I love the question: “Who are my people?”
I enjoy answering it. I like discussing it in community dialogue spaces, and I am fascinated by how it prompts us to reflect on our origins and identities.
My people include a diverse range of characteristics: loud, caring, passionate, funny, emotionally mature and immature, fire signs, water signs, and everything in between. They encompass various ethnicities, ages, personalities, and physical attributes.
Each time I ponder this question, I feel like I am neglecting a significant aspect of my reality. Yet, the exploration of who my people are and where I belong continues to unfold. It is a reality check to see that while some of my people are suffering globally, others remain oblivious to current and historical injustices.
Coming from the United States and engaging with global communities compels me to be mindful and occupy minimal space. My experiences at COP conferences have been enlightening, exposing me to hidden realities that my country often ignores.
I am still learning, and there seems to be a different lesson each time.
Attending these conferences has revealed that my country can hinder progress despite projecting a triumphant image. The Global South’s fight for a sustainable future faces resistance from countries like the U.S. who dismiss the possibility of an equitable transition from fossil fuels. This disparity highlights the need for collective action and community empowerment.
Despite challenges, we must not lose hope. The inability of decision-makers to prioritize community well-being calls for grassroots action and the implementation of solutions we hold within our communities.
If we’re now looking at 2.5 degrees Celsius global annual temperature increase, it has come time for us to change our tactics.
The fate of our world lies in the hands of our united efforts. The urgency for change transcends political negotiations and demands active participation from every individual. Let us strive for a sustainable future and build a community rooted in care and regeneration.
Analyah is a Climate Generation Window Into COP delegate for COP29. To learn more, we encourage you to meet the full delegation, support our delegates, and subscribe to the Window Into COP digest.
Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos is a young Afro-Brazilian-American woman born and raised in North Minneapolis, Minnesota. After living in Atlanta, Georgia, she moved back to Minneapolis in 2015 to study Global Relations and Environmental Justice at the University of Minnesota and the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs. She has been an aquatic guide to all ages for 12 years and counting and loves to infuse environmental wellness into her frameworks.
She is currently the International Campaign lead at MN Interfaith Power & Light, and serves on the board of multiple local organizations.
