Xiye Bastida
Xiye Bastida (born 18 April 2002) is an American climate activist and member of the indigenous Mexican Otomi-Toltec nation. She is one of the major organizers of Fridays for Future New York City and has been a leading voice for indigenous and immigrant visibility in climate activism.[2] She is on the administration committee of the People's Climate Movement and a member of Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion.
Xiye Bastida | |
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Bastida in 2019 | |
Born | [1] Toluca, Mexico | 18 April 2002
Nationality |
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Known for | School strike for climate |
Home town | San Pedro Tultepec, Lerma |
Early life and activism
Bastida was born in Atlacomulco, Mexico to parents Mindahi and Geraldine, who are also environmentalists,[3] and raised in the town of San Pedro Tultepec in Lerma.[4][5] She is of Otomi-Toltec (indigenous Mexican) and Bolivian descent on her father's side and Chilean and European descent on her mother's.[6][7] Bastida holds Mexican and Chilean citizenship.[8]
Bastida and her family moved to New York City after extreme flooding hit their hometown of San Pedro Tultepec in 2015 following three years of drought.[9]
Bastida began her activism with an environmental club. The club protested at Albany and New York City Hall and lobbied for the CLCPA [the Climate and Community Leaders Protection Act] and the Dirty Buildings Bill.[8] It was then she heard about Greta Thunberg and her climate strikes.
Bastida gave a speech on Indigenous Cosmology at the 9th United Nations World Urban Forum, and was awarded the “Spirit of the UN” award in 2018.[10]
Bastida led her high school, The Beacon School,[11] in the first major climate strike in New York City on 15 March 2019.[12] She and Alexandria Villaseñor officially greeted Thunberg upon her arrival from Europe by boat in September 2019 to attend the UN Climate Summit.[13] Xiye has been coined "America's Greta Thunberg". [14]
Teen Vogue released a documentary short We Rise on Bastida in December 2019.[15] Xiye has also collaborated with 2040 film to create a short video titled Imagine the Future exploring what future landscapes and cityscapes could look like in the future.
Filmography
- We Rise (2019)
References
- @DiscipleGreta (18 April 2020). "Happy Birthday, Xiye Bastida! @xiyebastida
Xiye is a amazing climate activist and all-around wonderful person. [URL] @AlexandriaV2005 @GretaThunberg @polyglotale @olivepit_ @maud14 @bridgekid @goldsgracie" (Tweet). Retweeted by UN-Habitat Youth [@unhabitatyouth] – via Twitter. - Burton, Nylah (11 October 2019). "Meet the young activists of color who are leading the charge against climate disaster". Vox. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Vincent, Maddie (17 August 2019). "Youth activists stress collaboration, urgency to respond to climate change". Aspen Times. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- "How an Indigenous Teen Climate Activist Plans to Change the World". Teen Vogue. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Bagley, Katherine (7 November 2019). "From a Young Climate Movement Leader, a Determined Call for Action". Yale Environment 365. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Perry, Aaron William (27 August 2019). "Episode 46 – Xiye Bastida, Global Youth Leader: "Strike with Us!"". Yale Environment 360. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Tierra, Desafío (28 August 2019). "Xiye Bastida, la adolescente de madre chilena que recibió a Greta Thunberg en su llegada a Nueva York". CNN Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Labayen, Evalena (10 December 2019). "Environmental activist Xiye Bastida says "OK, Doomers"". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Lucente Sterling, Anna (25 September 2019). "This Teen Climate Activist Is Fighting To Ensure Indigenous And Marginalized Voices Are Being Heard". HuffPost. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- "Xiye Bastida". Omega. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- ""Young People Have Had Enough": Global Climate Strike Youth Activists on Why They Are Marching Today". Democracy Now. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Kamenetz, Anya (19 January 2020). "'You Need To Act Now': Meet 4 Girls Working To Save The Warming World". NPR. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Cimons, Marlene (19 September 2020). "Meet Xiye Bastida, America's Greta Thunberg". PBS. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- "Meet Xiye Bastida, America's Greta Thunberg". Peril & Promise. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- Kirkland, Allegra (19 December 2019). "Xiye Bastida Opens Up About the Personal Costs of Activism In Documentary 'We Rise'". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 3 February 2020.