Observing climate change framed as a future crisis rather than a present issue disproportionately impacting communities of color, 21-year-old Alexia Leclercq co-founded Start:Empowerment (S:E) in

Observing climate change framed as a future crisis rather than a present issue disproportionately impacting communities of color, 21-year-old Alexia Leclercq co-founded Start:Empowerment (S:E) in 2019. This environmental justice nonprofit bridges education and action, collaborating with activists, educators, and community members. S:E creates spaces for environmental justice education and action, championing abolition, transformative justice, and mutual aid.

S:E has reached over 500 students across five schools, implementing lessons and supporting student-led environmental and food justice clubs. Additionally, S:E established a micro-grants program to support youth pursuing community-based justice projects. Learn more at Brower Youth Awards.

For the Climate Justice Movement to achieve true "justice," it must be radically inclusive, intersecting with social, racial, gender, and disability justice movements. Alexia Leclercq, a Brower

For the Climate Justice Movement to achieve true "justice," it must be radically inclusive, intersecting with social, racial, gender, and disability justice movements. Alexia Leclercq, a Brower Youth Award winner and environmental justice organizer, passionately advocates for these rarely discussed aspects of intersectionality.

Leclercq delivered this talk at the 2021 Bioneers Conference. Learn more at www.bioneers.org.

Alexia Leclercq delivered a speech at the 2021 Brower Youth Awards, held virtually on October 14.

For more information about the awards, visit