too much for me. I want to just stick my head in the sand," and we can't.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
We just can't.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
[inaudible 00:29:22] it'll be all sand.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
[inaudible 00:29:24] down there too long.
Isha Clarke:
It's like when you sleep in too long and your mom comes in and rips off the blanket off of you-
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah.
Isha Clarke:
Like that's what's happening, right?
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah.
Isha Clarke:
Like we can't wait any longer.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. We've got to jump up out of bed.
Isha Clarke:
Right.
Lauren Schiller:
[crosstalk 00:29:35] the day. So have you thought about what all the work that you're doing now will mean for you after high school? I mean, what kinds of things are you looking at as you're looking at colleges?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah, it's definitely something that I'm starting to think about right now, like in this very moment.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. Right, you're a senior and we're recording this in October and applications are due soon.
Isha Clarke:
Yeah. Yeah. The UC applications are due November, but I don't think I'm going to apply to UC, so I have until like January, really December. But you know, that's a great question because I don't think I can ever be apart from social justice and especially climate justice now because there's not enough time to take like a break. I can't take a break from organizing this. Like it's not going to go away, you know? So trying to figure that out right now, I don't know what that will look like, but I know that I can't be away from it and so I will find a way.
Lauren Schiller:
Can a person major in activism?
Isha Clarke:
I don't know. But you know, I actually think that they are trying to do that at UC Berkeley. I think it's new, but yeah, I don't really know all the details on that so I can't like give you my word on that. But they have like a community organizing class or something like that, and I think the idea is like trying to get classes like that popular so that they can turn it into a major. Because it's true, I think everyday people should have the skills to organize. It definitely doesn't just come, it takes a lot of practice and knowledge and I'm always learning something every day.
Lauren Schiller:
Yeah. So who has trained you?
Isha Clarke:
I think it started, as early as I can remember, is listening to my grandpa's stories about his activism. He was really awesome. I don't know why I say was, he's still here, he's still fighting every day, but-
Lauren Schiller:
And is this on your mom's side or your dad's side?
Isha Clarke:
My mom's side. He burned his draft papers and like peed in front of the Koch brothers' building and protest and has done all these really incredible things his entire life. And just hearing all of his stories and just seeing him lead by example I think was kind of my earliest introduction into social justice and knowing that I wanted to be like that.
Isha Clarke:
And then, you know, I joined Destiny and everything that we do is centered around social justice and talking about things that are uncomfortable and moving through those things. And my family's like dinnertime conversations are always about something that has to do with social justice. And, you know, at Passover, we're talking about like slavery and modern day slavery and Trump and all these very different things that are always present in my family and in my way of thinking.
Isha Clarke:
And so, I don't think there's like one specific person because I think it's just kind of been my life.
Lauren Schiller:
What's the best advice that you've ever been given about how to make a demand in a way that you're going to get the answer you want or the change that you want to see?
Isha Clarke:
You know, I think I've kind of just had practice talking to my parents. You know, I can't think of any advice that I've been given, but I just did this, I guess it was a panel thing, where I said that truth is respectful. And so I think if you are always analyzing things from this perspective of both truth and compassion, then I think that you can accomplish that by demanding something but still being able to get it. I think you have to assess reality and what needs to be done and be truthful and be compassionate, and I think that you can accomplish that.
Lauren Schiller:
That was Isha Clarke, a high school student and activist with Youth vs Apocalypse, a climate justice group based in Oakland, California. You can find a link to Isha's organization, YVA, on my website at inflectionpointradio.org. I'm Lauren Schiller. This is Inflection Point and this is how women rise up.
Lauren Schiller:
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Lauren Schiller:
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Lauren Schiller:
To find out more about today's guest and to be in the loop with our email newsletter, you know where to go, inflectionpointradio.org. Inflection Point is produced in partnership with KALW, 91.7 FM in San Francisco, and PRX. Our community manager is Alaura Weaver. Our engineer and producer is Eric Wayne. I'm your host, Lauren Schiller.
Speaker 5:
Support for this podcast comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. PRX.
TOOLKIT TRANSCRIPT
Lauren Schiller:
I'm Lauren Schiller and here is today's Inflection Point TOOLKIT.
