Vic Barrett
Democracy Organizer
Alliance for Climate Education
Madison, WI USA
“Now is a really good time to think about your community and what it needs, and work to make that happen. If there is as good a time as any, it’s right now.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationVic Barrett
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I grew up in New York.
In high school, I started getting involved in afterschool programs and learning more about justice issues.
At 15 years old, I joined 20 other young people across the country as a plaintiff in the Juliana v. United States constitutional climate-related lawsuit.
After becoming a plaintiff, I got to travel and meet with other activists who are dedicating their lives to climate justice.
I also served a fellowship as a youth representative for the Alliance for Climate Education—my role was to educate other youth on climate impacts.
I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a double major in environmental studies and political science.
After spending some time in college, I decided that I needed to take a break and apply myself in other areas of my life instead for a while.
A few years after my fellowship with the Alliance for Climate Education, I earned a full-time position with the organization as a democracy organizer, empowering youth to fight the climate crisis.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Democracy Organizer
I make sure young people get the information they need to fight against the climate crisis.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Environment & Nature
Politics
Problem Solving
Day to Day
Some days involve a lot of emailing and admin meetings while other days are spent on brainstorming and action. I really enjoy the brainstorming meetings in which I meet with my colleagues to discuss what's going on in the world currently and how we can best serve our young audience. I work to engage our youth fellows in different actions. I'll collect videos of our fellows speaking about climate change then post those videos to social media in order to uplift their voices.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
I recommend volunteering with environmental justice organizations as soon as you can. I started getting involved and volunteering my time in high school, which really helped me gain the experience needed to get a full-time organizing role in this sector. Check out local chapters of organizations that already exist. If you're specifically wanting to organize, it's a good idea to start by educating your own community. That way you're building something yourself that you can organize around.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"Climate change isn't real."
Challenges I Overcame
Learning Issues
Work Stress
