Our #EcoGeniusYouth is Natalia Armenta

Our #EcoGeniusYouth today is Natalia Armenta, from San Diego, California, USA.

Natalia Armenta our EcoGeniusYouth

She is a highly involved environmental activist who works with various climate groups, I ncluding Youth v. Oil and CA Youth vs. Big Oil, and is co-lead of the San Diego Climate Reality Project Youth Environmental Action Pod.

«I remember when I was first learning about (climate change) and also just witnessing it growing up in a low-income community of color. I was very fearful, anxious and also frustrated about the climate crisis. Just seeing the expense and impact that it was going to have on my future, on young people across the state, across the country, across the nation, and especially those who are continuously facing this issue being at the front line and being impacted by health issues caused by the climate crisis and fumes and fuels from the fossil fuel industry,» Armenta said.

Youth climate activist Natalia Armenta leads a group of youth chanting and marching at a youth climate strike in San Diego, March 25, 2022. Photo Joe Orellana

Spurred into action about two years ago by the poor air-quality and other environmental concerns in her own community, she educated herself on the subject of climate change and sought ways to get involved.

Her beginnings coincided with the pandemic, so much of her activism has been virtual because of it. But, more recently, she has been able to organize marches and rallies in person.

At age 17, Armenta is already a committed climate activist in her Parish.

“Youth have the most to lose to climate change and, as we see, the climate crisis is only getting worse,” said Armenta, who was recently introduced to “Laudato Si” and feels there is “definitely a connection” between her faith and her activism.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barrio Logan is planting the seeds of environmental .Photo www.thesoutherncross.org

Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barrio Logan is planting the seeds of environmental stewardship in youth and young adult hearts.

Youth group members like Natalia have been working in the parish’s community garden, while young adults recently kicked off the parish’s tree-planting campaign.

About 40 varieties of organic vegetables, along with various types of flowers, grow in “Jardín Manos Sanadoras,” Spanish for “Healing Hands Garden,” established early last year.

Lupita Perez, leader of the parish’s youth ministry since last August, said the parish has strived to instill in its youth the values of “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on the importance of being good stewards of the earth.

Photo https://www.cayouthvsbigoil.com

Armenta said she is grateful that Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and its youth group have shown such commitment to environmental issues, allowing her to combine her enthusiasm for that cause with “other loves and passions,” like her faith and her parish community.

Source: https://www.thesoutherncross.org/young-adult/new-generation-gets-to-work-to-protect-creation/

https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2022/04/21/four-youth-climate-activists-talk-about-how-to-make-a-difference-during-a-climate-crisis