Our Story

Group of young people posing for a photo at an environmental protest, holding a sign that reads 'Skolstrejk för klimatet,' with many signs and a crowd in the background.

In 2019…

Born from the global youth movement, Fridays for Future, YCSLA erupted in 2019 when four LA teens saw our city choking on smog, burning in wildfires, and silencing frontline communities.

Fed up with empty promises, they organized walkouts, flooded City Hall, and linked arms with Indigenous, Black, and Brown organizers fighting for breathable air, clean water, and a livable future.

A crowd of young people participating in a climate strike protest on city streets, holding various signs advocating for environmental and social issues, with buildings and blue sky in the background.

What we stand for

We’re here to disrupt business-as-usual (aka extraction of land and exploitation of people) by:
#1
Collective Care!
We are hosting community spaces and workshops for classmates, friends, families, and neighbors to build skills and relationships so that we can take care of one another during climate and environmental crises
#2
Challenge the System!
We target politicians and corporations fueling extraction, racism, and inequality, because climate justice is housing justice, migrant justice, and Indigenous sovereignty.

Capitalism and colonialism are killing the planet! and frontline communities (Black, Brown, Indigenous, working-class) pay the price. LA’s smog, wildfires, and water crises won’t wait. We strike to reclaim power, center solutions led by those most impacted, and force a just transition to a world where people and planet thrive together.

A diverse group of people participating in a climate protest or march on a city street, holding signs advocating for environmental protection and climate action, with tall buildings and traffic signals in the background.

Who we are

We are a BIPOC and youth-led volunteer grassroots group made up of high school and college-aged youth, students and young adult across Los Angeles county. We are youth that aren’t waiting on adults to make the change we want to see.

We believe youth leadership and inter-generational organizing is key to surviving the climate crisis.

Our Timeline

2019

  • Co-founded the CA Youth vs Big Oil coalition, helping draft and adopt the Stop, Drop, Roll demands to phase out fossil fuel drilling at city, county, and state levels.

  • Mobilized 20,000+ people in mass demonstrations and disruptive actions for climate justice.

2020

  • Pivoted to mutual aid during the pandemic, distributing supplies and creating safe spaces for youth to process trauma and grief.

  • Amplified community care by linking climate justice with urgent COVID-19 relief efforts.

2021

  • Hosted a 24-hour Climate Strike post-lockdown, centering cross-cultural and multi-generational solidarity.

  • Engaged 1,000–1,500 youth through workshops, art builds, and collaborations with social justice groups.

2022

  • Launched youth voter engagement campaigns, securing record-breaking youth turnout in LA elections.

  • Organized LA’s first youth-led candidates forum, forcing climate action into the mayoral race through direct actions and media pressure (LA Times coverage).

2023

  • Partnered with immigrant/workers’ rights orgs to diversify environmental justice (EJ) spaces and center frontline leadership.

  • Won a decade-long fight: Helped push LA City Council to phase out urban oil drilling as part of the CA Youth vs Big Oil coalition and STAND-L.A.

2024

  • Sued the EPA: Three of our organizers joined the Genesis V. EPA lawsuit which calls out the federal agency for failing to value and protect the lives of children

  • Connected 27 youth to leadership development trainings

  • Co-led Free Palestine x Climate Justice protests and discussions with over 2,000 attendees

  • We started filming our own documentary!

2025

  • In 2025, We launched our base-building efforts and distributed organizing Rising Tides with the Pilipino Workers Center to strength the connection between Climate Justice and Migrants rights.

  • Hosted art, climate and narrative events to build power and challenge dominate structures preventing climate justice from actualizing

  • Supported over 600 families across LA impacted by the fires & political attacks, through mutual aid.

A large crowd of people gathered outdoors protesting with various signs and banners. Some signs promote veganism, climate action, and criticize political figures. There is a stage with additional banners related to youth climate strike and environmental issues. The background shows buildings and tall palm trees, indicating a sunny day.
A woman with a colorful hat and face mask standing near a public protest wall, placing a sticker on a yellow sign that reads 'RIGHT FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT'. Other protest signs visible include messages like 'PASSA BOLD CIVILIAN CLIMATE: CORPS' and 'NO FOSSIL FUEL MONEY'.
Two young girls outdoors with a bright digital screen behind them. One girl in a purple and red top, white skirt, and headband holds a woven basket with purple, pink, and cream colors. The other girl in a white top with red embroidery, beige skirt with a colorful belt, and glasses is wiping her face with a cloth.
Gathering of young people sitting on the grass in front of a white building with palm trees, some holding protest signs. Many are wearing masks, and the signs include messages like 'I've seen smarter cabinets at IKEA' and 'Noooo don't kill the earth, it's so sexy, hahaha.'
A person kneeling down and painting a mural on the ground that reads 'Vian Climate Corps' with a stylized sun and hills. Many people in the background are standing, walking, or painting, some wearing masks. Art supplies and paint bottles are scattered around.
City Hall building with flags in front, palm trees on the left, people gathered outside, and tents on the ground.
Group of five people holding signs and speaking at a public demonstration or rally outdoors, with trees and a modern building in the background.
A group of young people at a climate protest holding a banner that reads 'SKOLSTREJK FÖR KLIMATET'. They are smiling, raising their fists, and wearing badges. Many more protesters with various signs and banners are visible in the background.
A young woman speaking into a microphone with several seated people listening in the background.
A woman speaking passionately on a stage with a microphone, holding papers in her hand, raising her fist in the air at a public rally or event, with two other women standing beside her smiling.
A person stands to the right of a projected presentation slide titled 'Who We Are: Legacy,' discussing youth-led climate justice organizing groups, BIPOC, frontline communities, anti-imperialist, military cross-cultural efforts, with photos of protests and community gatherings.
Group of young people protesting on street holding signs and banners, with some signs expressing concerns about climate change and advocating for action.
A promotional poster for a youth climate documentary encouraging action to decolonize and degas the youth climate strike. The poster features images of young people speaking, holding signs, and protesting, with large text that says 'CULTIVATE!' and 'MAKE THIS HAPPEN.'
A young man wearing headphones and a black hoodie, taking a selfie in an indoor setting, possibly a library or classroom, with light-colored walls and windows behind him.
Aerial view of a pink outdoor plaza with numerous people, some sitting and some walking. The ground features colorful chalk messages and drawings advocating for climate justice, including a tree illustration, Earth, and texts like 'Eat the rich,' 'Climate justice,' and 'Protect Oceans.' Some people hold signs, and there is a large concrete structure on the right.
Group of nine diverse young individuals posing indoors, some with fists raised, some wearing masks or hats, standing and sitting in front of a wall with a large black and red graphic.

