5 LGBTQIA+ Climate Leaders You Should Know About
In honor of Pride Month, we celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA+ sustainability change-makers to the environmental field. These leaders are actively promoting intersectional environmentalism, nurturing human-nature connections, and democratizing environmental education, to contribute to a better future for everyone.
Jamie Margolin (she/her)
Co-Founder, Zero Hero
Jamie Margolin, a writer, community organizer, and activist, is driven by her identity as a Latina Jewish lesbian to advocate for oppressed and marginalized communities. Her deep love for the Pacific Northwest motivates her to protect the environment, particularly in light of the devastating effects of climate change on her home city of Seattle. As a co-founder of Zero Hour, an international youth climate justice movement, Margolin spearheaded the groundbreaking Youth Climate March in Washington DC and numerous other cities worldwide in 2018. She is also a plaintiff in the Youth v. Gov lawsuit, challenging Washington state's failure to uphold the constitutional rights of her generation to a livable environment. Margolin's engaging and candid writing has been featured in esteemed publications, and her debut book, Youth To Power, released in 2020, serves as an essential guide for young activists worldwide to change-making. Her TEDTalk discusses how climate change can be solved by dismantling the systems of oppression that caused it.
Isaias Hernandez (he/they)
Founder, QueerBrownVegan
Isaias Hernandez seeks to educate people on the intersectional nature of the climate crisis, recognizing that a diversity of worldviews, backgrounds, and experiences are essential to effect change in the environmental movement. Isaias started QueerBrownVegan as a way to address the lack of education people have around climate change and environmentalism. Through this online platform, Isaias produces educational content ranging from topics of Queer Ecology to environmental racism, providing their audience with an intersectional and nuanced understanding of environmentalism. His commitment to activism and storytelling has inspired countless individuals to engage in social justice movements and cultivate compassion for our more-than-human kin. His remarkable accomplishments as a visionary and advocate continue to make a profound impact on the journey towards a more equitable and sustainable world.
Jaylen Bastos (they/them)
Founder, Zoboomafoolish Co.
Jaylen Bastos, a Queer Black and Latinx scientist, focuses their work on urban conservation, animal behavior, and fostering harmonious relationships between humans and wildlife. In 2020, they founded Zoboomafoolish Co. which is a land-based learning organization based out of Vancouver, Canada that focuses on animal behavior, urban ecosystems, and Queer ecology. Alongside this project, Jaylen earned their Masters degree, conducting research on urban animal behavior, cognition, and coexistence strategies, which is the first of this research to be done in any major Canadian Municipality. Jaylen Bastos exemplifies the intersection of diversity, scientific expertise, human-nature connections, and commitment to understanding and preserving the delicate balance between urban environments and wildlife.
Pınar Sinopoulos-Lloyd (they/them)
Co-Founder, Queer Nature
Pınar Sinopoulos-Lloyd is a visionary and advocate at the forefront of the intersection between queerness and nature. Co-founder of Queer Nature, their work focuses on stewarding an earth-based Queer community through learning ancestral skills and building nature-connections. Additionally, one of their core missions is to uplift and amplify the “survival skills” that marginalized populations already have in their resilient bodies and stories of survival. Pınar’s commitment to fostering a connection with the earth and challenging traditional notions of gender and sexuality has garnered widespread recognition. By creating safe and inclusive spaces, they empower individuals to explore their identities, find healing in nature, and build resilient communities. Pınar's pioneering efforts inspire us to reimagine our relationship with the natural world, promoting a more inclusive and harmonious future for all.
Vanessa Raditz (they/them)
Co-Founder, Queer Ecojustice Project
Vanessa Raditz, a Queer educator, activist, and researcher, showcases their filmmaking skills through the impactful documentary "Fire & Flood: Queer Resilience in the Era of Climate Change." This thought-provoking film delves into the experiences of Queer individuals affected by two significant climate disasters: Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the Santa Rosa fires in California during 2017. Inspired by their own personal encounter with these events in California, Vanessa highlights the unique challenges faced by the Queer community in times of environmental crisis. Additionally, they co-founded the Queer Ecojustice Project, an online platform that focuses on education about the intersectionality of climate issues. Vanessa also manages Queers4ClimateJustice, an Instagram page dedicated to increasing Queer visibility within the climate movement. Through their various initiatives, Vanessa Raditz actively contributes to raising awareness and fostering inclusivity within the discourse and action surrounding climate change.
