Kilhah’s story: “I’m forever changed by everything that Climate Speaks did for me”
Transcript below from Kilhah’s segment during our Education for Action event.
“I want to speak a bit about what [the Climate Museum’s program] Climate Speaks means to me and how much it has helped me. When I was younger, I was a really shy kid. My family still jokes about how when I was a toddler, anytime I met a new person...I used to hide behind my mom. So it's really no big surprise that throughout elementary and middle school, and even half of high school, anytime I had to be in group projects, I wasn't talking. [T]he friends I made up to that point talked to me first... But the reason I'm more outgoing now is really because of Climate Speaks.
It happened halfway through my sophomore year, when one of the Climate Speaks staff came to my school. They came up to my lunch table and said, hey, this is a poetry spoken word program. It's a writing and performance program based on climate change and climate-focused writing.
I was really hesitant to do it at first, but then my friends encouraged me, and I went to the first workshop. And while it was fun, I still wasn't really convinced to actually submit my poem and take it a step further. Even with [the Climate Museum’s Director] Miranda emailing me, I still wasn't sure. But then I started looking more into the Climate Museum and I learned that they're fighting for a really good cause. That's what really pushed me to actually submit my poem. And then, months later, I performed [my poem] at the Apollo, and here I am about to graduate.
I’m forever changed by everything that Climate Speaks did for me, and all the skills that I learned through months of practices, rehearsals, and workshops.
Just some of those skills are: leadership skills, public speaking skills, how to build community with strangers in a matter of seconds, and also just knowing how powerful my voice is, and how to actually use it to advocate for issues that I care about.
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One of the issues that matters a lot to me is racial injustice. Because of my time with Climate Speaks, being on stage, and having to be authentic and honest, and really put my heart and soul out there…I'm now the president of my school's Minorities United Club. I lead discussions with my fellow students about racial injustice that happens both inside and outside of school, and about how we can work together to process all these harmful emotions in a more productive and positive manner.
I'm also an ambassador for a program called Justice for Black Girls. And I wouldn't have joined that program if it wasn't for Climate Speaks giving me all these skills. Through that program, I was able to teach a class on black girls’ healing, safekeeping and liberation three times...through a screen. And I would have never done that without Climate Speaks. So something that I really want to end off with, to all my youth out there, to all the people who aren't youth, who know youth, I say—try and get into one of these great Climate Speaks youth programs. It will really change you and change your life in ways you won't even imagine. And I think it's such an amazing opportunity that would just be horrible to miss out on. Thank you for letting me have the space to speak about my experience, and I really hope that you donate and that you suggest these programs to youth that you know.”
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Donations to the Climate Museum will help to deepen understanding, build connections, and advance young climate leaders, like Kilhah.
If you are (or know) a high school student and want to hear more about our February - May virtual internship, with tracks in Climate Arts and Climate Advocacy, please sign up here for more information.
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Click here to watch our entire Education for Action event here on our YouTube channel.