Many wonderful It’s Our Future (IOF) youth graduated this year. We are so proud of these caring, thoughtful and passionate young people and happy to have been a part of their high school journey. All of these students have dedicated their time to creating a just and livable future for all, while doing all that’s required of teens- school, college apps, extracurricular activities, and hopefully having some fun!
We know they will carry their passion for climate justice and commitment to youth empowerment through college and beyond and we are looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
This is not a comprehensive list of our amazing seniors, but spotlights some who have been especially active with IOF and the Youth Climate Justice Summit (YCJS).
Mahima Krishnan: Mahima has been a faithful and fabulous part of IOF since her sophomore year. She was a lead of the Climate Education Youth Advisory Board (CE YAB) which helped to pass a statewide climate education bill in Illinois! She even did a Tedx Talk about the importance of Climate Education. Mahima has been heavily involved in advancing climate policy at her school as well. She was Co-Chair of the YCJS Marketing Team and a lead planner of IOF’s Youth Climate Mixer. Mahima represented IOF at the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) in Miami where she connected with youth advocates and activists from across the country. Mahima brings such grace and presence of mind to all she does.
Andrea Ramirez: We are indelibly grateful to Andrea Ramirez for her leadership as the Chair of the first Youth Climate Justice Summit! Andrea showed up in the biggest and brightest way setting a warm and inclusive tone and guiding all committee members to create an incredibly successful event. She traveled to events in various Chicago neighborhoods and successfully recruited team members. She even put her winnings from the BLAST Competition towards offering stipends, thus removing barriers to participation for some students. We are thrilled that she has continued to share her leadership skills with IOF and know she will bring her energy, vision and warmth to all of her endeavors! Thanks Andrea!
Tatum Hemphill: Tate was a rock star as a lead of the Vibes Committee for the Youth Climate Justice Summit. They helped to recruit additional students to the Summit team and made sure their school brought a group and stayed engaged! Tate wrote a beautiful song that was the perfect end to that day. They led students at the Chicago River Youth Congress in creating a song about climate action and shared their expertise on a panel with the One Earth Film Festival as well! Through all they do, Tate’s thoughtfulness and positivity shines through.
Kolagbade Kolawole: Kola was a delightful and collaborative member of the cohort that joined us at COP29 in Azerbaijan. The youngest of the crew, he held his own, having put a lot of time and energy into preparing for the trip. There, he was on a panel at the Thailand Pavilion where he shared his insights about youth activism and mental health with a global audience. Kola was compelling as part of Youth Voices Live from COP29 and he continued his advocacy as a panelist at YCJS, speaking on a YCJS Youth Panel: A Global Perspective on Climate Justice.
Gabi Jamieson: Gabi is an activist and a connector who has shared her talents with IOF for several years. She is part of numerous climate organizations across Chicago and the nation and has helped to cross pollinate efforts among them. She was a chair of CE YAB as well and is a strong advocate for Climate Education. She has tabled for IOF at the Chicago River Youth Congress for two years. She also helped organize and run the 2025 IOF mixer. In addition, she worked on the IOF Resource Guide and also welcomed new members to IOF.
Jimena Argueta: Jimena has been a wonderful addition to the IOF crew. As a co-chair of the Youth Climate Justice Summit Vibes Committee, she made sure the event was fun and welcoming for all. She stayed involved as a lead of IOF’s Policy Committee. Jimena was a part of a fabulous project, Picturing my Climate Future, where she was featured in a documentary and a photo exhibit as a photographer and spoke to Maine Conservation Voters about her experience! She was also a panelist with the One Earth Film Festival.
Skyshelle Blake: Skye was a key member of the Marketing Committee of YCJS. She also stepped up to help the programming team where she was the student liaison for a panel with Chicago Teachers Union representatives and others on the Healthy Green Schools Campaign. Skye helped to make sure the session was relevant and engaging for youth and that the presenters had everything they needed for a successful presentation.
Shreshta Ghanta: Shreshta brings a unique grace and eloquence to all of her work. That is part of what made her such a great co-chair of the IOF Climate Education Youth Advisory Board. She was a co-chair of the YCJS Vibes committee, as well, and moderated a panel at the YCJS. She was also a co-chair of the Climate Education Youth Advisory Board, helping students to get the Illinois Climate Education Hub into their schools. Shreshta and Mahima also tabled on behalf of IOF at the Networking Fair at Illinois Math and Science Academy, recruiting more wonderful students to IOF!
Rakshita Ruparel: Rakshita was a co-chair of the Programming Committee of YCJS and had much to do with its great success. She was part of an IOF panel about how teachers can support students in advocating for school climate policy, presented virtually at the Teach Climate Conference through the Missouri Botanical Gardens. She also spoke on a YCJS Youth Panel: A Global Perspective on Climate Justice about her experience at LCOY.
Yulia Krylov: Yulia was a lead on the IOF Resource Guide team, gathering and sharing resources to help fellow youth learn about climate and environmental justice and take action. She was on the newcomer onboarding team with one other student and made sure that students felt welcomed and was always willing to answer questions. In addition, she was on the Op-Ed Team where she supported her peers in crafting impactful pieces advocating for climate education.
Abhinav Anne: Abhinav has been an IOF star since his sophomore year in high school. He presented to educators at the Environmental Education Association of Illinois’ Climate Education Conference and the Science in the South Conference about the urgent need for climate change education. Abhinav was also a lead on IOF’s OpEd team where he wrote a moving piece and supported his peers in doing so as well.
All of these students have helped to make IOF and YCJS as wonderful as they are. It is our great fortune to work with them and we are so grateful for their energy and skill! We are excited to watch their continued journeys!
