About Us
We Are A Youth-Led Movement
“The climate crisis is here and global reliance on fossil fuels is causing disasters on every continent. We have a right to a Livable future. It is time to end the era of fossil fuels.”
Zanagee Artis
Founder & Executive Director
Our Story
Youth Leading Climate Action
Zero Hour started with our founders, Jamie Margolin, Nadia Nazar, Madelaine Tew, and Zanagee Artis. Frustrated by the inaction of elected officials and the fact that youth voices were almost always ignored in the conversation around climate change and the profound impact that it would have on young people, Jamie started gathering several of her friends in the summer of 2017 to start organizing something big, something hard to ignore! Nadia Nazar, Madelaine Tew, and Zanagee Artis joined her in her efforts. By the end of the summer (2017), young activists from across the country, from diverse backgrounds, had joined the team and Zero Hour had started taking shape.
Our Vision
We are committed to driving meaningful action and creating real impact. Through advocacy, education, and grassroots initiatives, we strive to:
- Amplify Youth Voices: We want the voices of young people to be heard, but also considered in decisions affecting our planet’s future.
- Advocate for Climate Action: We work tirelessly to hold decision-makers accountable for implementing effective climate solutions.
- Foster Community Engagement: We create meaningful spaces for dialogue and collaboration, empowering local communities to take charge of their sustainable future.
- Promote Environmental Justice: We stand alongside marginalized communities disproportionately affected by climate change, advocating for equitable solutions.
- Urge Elected Officials: We want all elected officials to use this platform as their guide to take immediate and meaningful action on climate change.
Our Beliefs
We are a movement of climate activists that believes:
- Frontline Leadership: Movement leadership should be led by those at the forefront.
- Inclusive Frontlines: The forefront of the climate change battle includes the Global South, People Of Color, Indigenous Peoples, Youth, People with Disabilities, Poor People, Women, Queer and Trans People, and People from marginalized faiths.
- Youth Empowerment: Our youth-driven climate movement actively amplifies these diverse voices.
- Transformative Youth Leadership: Youth leadership holds the power to drive transformation, envisioning a future of progress and collective liberation.
- Addressing Root Causes: Climate change is rooted in oppressive systems such as capitalism, colonialism, racism, and patriarchy. To combat it, we must collectively shift away from these systems.
- Intersectional Unity: Achieving collective liberation necessitates an intersectional movement that unites communities to secure a safe and healthy future for all.
- Call to Action: Waiting for elected officials to lead is no longer an option. The youth’s demands must be met through the passing and enforcement of protective legislation to safeguard life and our planet’s future.
Our Guiding Principles
These guiding principles embody our collective commitment to building a better, more just world.
- Solidarity: Our commitment is to protect and support one another, fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility.
- Resisting Division: We stand resolute against any attempts by the system to divide us; unity is our strength.
- Planting Seeds of Justice: We are dedicated to cultivating the seeds of a just and equitable future for all.
- Climate Reality: Acknowledging the undeniable reality of climate change, we are compelled to take action.
- Indigenous Rights: We honor and uphold the rights of Indigenous communities as stewards of the land.
- Advocacy for Animals: Recognizing the significance of animals in our ecosystems, we advocate for their protection and well-being.
- The Power of Nature: We acknowledge nature’s immense power and our responsibility to preserve it.
- Intergenerational Learning: Each generation has valuable lessons to offer, and we commit to learning from one another.
- Black Lives Matter: We affirm the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and stand in solidarity with its mission.
- Amplifying Queer and Trans Voices: We are dedicated to amplifying the voices of queer and trans individuals, ensuring their stories and concerns are heard and respected.
- Ending Rape Culture: Our goal is to actively dismantle rape culture and create a safe, respectful environment for all.
- Inclusion and Respect for Disabilities: People with disabilities deserve full inclusion and unwavering respect in all aspects of life.
- Dignity for Marginalized Cultures: Marginalized cultures must be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
- Transformative Justice: True justice lies in transformative justice, which we advocate for as a path toward lasting change.
Our Calling
Our first call to action came to life after a careful review of the requirements in the groundbreaking Our Children’s Trust lawsuit against the federal government. We believe that the demands of this landmark lawsuit, based on scientific evidence, lay the foundation for safeguarding our collecte future on this planet.
Our movement also specifies the need for climate justice, including equity, racial justice, and economic justice. Our demands are mostly directed towards the federal government. However, we want all elected officials to use this platform as their guide to take action—and these demands are also directed towards the people.
The Zero Hour Team
Zanagee Artis (he/him)
Founder & Executive Director
Nadia Nazar (she/her)
Founder
Jamie Margolin (she/her)
Founder
Madelaine Tew (she/her)
Founder