This is Zero Hour (commonly referred to Zero Hour) is an organization by youth for youth. This is Zero Hour has a unique platform that focuses on climate justice for those who are unequally affected by climate change, regardless of race and social class. They are a force to be reckoned with, and I was able to talk to their Global Outreach Director, Sohayla Eldeeb (pictured center), a freshman at Stanford University.
Her Campus (HC): What is This is This is Zero Hour?
Sohayla Eldeeb (SE): Zero Hour is youth-led and mainly comprised of people of color. It’s a youth climate organization that has the mission of educating the public about climate awareness as well as highlighting the voices of frontline youth. It is turning the conversation around the climate crisis into one being one about climate justice. Zero Hour talks about the root causes of the climate crisis as well as different social justice issues that are impacted.
HC: What is the origin of This is Zero Hour? Who started it?
SE: We have two executive directors, so there are actually 4 founders. Jamie Margolin, Nadia Nazar, Madeline Tew and Zanagee Artis. They were just 4 high schoolers, and they started as a small organization, and their original goal was to organize the first-ever youth-led march on Capitol Hill. I joined a couple of months after it formed, and then others joined, and it kind of grew into an organization.
HC: How has Zero Hour already impacted the fight against the climate crisis? What events have you done?
SE: In 2018, we held the first-ever youth-led march on Capitol Hill, which was a three-day event. The first day was the lobby day, so we lobbied over 50 senators from all over the United States. The second day was an art festival where we brought art and music into the conversation about the climate crisis by showing how art can be an agent of change. The last day was the march. In 2019, we held a conference in Miami which was an entirely youth-led. We have also had opportunities to testify in front of Congress and the Senate. We also attended the United Nations Summit.
HC: Wow, that’s so cool! What do you hope to achieve in 2020? Are there any big goals that you are trying to reach this year?
SE: Definitely the Midwest Initiative, which I can’t go into too much detail [about] because it’s in progress. We are planning on getting more politically involved with the presidential campaigns. Most importantly, we are trying to enact a theory of change that [leans] more [on] political and social change, because they are all connected. Once you influence the public view, you influence the political atmosphere about climate. We are also trying to launch a second group, the Roots of Climate Change campaign, and generally increasing our ambassadors.
HC: What has been your favorite memory with Zero Hour?
SE: Ooh, okay, so in Miami for the summit. We stayed a couple of weeks before the conference planning, [and] that was our big meetup within Zero Hour where we brought in members, directors and adult mentors. We all stayed in two art studios that were huge and crazy looking because it’s Miami. That’s where I really clicked and bonded with some of my current best friends. We spent two weeks in the middle of Miami together working, while at the same time, you know, going out and having fun.
HC: So, you mentioned the sister chapters, can anyone start those or are there are certain requirements?
SE: The application is online, and anyone can start a chapter. The application makes sure that leaders understand our platform. We’ve been having multiple chapters in the same states and counties, which is really good. I also love when activists and youth organizers apply because it makes Zero Hour really grassroots, which is what we are aiming for.
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