She/her

Açucena Marinheiro da Silva (19), Brazil

I am a young indigenous woman from the community of Tumbalalalá, located in northern Brazil, on the banks of the São Francisco River. I am an active member of the Cunharai Ikhã ("Girls in Struggle") project, where we address various topics and delve into territorial issues and how capitalism (especially agribusiness, mining, etc.) affects not only indigenous communities, but the entire population.

"The future is today, without demarcation there is no democracy."

She/her

Alma Xochitl Zamora Mendez (28), Mexico

I am a Nahua indigenous woman from the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Mexico, daughter of Yolanda, granddaughter of Elena and Rosa. I study communication and journalism. I am interested in telling stories of voices and experiences that have been silenced. I have integrated and coordinated projects to promote the development of my community.

"I hope that the meeting will help us to strengthen our hearts and our individual and collective struggles."

She/her

Audrey Luiza Almeida Gonçalves (26), Brazil

I'm Brazilian, from Belo Horizonte and have a degree in Environmental Engineering. Since 2017 I have dedicated my life to critical, transformative and emancipatory environmental education. In recent years, I have participated in socio-environmental projects for the engagement and visibility of vulnerable communities in Florianópolis/Brazil. For the past two years, I have been actively working on Climate Adaptation projects, developing climate strategies for a low-carbon economy in Brazil.

"The solution to the climate crisis is integrated and led by a broad and diverse front of young people."

She/her

Camila Romero (26), Chile

I am an Andean woman inhabitant of southern Chile, Mapuche ancestral territory. Anthropologist, socio-environmental activist and defender of the rights of indigenous peoples and nature. She currently coordinates community communication projects with biocultural relevance and an international network of environmental defenders in Colectivo Viento Sur.

"We, the youth of Abya Yala, are the renewal of the seeds that our ancestors cultivated five centuries ago. With them we bring memory, energy and hope."

She/her

Daniela Soares da Silva (30), Brazil

Daniela, a geographer and socio-environmental activist, founded the "Aldeias" project in Amazonia's Altamira. Her mission is to reconnect Amazonian children and youth with their cultural identity amid the challenges posed by large-scale development. She's a fervent advocate for children's rights and aims to involve them actively in climate initiatives within their territories. Her motto, "A rua é noiz!" (The street is ours!), underscores her dedication to empowering young people.

"Reforesting minds and hearts"

She/her

Guidaí Vargas Michelena (29), Uruguay

I belong to the Basquadé Inchalá community located on the outskirts of Montevideo. We are currently carrying out, together with a group of women, the project "Memory, restoration and indigenous ancestry", which promotes the ecological restoration of the Pantanoso Stream, one of the most polluted streams in the city. I believe in the collective construction of a world in which we all enter and where the voice of mother earth is respected.

They/them

Pepe Villalobos (26), Mexico

I am 25 years old and I am originally from the state of Chiapas in Mexico. I am a non-binary person. I studied psychology, I am a climate activist and an activist for the LGBTQ+ community in the South. I am a writer of fantasy stories inspired by the legends of my people. I am also part of the People's Ecologist Assembly.

"I have learned that one of the greatest acts of resilience and resistance in the face of climate crisis is to create community."

She/her

Maria José Andrade Cerda (28), Ecuador

I am a member of the Kichwa Serena Community and a member of the first indigenous guard led by women called "Yuturi Warmi", in the Ecuadorian Amazon. I studied International Relations and I am a candidate for a master's degree in Rights of Nature and Intercultural Justice. I actively participate in women's empowerment projects and I am the coordinator of the Runa Yachay community school and a member of the youth of the Federation of Indigenous Organizations FOIN.

"We are the resistance, we are the land, we are the river, we are the seed." - Yuturi Warmi

He/him

Raylson Santos from Lima (20), Brazil

My name is Raylson Santos and I am 19 years old. I am a young farmer and journalism student. I am driven by opportunity and the desire for change. I want to be a representation of how much education and environmental awareness can change the life of a rural youth.

"I want to contribute to the climate change debate through my experiences in family farming and mobilizing rural youth."

She/her

Valeria Belén Cerpa Salas (27), Peru

I am an architect, urban planner and sustainable cities activist. I work at the intersection of project management, web development and data. I founded the Data for Resilient Spaces project in 2021 as part of the GI-TOC Resilience Fund grant. I have worked with interactive maps, research, filling data gaps, and developing participatory workshops and digital tools.

"Sustainability is not just a long-term goal, it is a daily commitment to the decisions we make in our present to build a better and more equitable future for all."

She/her

Wara Iris Ruiz Condori (28), Bolivia

I am of Aymara descent and triple impact entrepreneur, mentor in eco-social entrepreneurship and sustainability consultant for companies. Young Leader of Americans Initiatives (YLAI) 2022, Max Thabiso Climate Ambassador 2023, Country Ambassador of Youth Oppotunities 2023 and Member of the International Committee of Slow Food Youth Network. Founder of MUSA ECOLAB, SLOW FOOD BOLIVIANOS LEADERS FOR FOOD SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY and GREEN VOICES.

"Forming networks for sustainability and climate resilience of peoples, a commitment I carry."