LCV Organizer Stories: From Climate Denial to Climate Activism
Nov 4, 2024
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Jezreel Joven: Champion for social change for Climate Action Nevada
Jezreel Joven is a rising senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying psychology and criminal justice. She plans to attend law school for social justice and public interest. Having lived most of her life in geographically vulnerable regions of the Philippines, Jezreel’s experience growing up regularly consisted of confronting natural disasters faced by her community — including frequent earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme flooding and disastrous storms. Seeing first-hand how the impacts of crisis unequally manifests in society has motivated Jezreel to pursue an education and career in social change.
Jezreel’s passion for environmental and climate justice stems from her strong foundational understanding of systemic inequity. For Jezreel, protecting the environment goes beyond preserving landscapes and preventing biodiversity loss — it is a critical fight for our rights. She believes every human being deserves a fair chance to live in a safe, clean environment, with clean air, clean water, and a clean energy future.
In just the short period of interning with Climate Action Nevada, Jezreel reports the experience as “life-changing” and appreciates the opportunities for learning and action. The program has offered invaluable insights on the climate crisis and how it contributes to existing issues faced by historically marginalized communities, particularly communities of color and communities with low wealth. Jezreel gladly shares that her experience with Climate Action made her a stronger communicator and a stronger advocate for climate justice.
“Without the opportunities with Climate Action Nevada, I would have failed to realize the many critical intersections of the climate movement.”
Inspired by awareness, Jezreel emphasized the importance of maintaining an open mind to new and uncommon information. Expanding her knowledge beyond the scope of her academic disciplines has contributed to an enriched outlook of the causes she originally cared about and informed meaningful efforts.
“The different types of social issues are never one-dimensional, they are always related to you — whether you know it or not.”
Jezreel believes everyone has some responsibility to make this world a better place, and we should recognize our capacities to contribute.
“I might not be the person who would single-handedly change the world, but I want to be a part of the movement that does.”
Climate Action NV is proud to have Jezreel on the team and be part of her journey to a bright future. Her dedication to social change is powered by selflessness and humility, and will continue to make a sincere difference in this space.
Action ask:
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