Data-Driven Youth Advocacy

Good afternoon, esteemed guests. I'm Michelle Huang, a 16-year-old high school student at Castilleja School located in Palo Alto, California.

I'm certain that, much like many of you, I come from a region where metrics reign supreme. I'm from Silicon Valley where quantification is second nature. We count likes on Instagram, we track screen time, we count our daily steps.

Unbeknownst to us, data and numbers have surreptitiously become the compass guiding our daily life. What if, instead of using it merely to measure our personal habits or social media influence, we harness our insatiable appetite for information to champion the case of climate justice?

Data serves as an invaluable compass, helping us make informed and meaningful decisions about our climate initiatives.

At our school, there is a student-led environmental group known as the Green Team. This dynamic group of young advocates introduced an initiative called "Meatless Mondays". True to its name, the school cafeteria serves only plant-based meals every Monday. This endeavor is not only noble in its intentions to contribute to environmental conservation, but also presents a tangible step towards a more sustainable future. However, it is no easy feat.

Imagine our volleyball stars taking to the court after a lunch of nothing but cucumber sandwiches, fueled solely by their passion for environmental advocacy. It sounds almost comical, doesn't it? Safe to say, the initiative failed to gain much traction, with very few students actually embracing it.

In the wake of widespread negative feedback, the Green Team decided to reevaluate their climate strategy. They learned that, while the fight against climate change is an existential imperative, the pursuit of sustainability must be grounded in practicality.

At Castilleja, our commitment to climate advocacy has evolved into a more systematic and strategic effort. The Green Team embarked on an in-depth research project into the school's investment portfolio. Drawing on meticulous analysis and data-driven insights, they launched a compelling campaign advocating for the divestment of fossil fuel-related assets.

Meanwhile, one of my fellow students spearheaded an inspiring initiative of her own: the "Authors for Nature" project. In this effort, student writers and illustrators delve into intricate climate-related topics, and masterfully distill these complex subjects into engaging childrens' books.

These student-led projects are the very embodiment of intellectual curiosity, meticulous research, and an unwavering commitment to sparking change that lasts beyond the classroom.

Despite years of studying endangered polar bears in school, I often felt a sense of helplessness, as if there was no tangible way for me to make a difference in the broader community. That all changed when I took on an internship with my local city council.

During this internship last year, I gathered extensive traffic safety data with the aim of safeguarding my classmates who cycle to school. My research centered on daylighting, a civic design concept aimed at improving visibility at intersections. Through in-depth exploration, I discovered that when executed correctly, daylighting could significantly reduce pedestrian and cyclist collisions by 30%.

When I stepped onto the podium to present my research before the city council, I wasn't merely a student voicing concerns, I emerged as a young advocate with both worries and a vision for improvement. I illustrated them how strategic infrastructure modifications, guided by clear data patterns, could save lives.

So, imagine my delight when, months later, I received the profound news that daylighting became official California state law.

This experience has been a pivotal turning point in my perspective. It demonstrated that we, as young advocates, have the capacity to ignite policy shifts through harnessing data-driven insights.

Across California, youth are spearheading climate solutions, placing data at the heart of their initiatives:

Youth-led research at UC Berkeley has been a driving force behind city planning decisions seeking for the climate benefits of urban green spaces.

At UC San Diego, students have taken on the critical issue of microplastic pollution in coastal communities. They put forward well-thought-out intervention strategies.

From our school cafeteria to city streets to global climate policy, I've discovered that the blueprint for effective change follows a data-centric path. It begins with the collection of reliable data. Next, we analyze patterns with unwavering objectivity. Then, we implement those targeted solutions, measure their impact rigorously. Finally, we make necessary adjustments.

The climate crisis calls for collective action, and youth bring far more to the table than just enthusiasm. We offer unique insights, invaluable lived experiences, and the ability to collect and use data in creative ways that might not occur to those with popular conventional perspectives.

Our Meatless Monday experiment taught us that good-hearted initiatives without proper data are bound for failure. During my internship, I learned how to approach data with specific goals for change in mind.

So here's what we, the youth, demand: Let's invest in making youth advocacy strategic and data-driven.

We have to transition to meaningful, evidence-based actions that resonate with people's real-world needs. Rather than settling for token gestures like a weekly vegan day, let's collaborate to create efficient, impactful solutions based on solid evidence.

Support us with resources, trust us with responsibility, and collaborate with us. Educators, instruct your students to bind their own climate strategies to statistics.

When youth combine passion with data, we don't just voice concerns. We analyze problems, pioneer solutions, and drive change.

Unlike our cafeteria trial, we can't simply start over with a new menu when it comes to our planet.

Thank you.