Xiye Bastida, a 22-year-old climate justice activist and organizer from the Otomi-Toltec Indigenous community in Mexico, is a powerful advocate for an inclusive, intersectional climate movement.
After moving to New York in 2015 when her parents got a job at the Center for Earth Ethics, Xiye began deepening her involvement with the existing climate movement. She became a lead organizer for Fridays For Future NYC, helping to mobilize 300,000 people in the streets for climate action. She also co-founded the Re-Earth Initiative, an international youth-led organization supporting frontline communities in 27 countries. Xiye upholds Indigenous wisdom as being a key solution to the climate crisis and has brought this perspective to global platforms, including the UN. Her work has earned her the Spirit of the UN Award and a place on the TIME100 Next list.