‘Despair is not an option:’ Xiye Bastida’s inspiring vision for a greener future

"Despair is not an option:" Xiye Bastida on what the future could look like

Twitter / Xiye Bastida

Editors note: This article was produced in partnership with Earth Day Network. In a democracy, every voice matters. Click here to pledge to vote on environmental progress in 2020.

17-year-old Xiye Bastida’s message will inspire you to imagine a better future—and then take action to build it.

Bastida, a member of the Otomi-Toltec Nation, grew up in Mexico. She first witnessed the effects of climate change when her hometown experienced two years of drought. In 2015, the drought gave way to intense rains and floods. And when she moved to New York, she saw the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy. For Bastida, the impact of the climate crisis was impossible to ignore.

Today, Bastida is a high-school student and an environmental advocate in NYC. She organizes with Fridays for the Future, the Peoples Climate Movement New York, and We the Planet. She’s spoken at rallies alongside none other than Greta Thunberg.

In her video, Bastida helps you to visualize the eco-friendly city of the future. It’s overflowing with streets full of pedestrians, solar panels, and urban gardens. This might be a dream right now, but it’s one that’s entirely possible to achieve.

Says Bastida,

Despair is not an option. We must rise up and meet the greatest challenge of our lives with stubborn optimism.

When you listen to Bastida, you won’t be able to help but feel her optimism.

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