The Starfish Canada celebrates young environmental leaders by connecting them with a platform for storytelling and a community of change-makers. The Starfish has generously brought those environmental leaders to Digital Human Library. Learn more about the third group of 5 top environmentalists under 25 who want to connect with your students!
KEHKASHAN BASU, 19
HOMETOWN: TORONTO, ONTARIO / HURON-WENDAT AND PETUN FIRST NATIONS, THE SENECA, AND THE MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT RIVER
Kehkashan is the founder of Green Hope Foundation – a youth-led social innovation program and enterprise empowering children and youth around the world. Her work educates and empowers marginalized youth (including refugees, orphans and the homeless) to take grassroots level actions and contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society. She works to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and advocates tirelessly for children’s rights. In a short span of seven years, Green Hope Foundation now has 2,038 members and a presence in 15 countries. Kehkashan is also a United Nations Human Rights Champion and the only Canadian to win the International Children’s Peace Prize.
http://thestarfish.ca/journal/2020/4/top-25-winner-kehkashan-basu
LINXI MYTKOLLI, 24
HOMETOWN: TORONTO, ONTARIO / HURON-WENDAT AND PETUN FIRST NATIONS, THE SENECA, AND THE MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT RIVER
Linxi is an innovative thinker. During her Masters in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto, she co-founded Sproutworks, a social enterprise that develops productive green spaces into urban retirement homes in downtown Toronto while also engaging the senior residents with cooking classes. Linxi has held positions at The Canadian Coalition for Green Health and SickKids Hospital and has helped make our healthcare system more sustainable. She hopes to become a physician one day that treats both patients and the planet.
http://thestarfish.ca/journal/2020/4/top-25-winner-linxi-mytkolli
VANESSA FIORE, 20
HOMETOWN: VAUGHAN, ONTARIO / THE MISSISSAUGAS OF THE NEW CREDIT FIRST NATION, THE ANISHINAABEG OF THE WILLIAMS TREATY FIRST NATIONS, THE HURON-WENDAT, AND THE MÉTIS NATION
Vanessa started her environmental stewardship at the neighbourhood level with We R The Change, a community group. The group has done a food drive, raised money for international development projects, organized park clean-ups, and conducted petitions to support environmental and animal welfare causes. Vanessa is a passionate environmentalist who is constantly living up to her values and encourages and sets an example to those around her on how to live sustainably.
http://thestarfish.ca/journal/2020/4/top-25-winner-vanessa-fiore
CHRISTOPHER CHONG, 17
HOMETOWN: VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / UNCEDED XʷMƏΘKʷƏY̓ƏM (MUSQUEAM), SḴWX̱WÚ7MESH ÚXWUMIXW (SQUAMISH), AND SƏL̓ILW̓ƏTAʔꞭ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES
Christopher engages his fellow peers on environmental initiatives through Shoreline Cleanups and organizing the annual Sustainability Fair as the Initiatives Chair of Sustainable Youth Canada. He worked with international students of MIT’s LaunchX Program to create Stillae Droplets, a nonprofit that combats the plastics produced from single-use hygiene products by replacing the plastics with an environmentally-friendly, plant-based film. He also promoted engagement for youth by founding Sprout-Up!, a nonprofit that sells pre-made, 100% biodegradable horticulture plant starter kits.
http://thestarfish.ca/journal/2020/4/top-25-winner-christopher-chong
DENISE LEE, 20
HOMETOWN: VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / UNCEDED XʷMƏΘKʷƏY̓ƏM (MUSQUEAM), SḴWX̱WÚ7MESH ÚXWUMIXW (SQUAMISH), AND SƏL̓ILW̓ƏTAʔꞭ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES
Denise is a previous recipient of our 2017 award and she has carried the momentum right through to the present. As an independent researcher in tech, policy, and economics, she is currently researching the “Scalability of Direct Air Capture Technologies” with funding as a Laidlaw Scholar. Denise attended the One Young World Summit as a BP Advancing Energy Scholar and presented before the International Studies Association (ISA). In the 2018 Buenos Aires cycle, Denise was a macroeconomic compliance analyst for the G20 Research Group.
http://thestarfish.ca/journal/2020/5/top-25-winner-denise-lee
GET CONNECTED!
Connect your class of students with one of these leading change makers by logging in to Digital Human Library and searching for The Starfish.
Stay tuned for Part 4 of this series and meet the next Top 5 Environmentalists under 25!
In case you missed it…
This post is also available in: Français (French)
I would love for one of these environmentalists could connect me with Grade 4 class.