In July, the San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air (SDPCA) Enviro-Art intern team was invited to speak about our work around this year’s Youth Climate Art Exhibition to the Coastal Community Climate Conversation at Mira Mesa in front of dozens of motivated activists, advocates, and organizations.

SDPCA Lead Art Intern Eleanor Jung delivered the labor acknowledgment, citing the contributions of Asian Americans to the Mira Mesa community. Each SDPCA intern shared stories and personal motivations for our interest in climate work. We felt a true connection with each other and the audience while we were on stage. Niyathi Jagan, a student at Mt. Carmel High School in nearby Rancho Penasquitos, explained how sci-fi films and her experience growing up in San Diego introduced her to the devastating effects of climate change. Leanne Fan, who attends Westview High School, cited our partnership with Clearwater Innovation to bring about positive change in the community.

After our presentation, we invited a top winner from this year’s exhibition to perform his poem on the Tijuana Sewage Crisis. Daniel Hernandez, a member of Youth v. Oil and a senior at Bonita Vista High School, brought the room to a standstill. His depiction of the barren, damaged landscape outside his school and his struggles to come to terms with the cross-border strife were vivid and heartfelt.

Finally, the room broke out into small groups to collaborate on local action plans before convening to present the main points. Aneesh Nudurupati, an intern with the Youth Art Council, shared his thoughts on the price of electricity. “For just pennies, you can switch to 100% renewable [energy] and a lot of people just don’t know about it,” he said. Many in the audience voiced similar concerns about raising awareness. Overall, the experience provided a platform for us as students to exchange ideas with the community and bring a hopeful outlook to the forefront!

A week later, AAP-CA3 was invited to table at the Community Climate Conversations at the San Ysidro Library. Similar to the event in Mira Mesa, it was a great opportunity for organizations and individuals in the community to collaborate on solutions for change in different aspects of our environment. At this gathering, Aviva DeVore was also given the chance to talk about her research with AAP-CA3 on extreme heat and youth sports workflows.

The program began with a land acknowledgment and the honoring of Kumeyaay heritage by Priscilla Ortiz from the Kumeyaay Community College and a labor acknowledgment by Daniel Hernandez. Opening the event with these speakers helped create a space of gratitude and appreciation for those whose sacrifice and hard work were the reason we stood there that day. 

Following the acknowledgments, poet and activist Diosa Xochiquetzalcóatl delivered an impactful bilingual spoken word expression about the impacts of harmful human activities on our planet and our health through the perspective of a mother. 

In small groups, we discussed environmental issues in our community and shared a summary of our concerns and solutions. “Hearing everyone’s thoughts and perspectives about the problems in our community was encouraging and motivates me more than ever to see so many dedicated individuals who care about the same issues that are important to me,” Aviva DeVore shared with the group.

These Community Climate Conversations were an impactful way for AAP-CA3 to get involved and share about our projects with San Diego, and an opportunity for students to make connections within their communities.