Viewpoints From Our Community
"The climate crisis has already been solved. We already have the facts and solutions. All we have to do is wake up and change."
Greta Thunberg
What Issue Do You Advocate?
Since I was a child, I have always been the different one, I could never fit into a box, I would always speak up about the things I didn’t like and would always try to find solutions towards it. I remember how it didn’t make any sense to see the inequalities between people just because of their gender, religion, where they are from. I have never understood how people couldn’t embrace the concept of every single human being, being equal just because they are their authentic selves. I now realize, deep inside, I always knew I would be a change maker, even though it would mean hate comments, criticizing, accuses of breaking the traditions. I knew what my truth was and nothing could stop me from speaking my mind and sharing my truth with my community.
Why Do You Advocate It?
I think every aspect and type of activism is major and important but I have chosen to focus on Sustainable Development Goals 4 (access to education) and 5 (gender equality). I believe there are many reasons why I focused on gender equality but just to share two of them, I have seen a massive gender equality gap especially on the East Side of the country. Child marriages, underage pregnancies are very much real in Turkey, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a dangerous increase in child marriages and domestic violence. Right now, our government is trying to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention which is the only thing that keeps women safe and protected from all types of violence. Turkish people are tired and disgusted of waking up to a black and white picture of a woman every single day who has been killed by her husband, father, ex, a victim of the brutal violence and femicides that are happening in Turkey. Maybe yes, these issues have never affected me as an individual but that is the biggest problem. People do not take action if it is not affecting them in person, and enjoy their privileges... but make them uncomfortable. Make them uncomfortable so they have to talk about it, that is what I am aiming to do.
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The second reason is, I grew up listening and learning about Turkey’s great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and knowing the things and innovative changes he has done for Turkish women, I knew I had to follow in his footsteps and should have been a young woman worthy of Atatürk.
"Is it possible for half of a nation to soar in the skies while the other half is locked in chains to the ground?"
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
How Can Others Help With the Issue?
To support HeForShe, you can get into their website and sign the ‘’I Commit’’ sheet, to support Girl Up, you can either become a part of your local club or start your club, which is always fun! If you want to support a project related to STEM, you can get in touch with Girls Who Code to take action towards breaking the stereotypes on coding, that is what I did and became the founder of the first Girls Who Code Club in Turkey! If you want to share your story, I would recommend checking out Girl Rising’s Storytelling Challenge and to support girls’ education, you can always donate, even a small amount, to Girl Rising’s Rising Together Campaign. Also, if you would like to learn more about my platform We Ground Zero, please give us a follow on Instagram!
What Issue Do You Advocate?
The main issues I advocate for is climate justice. I use this term specifically because this encompasses a whole variety of issues such as gender equality, indigenous rights, food security, decolonization and more. The climate crisis is a known intersectional issue- it doesn't just affect the planet, but all sectors. Therefore the solution you create must be and needs to be intersectional.
Why Do You Advocate It?
I started my journey as an activist in 2018. I am from India and have seen the climate crisis up close & have been privileged enough to come here unscathed apart from emotional pain and the financial loss. In 2018, I went back to my home in India and was stuck in some of the worst floods. Floods that submerged buildings, people, animals. Floods that kept me awake wondering if tomorrow it would be my building gone. It left 400 people dead. Those floods didn't stop after 2018, they happened again. When I arrived back home in Ireland, nobody knew it happened. This terrible crisis happened, it took 400 lives and showed the true colours of the climate crisis and yet it wasn’t heard about. This was the spark that ignited my work to begin being the activist I am today and why one of the main areas I work in is climate education. People didn’t know why the floods were happening so didn’t know how to mitigate it. I truly believe education is one of the greatest tools we have for empowerment. I also add that I am not doing this because I want to but because I genuinely have no other option. This is the fight to save my life and the life of the generations to come.
How Can Others Help With the Issue?
a) Educate! - I still learn everyday about the climate crisis, more facts, more stories, more truth. By keeping myself open and actively looking to learn, I do my part in this fight. So please, education is powerful and if you have the privilege of time and resources, spend time looking into this and realizing and accepting the crisis for what it is, a crisis.
b) Get Involved (if you have the capacity and privilege of time and resources) - We need more and more people in this movement. Our power is in fair unity where those experiencing the crisis now lead while we stand behind and support them by walking with them. You may think that just because you at this time can’t afford to be 100% sustainable does NOT mean you’re not good enough for the movement. We need everyone trying what they can. So if you have the capacity, get involved, bring the power back to the people!
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c) Support - support the people around you fighting for this whether that’s by donating to charities, or even voting for those representatives. Every bit matters and your voice matters and can help us.
d) Don’t lose that spark! - Trust me I know how hard it is to lose hope. But without that hope we lose everything. Confide in your community, talk to people and take your rest when needed but don’t lose hope. In this time of darkness we must stay lit and learn to reignite the fire of others through our mutual support but also remember to allow ourselves to be at a low flame. Our hope is why we do this, why we fight back, why we don’t sit back.
What Issue Do You Advocate?
I share information on environmental and social issues with a focus on climate change and the fashion industry.
Why Do You Advocate It?
I started joining the public conversation on social and environmental issues in the fashion industry around four years ago because I saw a lack of awareness. I wanted to inform myself of the problem and the possible solutions and share my experience. Since then I felt that my energy has to go towards the biggest problem that humanity faces right now - climate change. I do this to be part of the solution and keep the conversation going - especially in times like these, where other topics are overshadowing the climate crisis.
How Can Others Help With the Issue?
Keep the conversation going! Be part of the solution in a way that feels right to you. Talk to people around you about the environment and climate in a non-threatening and respectful way.