Iris Zhan helps to raise awareness about climate changes by creating digital campaigns for advocacy groups

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Everyone is affected by the climate crisis. This is why climate activistIris Zhan would like to makeClimateMore accessible and diverse activism Iris cofoundedFridays for Future DigitalThe digital arm of climate strike movement, -.Fridays for the FutureTo get young people, people with disabilities, and marginalized voices across the United States involved in the fight against climate change,

Iris was first aware of the climate crisis when she was a teenager. ChildGrowing up in Maryland. “I learned about the climate crisis through school,” Iris tellsIn the Know. “A lot of that knowledge really inspired me to get more involved in my local community, so I went through my newspaper and such looking for local events and started showing up at some of those.”

Iris began volunteering with a variety climate organizations, including Howard County Climate ActionAnd Please, no plastic. Iris noticed something unusual while working with these organisations: Despite it being obvious thatClimate ChangeIt has a profound impact on the lives of young people all over the world. However, very few young people are getting involved.

“I sort of noticed how I was one of the only young people there,” Iris recalls. “I think that really pushed me to see this crisis as more important because of how I felt like I was the only one there, and how it shouldn’t just be me because this affects my generation so, so much.”

Iris and her friends decided to fightClimate ChangeHelping communities that are not normally included in the movement. Greta Thunberg started Fridays For Future, a youth-led climate strike organization. This was their first step. “I decided to try to get involved with Fridays For Future in the U.S. It was not exactly the easiest thing to do because it mostly revolved around climate striking and that wasn’t really accessible,” they explain. “We realized that a lot of people from many different backgrounds cannot climate strike every single week.”

Fridays for Future Digital was founded by Iris to help climate activists.ActivistsClimate strikes were not open to those who were unable. “We wanted to be able to uplift those voices and make sure that they can be channeled into real impactful action,” they tell In The Know. “Digital platforms can really help increase the representation there and improve accessibility and inclusivity.”

Iris says that it is important to elevate marginalized voices in the fight against climate changes because often times, it is those communities who are most affected by climate change. “Movements that are only led by white people have so many problems, and not beingAll inclusive means that what we’re advocating for isn’t really benefiting the entirety of society,” Iris explains. “As someone who also has certain privileges, it’s really important to be able to make room in the movement for those who don’t have as much privilege. Because of how the climate crisis impacts people with less privilege, it’s really essential for true climate justice.”

With Fridays for Future DigitalIris helps people get involved in climate justice.Striking. They organize digital campaigns, speak at events and plan creative ways to promote climate justice. Iris says there are many ways to combat climate change. But the first step is to get involved.

“There are so many different ways for young people to get involved and understand what’s going on in yourCommunity,” they tell In The Know. “It’s really important for young people to take action. That’s what really helps keep the movement progressing.”

The post Iris Zhan helps to raise awareness about climate changes by creating digital campaigns for advocacy groupsThis article was first published on In the Know.