Several Santa Fe youth groups, including Earth Cares, Youth Allies and the Organizing Program, hope to make the late Rose Simmons, a member of Youth Allies who was one of four teens who died in a June car crash, proud.

The groups are organizing a march to the Roundhouse on Oct. 24 to raise awareness about global warming. The event coincides with International Day of Climate Action.

"We are hoping to bring a lot of people together to create awareness around climate change and the need to do something immediately in order to protect all of life," said Bianca Sopoci-Belknap, program leader for Earth Cares. "Specifically we'd like to get hundreds of people out — at least 350 — to deliver a message to our world leaders that

CO2 in the atmosphere must be reduced from 386 parts per million to 350 parts per million as soon as possible in order to avoid ecological collapse."

Participants will also have an opportunity to be part of the Human 350 Postcard, which will be sent to international leaders who attend the United Nations summit on climate change.

Youth organizer Camille Chambers, a senior at Capital High School, said this event is for her friend.

"A big goal is to honor Rose Simmons and to make her proud of what we do," Chambers said.

Although the Youth Allies Institute and Youth Organizers are two different programs they are both under the umbrella of Earth Care.

"I want young people to know their power and to realize that the world needs them and is calling them," Sopoci-Belknap said. "I also want to help young people cultivate the fire inside them and their love of life. Ultimately, the way to do this is to help young people build deep, meaningful, loving relationships with others and with the Earth so that they feel a sense of purpose and belonging."

The first step they take in getting youths involved and informed is to attend the Youth Allies Institute, which is an intensive training program that provides students with leadership skills.

Youth Organizers, which is made up of 10 youths who have been through the Youth Allies Institute, is responsible for bringing the groups together. The main goal for the organizers is to "articulate the changes they want to make in the world and develop projects that start bringing this change into being," Sopoci-Belknap said.

Organizers are trained to lead the community through public and peer education, and community-improvement projects that they design and lead. They are teaching the community about social and environmental issues and getting others involved in building a more healthy community, Sopoci-Belknap said.

"We are hopeful that a global movement is emerging (and) that people all across the world are listening to the Earth's calls and are ready to take action to care for our collective future," Sopoci-Belknap said.



Amanda Martinez is a senior at Capital High School. You can reach her at mandamtz88@yahoo.com.