Special Collections:
The Future: Our Kids
In 8th grade, Lauren U.C. Ejiaga's science fair project on ozone depletion and Louisiana's marsh grasses won a top prize at Broadcom MASTERS. This experience highlighted the importance of environmental awareness alongside research, inspiring her to educate peers.
Now 17, Lauren leads multiple native plant restoration projects as a cohort leader for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. She also founded the "Conservation and Restoration Conjunction," a series of workshops promoting STEM education and coastal protection among youth. She recruits national science fair winners to speak about STEM careers.
High school senior Raghav Kalyanaraman has dedicated two years to restoring North Texas's Blackland Prairie Ecosystem. This vital habitat, with less than 0.001% remaining, supports over 500 native species, prevents soil erosion, and replenishes aquifers.
Leading hundreds of youth volunteers, Raghav has restored five acres at the Heard Museum. His work includes clearing invasive species, planting native flora, installing 118 waterbars to mitigate trail erosion, and constructing enclosures to aid dwindling box turtle populations. He also founded Eagles For Environment to further community involvement. Learn more at broweryouthawards.org.
A showreel was developed for wildlife conservationist Mya-Rose Craig.
This project was undertaken by filmmaker Josh Dury.
The Bradford Literature Festival Digital Education Programme 2021 featured environmental activist and campaigner Mya-rose Craig. Learn more at [bradfordlitfest.co.uk](https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk).
Craig emphasized the importance of recognizing diverse environmental voices beyond well-known figures like Greta Thunberg. She stated, "We keep on hearing about the same names... there are so many people all around the world doing amazing things." Discover more activists on EarthSayers.TV.
On June 27, 2022, a discussion explored Blue Shield's latest Youth Climate Survey, focusing on how climate change impacts the mental health of young people.
The event featured insights from David W. Bond (Director of Behavioral Health, Blue Shield of California—Promise Health Plan), youth environmental activist Kat Lee (APEN), and student representative Maya Gomez (Mind Out Loud, Whitney High School). Additional speakers included Antoinette Mayer (Senior Director, Corporate Citizenship, Blue Shield), Joel Castro (President, Cesar Chavez Service Club), and co-host Michelle Meow (Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show").
For the Climate Justice Movement to achieve true "justice," it must be radically inclusive, intersecting with social, racial, gender, and disability justice movements. Alexia Leclercq, a Brower Youth Award winner and environmental justice organizer, passionately advocates for these rarely discussed aspects of intersectionality.
Leclercq delivered this talk at the 2021 Bioneers Conference. Learn more at www.bioneers.org.
Young people worldwide are actively addressing the climate crisis and demanding action from leaders. Our Creating Citizens initiative provides a forum for youth to connect with peers and civic leaders on pressing issues.
Join us for a special panel featuring young climate activists discussing their work and the power of youth to tackle climate and social injustice. Educators and students registering receive a free copy of Vanessa Nakate's book, *A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis*.
Additional books are available at the Club's online bookstore. Support our work: Become a Member.
Following his COP26 speech on November 8, 2021, President Barack Obama joined youth climate activists, including Columbia students, at a private roundtable. Co-sponsored by the Columbia Climate School and the Obama Foundation, the discussion explored the future of climate action and what inspires hope.
The session featured Andrew Fagerheim (SEAS'24), Eduarda Zoghbi (SIPA'22), and Columbia Obama Scholar Christian Vanizette.
Watch the entire session on C-SPAN: https://bit.ly/3ofNEoC
The 22nd annual Brower Youth Awards, a two-part virtual event, celebrated six young environmental leaders. The Q&A with winners was held virtually on October 19, 2021.
The 2021 theme, "Our Power," highlighted the unique strength of this generation to mobilize environmental activism and drive cultural paradigm shifts. These leaders embody the ability to create significant effect during environmental peril.
A flagship event of the New Leaders Initiative, the Brower Youth Awards has recognized outstanding youth environmental leaders since 2000. The national award is presented by Earth Island Institute. Learn more at broweryouthawards.org.
Alexia Leclercq delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards, held virtually on October 14.
For more information about the awards, visit broweryouthawards.org.
David Baldwin delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards. This virtual event took place on October 14.
For more details, visit the Brower Youth Awards website: www.broweryouthawards.org.
Artemisio Romero y Carver delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards. This virtual event was held on October 14.
For more information about the awards, visit the official website: Brower Youth Awards.
Alexandria Gordon delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards. This virtual event took place on October 14.
For more information about the awards, please visit broweryouthawards.org.
Peter Pham delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards, a virtual event held on October 14.
For more information about the awards, please visit the official website: broweryouthawards.org.
Sonja Michaluk delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards. This virtual event took place on October 14.
For more information, visit the official Brower Youth Awards website: broweryouthawards.org.
Eighteen-year-old David Baldwin, inspired by the Everglades, developed a passion for Florida's ecology. At 14, he joined the Everglades Restoration Ambassadors, a nonprofit dedicated to removing nonnative plants. He also educates elementary students using his own modules.
Baldwin's educational programs stem from his research, which began in 2017. Interning at Florida Atlantic University, he studied Caesar's weed, investigating its germination and spread. His findings led him to theorize land-management practices, including hands-on removal and prescribed burns, to control this invasive species.
Sonja Michaluk, 18, has secured significant environmental victories, including modifying a national pipeline project to protect wetlands and conserving over 50 acres in Central New Jersey. Her dedication to aquatic environments began at age six, fostering a passion for rigorous citizen science.
These achievements are driven by her 2017 Conservation Communities Initiative. This project encourages people to monitor and protect local aquatic habitats, advocating for data-driven environmental decisions. The initiative operates a microbiology and genetics lab, utilizing Michaluk's genetics-based bioassessment method to identify threatened, endangered, and nonnative species from trace samples.
Peter Pham, an organizer with Turnout4Transit, champions environmental and transit justice. Motivated by a two-hour bus commute to community college, he advocates for improved public transit in the San Jose metropolitan region, aiming to reduce emissions, ease congestion, and increase access to opportunities.
Pham recently helped pass a three-county ballot measure generating $100 million for rail services. Despite pandemic-related revenue decreases, he also successfully pushed the Santa Clara transit agency to limit bus service cuts, ensuring continued access for underserved communities.
The 22nd annual Brower Youth Awards, a two-part virtual event, celebrated six inspiring youth leaders in the environmental movement. The Awards Ceremony, held virtually on October 14, 2021, featured special videos and speeches from the awardees.
The 2021 theme, "Our Power," highlighted this generation's unique ability to mobilize environmental activism and drive a paradigm shift during a time of ecological peril.
A flagship event of the New Leaders Initiative, presented by Earth Island Institute, the Brower Youth Awards has honored outstanding youth environmental leaders since 2000. Learn more at broweryouthawards.org.
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The Thinking Game | Full documentary | Tribeca Film Festival official selection
“The Thinking Game” is the inside story of DeepMind's groundbreaking AI research, culminating in the Nobel Prize-winning AlphaFold breakthrough. Filmed over five years by the award-winning team behind "AlphaGo," this documentary explores co-founder Demis Hassabis's lifelong pursuit of artificial general intelligence and the rigorous scientific journey from mastering strategy games to solving the 50-year-old protein folding problem.
Following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, "The Thinking Game" is now available to watch for free. For those interested in hosting a screening for a classroom, community, or workplace, visit: rocofilms.com/films/the-thinking-game/.
