August Newsletter
Sophia Kianni is an American climate activist known for her focus on advocating for the translation of climate information into a more diverse range of languages. In doing so, Sophia hopes to equalize the spread of scientific knowledge and information in communities worldwide. She founded the nonprofit Climate Cardinals, an international youth-led organization working to make the climate movement more accessible to non-English speakers. She is also the youngest member of the United Nations Secretary-General's Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. We sat down for an interview about her translation work and other tips for young activists looking to get more involved in the climate dialogue.
What was the most surprising shift in your understanding of climate change and environmental work? (any ah-ha moment or time of self-reflection and realignment?)
I think that recognizing the intersectionality of the climate movement was a turning point. When I first learned about climate change in middle school, I learned about it in a very black and white and scientific manner, but then through joining grassroots movements and learning about how it intersects with racial justice, environmental racism, and gender equality. So, for example, understanding that 80% of climate refugees are women and that the climate crisis disproportionately impacts people of color—has affected how I have gone about my activism. I hope that the movement makes sure that those who are impacted worse by the climate crisis are the ones who are championing solutions and coming up with ways to integrate their communities into decision-making spaces.
What advice do you have for other younger climate activists who want to get their foot in the door but don't feel confident or qualified in the face of older, more experienced generations?
Starting is the biggest step—just taking that first step. When I first started this work, I began by cold-DMing people on Instagram and sending people emails. I would talk about my passion and interest in this space and how I felt I could add value to their work and volunteer my time to support any initiatives. I would say that starting and volunteering your services and reaching out to people you feel inspired by, especially on the local level, is one of the best ways to get involved before starting to scale your impact. Eventually, I scaled my impact by creating a nonprofit.
How do you maintain confidence in your voice as the youngest person in many spaces?
On the UN Youth Advisory Group, I'm the youngest member, and I think that, honestly, realizing that so much of the value I bring to the table is not often irrespective of my age. Still, I feel like my age bolsters my credibility in many senses. I'm a student, I'm not being paid for this work, and I'm doing it out of pure necessity because I feel like this is such an existential crisis that I've devoted so much time and energy. Knowing that I'm coming from the perspective that this is an issue that will impact my generation makes me realize that I'm so much more progressive and have a stance that's also informed by my lived experiences as a young person. Also, I bring many skillsets around using social media and influencers effectively to raise awareness about the climate crisis. These are all strengths unique to my age that I bring to the table.
