Julia Weder loves listening to people’s stories and organizing against injustice. She is the co-founder of Climate Strike Canada, a nationwide network of youth that coordinate climate justice demonstrations. She is a strong advocate for youth empowerment and climate justice, and an avid supporter of Indigenous rights.
FutureXChange Community Activator, Julia Weder.
What does climate action look like to you?
Julia: Climate action must be backed by a powerful and diverse resistance movement and involve a variety of tactics. Climate action is far beyond transitioning to renewables - it involves tackling injustices at their root. In my experience organizing, I aim to take action through an intersectional lens and consider how bridges can be built between various groups, with Indigenous sovereignty at the forefront. I’m involved with climate strike organizing in Canada, and one thing that’s become clear is the importance of solid relationships and taking care of each other. I try to live my values - being generous with my love, challenging my worldview, and respecting our shared home.
Q: What are some of your takeaways from FutureXChange and your community engagement event?
Julia: The week in Inuvik cut through the assumptions I had of “the north”. Far from frozen and desolate, northern communities are bursting with language revitalization, self-government development, impressive renewable energy projects, and rich intergenerational knowledge.
I was overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to connect with such genuine, caring people during FutureXChange. We listened deeply to Gwich’in Elders, youth, and the land. We crushed the invisible gaps between us as individuals fighting for global justice and a better world. As a settler on Turtle Island, I became more confident in my role and responsibility in this lifelong project.
During our time on Gwich’in territory, a fellow FutureXChange participant (Dylan Cohen) and I were motivated to organize a youth empowerment workshop that explored themes like climate justice and Indigenous resistance. A third participant, Niklas Agarwal, enthusiastically joined our event planning soon after. We decided to hold it on Haida Gwaii, where I am humbled to live and work. Three months later, the workshop day arrived: on January 25th, 14 teens from across Haida Gwaii gathered in Skidegate for an all-day workshop on collective action and social change, followed by a sleepover.
We also discussed examples of inspiring actions and victories that the Haida Nation -- and the wider community and the world -- have achieved. Everyone buzzed with a renewed sense of motivation and hope. By the end of the weekend, youth developed closer relationships between communities, made plans to collaborate on all-island events in the future, and felt more confident in their individual ability to contribute to today’s movement for radical social change. This collaboration between local community members, healers, and my two beautiful new friends Dylan and Niklas - who are both incredibly talented facilitators - would not have been possible without FutureXChange. Grateful is an understatement.
We are equally grateful for the opportunity to work with Julia and support the amazing work she is doing. Julia has demonstrated true commitment to just climate action and is an example for others to follow.
