Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Building climate justice
"We are at a tipping point now, where we will either be remembered as the generation that destroyed the planet, as a generation that put profits before future, or as a generation that united to address the greatest issue of our time."
Earth Guardians Youth Director Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced ‘Shoe-Tez-Caht’) (he/him), is a 19-year-old indigenous climate activist, hip-hop artist, and powerful voice of a global youth-led environmental movement.
He focuses on educating his generation worldwide about the state of the planet they are inheriting and inspiring them to take action to create a better world. His work has been featured on PBS, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, The Daily Show, Comedy Central, CNN, MSNBC, HBO, and VICE.
“Our environment supports and gives us life, the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. If we don’t take care of the environment and our eco-systems, our lives will be in jeopardy. We are already exposed to polluted air, dirty water and unhealthy food because of the fossil fuel infrastructure, industrial agriculture and polluting factories that supply the things we buy. It’s time to shift our relationship with the Earth and the way we fuel our homes, grow our food and the things we need.”
“Here I am in my natural element on my grandfather’s land in New Mexico, while my family and the Earth Guardians are plotting the future we’ll build.”
The Organization
Xiuhtezcatl is Youth Director for Earth Guardians, which works to inspire, galvanize, and train diverse youth to be effective leaders in the climate and social justice movement—using art, music, storytelling, civic engagement, and legal action to advance solutions. Earth Guardians Crews work to implement campaigns and projects in their own communities around the world.
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