Meet the WNY Youth Climate Council (YCC), whose mission is to bring youth leadership to the forefront of our region’s climate justice movement through policy, direct action, and education to create a livable future for all of WNY. Learn about the YCC's campaign to Declare a Climate Emergency and their work to pass a Climate Resolution in our region. They will discuss their campaign strategies, the challenges and opportunities faced throughout the year, and how YOU can get involved and join the Climate Justice movement.
Check us out on social media!
Instagram - @wnyyouthclimate
Twitter - @wny_ycc
Facebook - WNY Youth Climate Council
Join us in our campaign to Declare a Climate Emergency and pass a Climate Resolution in WNY! Please sign our petition to support our campaign and sign up to receive our emails with campaign updates and how to get involved. If you are interested in becoming a member of the WNY Youth Climate Council, fill out a membership form to get connected to us!
Member Bios:
Ilyas Khan:
Ilyas is a 16 year old sophomore at City Honors. He is the co-organizer of the WNY Youth Climate Council, which he helped create last June at the Youth Climate Action Summit. Khan developed the idea with help of other youth leaders who want to make climate justice a reality for our region. Khan started his advocacy work in 2018 after joining the Youth and Climate Justice Fellowship with the WNY Environmental Alliance and led the first of four Buffalo Youth Climate Strikes in 2019, which have continued digitally this past year.
Kiera Quinlivan:
Kiera is a 17 year old senior at City Honors, and will attend the University of Toronto/St. Michael’s College this fall under the faculty of Arts and Science with a focus on Social Sciences. Quinlivan joined the Youth Climate Council last fall because she wanted to be a part of the change she was witnessing for a topic she is passionate about. Quinlivan is a co-organizer and social media head on Twitter for the YCC. She advocates for climate justice because she believes that the biodiversity of the world is what makes it beautiful and needs to be protected.
Sophia Lawrence:
Sophia is a graduating senior at Amherst High School and is attending the College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in the fall for Conservation Biology. Lawrence helped to form the Youth Climate Council after meeting Ilyas Khan last June at the WNY Youth Climate Action Summit and is now a co-organizer. She got involved due to her lifelong love of nature and taking action to protect the places she cares about that are being threatened by climate change.
Gabrielle Prince:
Gabrielle is an 18 year old senior graduating from Lancaster High School and will attend Canisius College in the fall. Prince founded her school’s Environmental Action Club and is a member of New York Youth Climate Leaders Coalition. As a co-organizer, she currently manages the YCC’s social media account on Instagram. She joined the YCC following last September’s Buffalo Climate Strike because she believes that unity is power and wanted to connect with other youth activists in WNY. She advocates for climate justice for the oppressed and for the Earth which she believes belongs to God.
Check us out on social media!
Instagram - @wnyyouthclimate
Twitter - @wny_ycc
Facebook - WNY Youth Climate Council
Join us in our campaign to Declare a Climate Emergency and pass a Climate Resolution in WNY! Please sign our petition to support our campaign and sign up to receive our emails with campaign updates and how to get involved. If you are interested in becoming a member of the WNY Youth Climate Council, fill out a membership form to get connected to us!
Member Bios:
Ilyas Khan:
Ilyas is a 16 year old sophomore at City Honors. He is the co-organizer of the WNY Youth Climate Council, which he helped create last June at the Youth Climate Action Summit. Khan developed the idea with help of other youth leaders who want to make climate justice a reality for our region. Khan started his advocacy work in 2018 after joining the Youth and Climate Justice Fellowship with the WNY Environmental Alliance and led the first of four Buffalo Youth Climate Strikes in 2019, which have continued digitally this past year.
Kiera Quinlivan:
Kiera is a 17 year old senior at City Honors, and will attend the University of Toronto/St. Michael’s College this fall under the faculty of Arts and Science with a focus on Social Sciences. Quinlivan joined the Youth Climate Council last fall because she wanted to be a part of the change she was witnessing for a topic she is passionate about. Quinlivan is a co-organizer and social media head on Twitter for the YCC. She advocates for climate justice because she believes that the biodiversity of the world is what makes it beautiful and needs to be protected.
Sophia Lawrence:
Sophia is a graduating senior at Amherst High School and is attending the College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in the fall for Conservation Biology. Lawrence helped to form the Youth Climate Council after meeting Ilyas Khan last June at the WNY Youth Climate Action Summit and is now a co-organizer. She got involved due to her lifelong love of nature and taking action to protect the places she cares about that are being threatened by climate change.
Gabrielle Prince:
Gabrielle is an 18 year old senior graduating from Lancaster High School and will attend Canisius College in the fall. Prince founded her school’s Environmental Action Club and is a member of New York Youth Climate Leaders Coalition. As a co-organizer, she currently manages the YCC’s social media account on Instagram. She joined the YCC following last September’s Buffalo Climate Strike because she believes that unity is power and wanted to connect with other youth activists in WNY. She advocates for climate justice for the oppressed and for the Earth which she believes belongs to God.