Meet the Team

  • Rosemary Ruiz

    Rosemary Ruiz (Any Pronouns) is the queer child and grandchild of Mexican & Guatemalan immigrants who grew up in low-income areas around Central LA, from MacArthur Park to Boyle Heights to Koreatown. They began organizing in high school but have been involved in activism most of their lives, organizing around LA & at UCLA, primarily with Youth Climate Stewards for Local Action (YCSLA) and Rising Tides at UCLA. They are pursuing a degree in Political Science and Chicana/o/x Studies with a minor in Environmental Systems & Society while also working at the Mar Vista Farmers Market on the Zero Waste Team. They enjoy making & consuming art, from drawing to sewing to music, typically finding ways to integrate their art into their organizing. They love going to concerts (their favorite artists are Conan Gray, Jeff Buckley, & Elliott Smith), content creation, and hanging out with their friends!!

  • Sim Bilal

    Sim Bilal (he/him) is a Black, Korean, and Chickasaw organizer from South Central Los Angeles and the Executive Director of Youth Climate Stewards 4 Local Action (YCSLA). He has nearly a decade of experience building youth power through organizing, direct action, and community-owned climate infrastructure. Sim is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, a Los Angeles County Youth Climate Commissioner, and a Liberty Hill Environmental Leadership Initiative Fellow. He believes that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution, and that the future is not something to wait for, but something to build.

  • Shekinah Deocares

    Shekinah (she/her), born and raised in the SFV, is a Filipina immigrant and workers’ rights organizer. Shekinah has organized with YCSLA since 2022. She grew up witnessing her parents and friends forced to repeateadly go up against discrimination based on immigration status and background, exploitation and mistreatment in the workforce, and systemic barred access from resources. She also saw this same community on the frontline of heat waves, toxins, and pollution while also and oftentimes climate refugees, even though they have championed sustainable practices and have not been the primary effectors of climate change. Shekinah is determined to support frontline communities in getting the resources and space to lead the EJ & CJ movement. Shekinah also loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, her cats Mango & Lee, and roller skating.

  • Jessica Xiloj

    Jessica Xiloj (She/Her) is a first-generation Guatemalan young woman who grew up in Los Angeles and aspires to continue fighting for social, environmental, and climate justice. She began her activism journey with YCSLA and continues to work alongside them to make change. She wants to do this not just for herself but for the generations to come. Jessica is also exploring her love for medicine through pursuing neonatal nursing.

  • Alyssa Paniza

    Alyssa Paniza (She/Her) is the daughter of Filipino immigrants from the San Fernando Valley who is passionate about social and environmental justice. She first became involved with YCS4LA as an intern, and now continues to work alongside them to support the movement by uplifting community voices and advocating for a healthier and more equitable world for the later generations. She enjoys thrift shopping and creating crafts for her loved ones.

  • Joselyn Hernandez Ochoa

    Joselyn Hernandez Ochoa (she/her) the child of Mexican & Honduran parents, grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She recently started organizing and getting involved in activism. Joining Rising Tides in high school was her first step, and she continues to stay involved. She is very passionate about helping her community and connecting with the people around her. Joselyn also loves her 3 dogs, churros, and going to concerts.

  • Will Denis

    Will Denis (He/They) is a queer Latino activist currently organizing at UCLA through UCLA Rising Tides and YCSLA. They are pursuing a degree in Film and Television, through which they hope to explore the lived experience of existing along social margins, with special emphasis on the experiences of transgender youth. Alongside film, Will is a multimedia artist, using traditional visual art, textiles, and writing to both express resistance and connect with his community.

  • Muaawiyah

    Muaawiyah (16) is an organizer, activist, & plaintiff on the Genesis V EPA case. He organizers for his family & community.

  • Zubayr

    Zubayr (11) is a organizer with Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles, a plaintiff on the Genesis V. EPA case joining other children in holding the government accountable for their inaction.

  • Ivan Serna

    Ivan Serna (he/him) is from East Los Angeles and focuses on youth empowerment and climate activism. His organizing strategy involves working with the community to identify the best solutions and address the need for a healthy and clean environment. Ivan has participated in the Los Angeles Mayor’s Youth Council for Climate Action, the STAND LA Coalition, and the Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles. He is incredibly passionate about diverse narratives in media and looks forward to working as a filmmaker on stories that draw attention to disadvantaged communities disproportionately impacted by social and climate related issues.