Isha Clarke:
My name is Isha Clarke. I am a senior at MetWest High School, and I am a youth organizer with Youth Vs. Apocalypse. Youth Vs. Apocalypse is a Bay Area youth climate justice organization. When I'm explaining what we do, I say that our job is both to redefine what climate justice means, and really working on the movement from the inside, trying to make sure that frontline voices are always centered, and that we have this very clear agenda of justice. And then also pushing that movement forward, and trying to normalize climate justice and reverse the climate crisis.
Lauren Schiller:
In today's TOOLKIT, we learn three actions we can take right now to reverse the climate crisis and how to put pressure on a power holder. We'll be right back.
Lauren Schiller:
What are three ways that anyone listening to this could get involved in helping reverse the climate crisis?
Isha Clarke:
I would say the first thing is to educate yourself. Read all the articles you can read, get all the dirty, little facts on people, and just get yourself educated so that you really have the knowledge to back up anything that you're doing.
Isha Clarke:
And then I think the second thing is bring that knowledge to others, talk to other people about it, really normalize these conversations about the climate crisis, and what climate justice is, and normalize going to actions and other things like that.
Isha Clarke:
And then I would say lastly, get involved in your local battles. Look for other organizations who are already doing things in your community, or close to your community, and look for local corporations and companies that you can target hopefully with another organization that's already doing that.
Lauren Schiller:
Would that be like a Google search or how would you recommend people search for those organization or people that are already doing something?
Isha Clarke:
Yeah. I mean, you can do a Google search. There's a lot of information out there. I know that right now we're updating our website so we will have a Get Involved/Educate Yourself tab where you can find a lot of different campaigns to get involved with and also resources to educate yourself.
Lauren Schiller:
What are the most effective ways to put pressure on a power holder?
Isha Clarke:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). I think the first thing that I always say, as an individual, you can always call your representative. Look up who your representative is, and call them over, and over, and over, and over again if you want. That's what their lines are there for. If you get to voicemail, you can leave them a message. They will check their messages. You can leave your name and your ZIP code if you want or not, but that's a good way to put pressure.
Lauren Schiller:
What should we say when we call?
Isha Clarke:
I would probably say something like why you care about climate change and what you want your representative to do. Usually when I call, I will say, "I want you to endorse the Green New Deal, or vote yes on the resolution for the Green New Deal," If there's a vote coming up, things like that. You can also just talk about climate change if you want.
Isha Clarke:
The other thing I would say is find... again, I'm going to say this because I think it's so important, to find other people who are already doing the work because if you add your energy to a movement that's already happening, then it just helps build the momentum. Really work on those local battles with other people who are doing the work.
Isha Clarke:
Lastly, I would say take a look at your own finances. You may have money invested in fossil fuels without realizing it, especially retirement and pension funds. I know for anyone who's a teacher, your pension fund is through CalSTRS, which invest billions of dollars in the fossil fuel industry, and there's a lot of work being done trying to get them to divest. Get involved in everything that you can, get all your money out of fossil fuels.
Lauren Schiller:
What would you like to say to other young people about how they can get involved and how they can use their power?
Isha Clarke:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Well, first, I just want to say to all the young people listening, hey. Secondly, remember that your voice matters, and that you are important, and that this is our future that we're talking about, and you have every right to stand up and scream for justice. Third, I would say, again, look for organizations who are already doing work, and really get involved with those people. You can call your representatives too. It doesn't matter if you didn't vote for them because you're still their constituent, and you still have... They work for you, remember that.
Lauren Schiller:
Is there any last piece of advice or wisdom that you want to make sure that you have the chance to share?
Isha Clarke:
I just want to emphasize again that we really have this very unique opportunity to make needed change, and to really completely reimagine the world. We could have been born at any time, but we're here now, and we have this power and responsibility to make this radical change. I hope that everyone listening will get involved and know that they have the power to do something. Never feel disempowered.
Lauren Schiller:
That was Isha Clarke's TOOLKIT. Isha is a youth activist with Youth Vs. Apocalypse. You can find a link to YVA on my website at InflectionPointRadio.org. Definitely check out my in depth conversation with Isha in the podcast feed right now. She shares how her work brought out tens of thousands of students in San Francisco for the youth climate strike and much more. I'm Lauren Schiller, this is an Inflection Point TOOLKIT, and this is how women rise up.
Speaker 3:
From PRX.
