Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is a 16-year-old climate activist, hip-hop artist, and powerful new voice on the frontlines of a global youth-led movement. He and his group the Earth Guardians believe that today’s youth will play an important role in shaping our future. They know that the choices made right now will have a lasting impact on the world of tomorrow, and people—young and old—are asking themselves what they can do to ensure a positive, just, and sustainable future. We Rise tells these stories and addresses the solutions.
Beginning with the empowering story of the Earth Guardians and how Xiuhtezcatl has become a voice for his generation, We Rise explores many aspects of effective activism and provides step-by-step information on how to start and join solution-oriented movements. With conversations between Xiuhtezcatl and well-known activists, revolutionaries, and celebrities, practical advice for living a more sustainable lifestyle, and ideas and tools for building resilient communities, We Rise is an action guide on how to face the biggest problems of today, including climate change, fossil fuel extraction, and industrial agriculture.
If you are interested in creating real and tangible change, We Rise will give you the inspiration and information you need to do your part in making the world a better place and leave you asking, What kind of legacy do I want to leave?
Author
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Xiuhtezcatl is a twenty-five-year-old Indigenous environmental activist, recording artist, and author. Since the age of six, he has used his voice and art to inspire a new wave of activism that centers youth and Indigenous perspectives in global climate action. Xiuhtezcatl first emerged as an influential environmental activist in his childhood for protesting the fossil fuel industry in his Colorado community. At fifteen, he became the youngest person to address the United Nations General Assembly on the topic of climate change and, months later, sued the federal government for failing to act on the climate crisis in the landmark lawsuit Juliana v. United States. Over the past decade, Xiuhtezcatl has delivered speeches and performed at more than one hundred conferences, schools, and institutions around the world. His two books, We Rise and Imaginary Borders, are taught in thousands of classrooms, with his work being featured on major media outlets, including The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Real Time with Bill Maher, PBS NewsHour, CNN, MSNBC, and Univision. In recent years, Xiuhtezcatl has solidified his music as an extension of his activism, blending English, Spanish, and his ancestral language, Nawatl, across hip-hop, indie, and Latin genres. Named in TIME magazine’s “30 Under 30” and Rolling Stone’s “25 Under 25” lists, he is the face of global campaigns with brands like Levi’s, Nike, Dr. Martens, and Patagonia. Xiuhtezcatl grew up between Colorado and his Indigenous homelands in Xochimilco, Mexico. He is now based in Los Angeles, where he is working on his upcoming album and composing for film and television. He is represented by Gifted Management, Next Models, and Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
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