For me, seeing energy and organizing from young people is incredibly motivating. I grew up feeling ambivalent to the world. I knew things were wrong,… - Yessenia Funes

I grew up in a predominantly Black and Latine community where gang violence was common. My parents grew up in El Salvador, and when they took me to visit, I was struck by the level of poverty I saw. I saw that no matter where in the world my people go, they're exposed to varying levels of injustice. And I knew I had to do something about it, so I decided to write.

My fear is that we won't act quickly enough to leave a habitable world for the youth working so hard to save it. After all, it can't be all on them. They inherited this mess. The adults in the room created it.

My greatest hope is the youth. They see the issue for what it is. They see it through this racial lens. They understand all the ways it's set to impact their lives, their futures, the world.