On March 15, I joined the strike for climate action with 500 young people from across the Salt Lake Valley. Rather than going to class, we gathered on the steps of the Utah Capitol. As we shared our thoughts about the climate crisis, fear for our futures echoed from story to story.
For many teenagers, this was their first protest. One student said they skipped school because the opportunity to demand our politicians act on the climate crisis was too important to miss. I joined the strike to show that our futures should be valued above profit, and that the need for climate action is urgent.