Haven Coleman
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{short description|American climate activist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Haven Coleman
| image = Haven Coleman (cropped).jpg
| caption = Coleman in 2019
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|03|29}}{{cite tweet |user= israhirsi|number=1111710382622531584 |date=March 29, 2019 |title=Happy 13th birthday to my partner in climate activism @havenruthie...}}
| nationality =
| occupation = Student
| organization = Youth climate strike
| known_for = Environmental activism
}}
Haven Coleman (born March 29, 2006) is an American climate and environmental activist.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=March 14, 2019|title=Skipping School Around The World To Push For Action On Climate Change|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/14/703461293/skipping-school-to-protest-climate-change|access-date=September 10, 2020|website=NPR.org|language=en|ref=NPR}} She is the co-founder and co-executive director of U.S. Youth Climate Strike with youth activists Alexandria Villaseñor and Isra Hirsi.{{Cite web |last=Nardino |first=Meredith |date= |title=Meet the 13-Year-Old Organizer of the US Youth Climate Strike |url=https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/haven-coleman-q-a |access-date=September 10, 2020 |website=DoSomething.org |language=en-US |ref=Do Something}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=June 14, 2019|title=19 youth climate activists you should be following on social media|url=https://www.earthday.org/19-youth-climate-activists-you-should-follow-on-social-media/|access-date=September 10, 2020|website=Earth Day|language=en|ref=19 Activists}} an organization dedicated to raising awareness and catalyzing change concerning the climate crisis.{{cite news |title=Climate Reality Leader Haven Coleman Talks Today's Youth Climate Strike |url=https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/climate-reality-leader-haven-coleman-talks-today-youth-climate-strike |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Climate Reality |publisher=The Climate Reality Project |date=March 15, 2019 |language=en}}
Early life
Haven Coleman was born in Denver, Colorado.{{cite news |author=Harmeet Kaur |title=She's 12 and she's trying to save the world by skipping school |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/14/health/haven-coleman-climate-strike-qa-trnd/index.html |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=CNN |publisher=Cable News Network |date=March 15, 2019}} She is a student of Denver Public Schools.{{cite news |last1=Eastman |first1=Katie |title=A Denver teen goes on strike for the climate every Friday – and this week, she will march with Greta Thunberg in NYC |url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/teenactiviststrikingforclimate/73-3abd13fe-4f56-421b-8f54-2e1d6f243a6b |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=KUSA.com |date=September 19, 2019}}
Activism
Coleman first felt the pull towards environmentalism when she was ten years old: after learning that her favorite animal, sloths, are diminishing due to deforestation. She then made significant lifestyle changes inspired by sustainable living.{{cite news |last1=Minutaglio |first1=Rose |title=The World Is Burning. These Girls Are Fighting to Save It. |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a26755814/youth-climate-strike-march-15/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=ELLE |publisher=Hearst Magazine Media, Inc |date=March 14, 2019}} Her training at Climate Reality Project educated her further.{{cite news |last1=Borunda |first1=Alejandra |title=These young activists are striking to save their planet from climate change |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/03/youth-climate-strike-kids-save-the-world/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315223326/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/03/youth-climate-strike-kids-save-the-world/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 15, 2019 |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Environment |publisher=National Geographic Partners, LLC. |date=March 13, 2019 |language=en}}
After seeing the bold environmental activism of Greta Thunberg and youth climate strikes in Europe, she was inspired to do the same. Thus, since January 2019, at 13 years old, she began protesting in front of businesses or government buildings,{{cite news |last1=Kutz |first1=Jessica |title=Meet the 12-year-old activist taking politicians to task over climate change |url=https://grist.org/article/meet-the-12-year-old-activist-taking-politicians-to-task-over-climate-change/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Grist |publisher=Grist Magazine, Inc. |date=February 23, 2019}} such as the Colorado State Capitol.{{cite news |last1=Budner |first1=Ali |title=Meet the Mountain West Teens Organizing the U.S. Youth Climate Strike |url=https://elementalreports.com/climate-change/2019/03/13/meet-the-mountain-west-teens-organizing-the-u-s-youth-climate-strike/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Elemental |date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417095440/https://elementalreports.com/climate-change/2019/03/13/meet-the-mountain-west-teens-organizing-the-u-s-youth-climate-strike/ |url-status=dead }} Every Friday she goes on strike to demand political action regarding air quality, coal plant retirement, renewable energy, etc. She also e-mailed elected officials concerning the issue. She was massively bullied by peers in school who thought her stark activism was strange.
Coleman would protest alone until she was able to establish the US Youth Climate Strike together with Isra Hirsi and Alexandria Villasenor.{{cite news |last1=Li |first1=Ang |title='It Will Be Too Late for My Generation.' Meet the Young People Organizing a Massive Climate Change Protest |url=https://time.com/5550823/climate-change-protest-schoolchildren/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |magazine=Time |publisher=Time Inc. |date=March 14, 2019}} Since then, climate strikes have been conducted across many states in the USA.{{cite news |last1=Budner |first1=Ali |title=Meet The Mountain West Teens Organizing The US Youth Climate Strike |url=https://www.cpr.org/2019/03/12/meet-the-mountain-west-teens-organizing-the-us-youth-climate-strike/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Colorado Public Radio |date=March 12, 2019 |language=en}} On March 15, an international youth protest with over 120+ countries involved was held.{{cite news |last1=Barclay |first1=Eliza |last2=Amaria |first2=Kainaz |title=Photos: kids in 123 countries went on strike to protect the climate |url=https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/3/15/18267156/youth-climate-strike-march-15-photos |access-date=September 10, 2020 |work=Vox |publisher=Vox Media, LLC. |date=March 15, 2019 |language=en}}
Coleman went viral after speaking to state Senator Cory Gardner about carbon polluters on a public forum at the town hall. She implored him to take action and offered to organize a grassroots movement to facilitate, however, Gardner refused.
As she made headlines, she caught the attention of Al Gore, who invited Coleman to speak for the 24 Hours of Reality campaign organized by The Climate Reality Project.
Coleman is presently working on Arid Agency, which is geared towards accelerating environmental and social justice campaigns.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Haven Coleman|url=https://schedule.sxswedu.com/2020/speakers/259051|access-date=September 10, 2020|website=SXSW EDU 2020 Schedule|publisher=SXSW, LLC.|language=en|ref=SSS}}
References
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{{School strike for climate}}
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Category:Activists from Colorado
Category:21st-century American women
Category:American climate activists
Category:American child activists
Category:American women environmentalists