Kitchener-Waterloo | Chonnonton, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Peoples | Haldimand Tract and Treaty | Dish with One Spoon Wampum

Celine Isimbi is an African environmental and climate justice organizer, researcher and storyteller. Her organizing journey began in student movements in South Africa. Her work continued in so-called Canada, where she relocated and completed her Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree at the University of Waterloo. Celine has spent over nine years within the grassroots climate, environmental and racial justice student movements. Internationally, she has collaborated with multiple Black-led youth organizations advocating for African diasporic youth leadership within these movements, drawing on critical connections beyond colonial borders. She is a Campus Organizing lead at Change Course, supporting student-led campaigns on university campuses, calling for an end to all fossil fuel financing and championing climate justice. Named a Top 25 under 25 environmentalist by Starfish Canada in 2023, Celine continues to centre environmental liberation in her work while using a pan-Africanist informed approach to organizing in the spirit of the revolutionary power of the African people from which she descends. 

As an Abundance fellow, Celine will launch the Mariam Makeba Environmental Youth program in Kitchener-Waterloo. A space for African youth to engage in political and environmental education and place-based learning to (re)connect them to their environment(s) and the community grounded in Black liberation principles. In doing so, the program will nurture and affirm the leadership of African diasporic youth in the region and empower them to contribute to issues directly affecting their communities. By centring on African youth leadership, the program will contribute to the broader movement for climate justice, challenging local and global systemic injustices. During this fellowship, she hopes to sharpen the skillset needed to grow her capacity to engage within the global movement while connecting with peers to address critical gaps in Black and African youth participation in environmental movements. As a fun fact, Celine was born in Zambia, raised in South Africa, and is ancestrally rooted in East Africa—each place shaping who she is today—making her, at her core, a daughter of African soil.

Toronto, ON | Mississaugas, Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabek nations

Boozhoo, my name is Atreyu Lewis, I am an Anishinaabe Ojibwe 2-spirit youth and I am living and working in Toronto. I am a Masters of Education student at York University and I am also the Project Lead and Founder of the grassroots organization Rising from our Roots which is also primarily based in Ontario. I am a community worker, educator, facilitator, grant coordinator and researcher. The project I am working alongside my co-lead Mo Asaad is titled the From Your Ancestor Project, a multi media initiative to promote storytelling and cultural wellbeing in the Wasauksing and Six Nations communities. This initiative will create a comic book for two Indigenous heroes Francis Pegahmagabow and Tom Longboat which will be distributed to Indigenous youth as well as host solidarity workshops and ceremonies in the communities we will be visiting. I hope to achieve a better understanding of artistic solidarity and how to reclaim ancestral knowledge as a reconnecting Anishnaabe person. A fun fact about me is that I used to surf twice a year in Los Angeles growing up till 2020!

Montréal, QC | Tiohtià:ke | Mooniyang

I’m a young Indigenous activist with a passion for climate justice and revitalizing ancestral knowledge. My commitment to Montreal’s Indigenous youth community guides me on a daily basis. I aspire to create bridges between struggles and build a future where Indigenous youth can thrive in an urban environment while remaining connected to their culture and identity.

My project aims to create a series of workshops for Indigenous youth in Montreal, focusing on the transmission of ancestral knowledge linked to environmental protection. The aim is to reconnect young people with their cultural heritage and equip them to become agents of change in the socio-ecological struggle. My hope is that these workshops will inspire commitment, strengthen community ties and enable young people to reappropriate ancestral knowledge as a source of solutions for the future.

Through this program, I hope to acquire the skills and resources needed to bring my project to fruition and maximize its impact. I want to learn how to conduct effective advocacy activities to gain recognition for ancestral knowledge and highlight its importance in finding solutions to climate challenges. I also want to deepen my spiritual connection to maintain my energy and motivation throughout the project.

Vancouver, BC | Unceded & ancestral territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish),səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations

José Reyeros is a Mexican immigrant, climate organizer, and advocate for youth-led  action rooted in transnational collaboration and good relations. A passionate explorer of traditional cultures, landscapes and cuisines, José co-founded Ritmos Climáticos (Climate Rhythms in Spanish and Portuguese), a youth-powered initiative that mobilizes culture and the arts for climate justice across the Salish Coast, Turtle Island, and the Americas. His work focuses on fostering community connections and building capacity with young talent to engage in climate solutions with optimism and a spirit of collective action.

With a degree in Environment and Sustainability from UBC Vancouver, José has collaborated with organizations such as SOA Mexico, Chilli.club, the Youth Climate Corps, and the Green Career Center, where he led a podcast on green jobs and campaigns for ocean and climate solutions. His initiatives span local and international contexts, aiming to bridge communities, governments, and industries while advancing equitable climate solutions.

José is driven by the vision of building partnerships between Global North enablers and Global South leaders, prioritizing regenerative practices that safeguard critical ecosystems, uphold Indigenous rights, and promote social equity. Committed to expanding climate action beyond traditional audiences, Jose seeks to make climate solutions accessible across diverse political and socioeconomic landscapes.