Kevin J. Patel (born September 23, 2000) is an American climate justice activist and community organizer.[1] Patel has openly shared his experience as a frontline climate activist diagnosed with respiratory issues.[2] He is also the founder and executive director of OneUpAction, an international youth-led nonprofit based in the U.S. that supports marginalized youth by providing them with resources to create change in their communities.[3]
Kevin Patel | |
---|---|
Born | Kevin J. Patel September 23, 2000 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education | Loyola Marymount University |
Occupation(s) | Climate justice activist, student |
Organization | OneUpAction |
Movement | School Strike for Climate, Environmental Movement |
Kevin J. Patel lives with his father, mother, and older brother, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in South Central Los-Angeles.[4] He has studied at Carver Middle School, where he first began his advocacy. He then went to Santee Education Complex, where he started the first environmental club.[5] In 2019, he was involved in the Youth Climate Strike L.A.[6][7][8] He was a leader in Fridays for Future Southern California. As of 2020, Patel was starting his second year at Loyola Marymount University[9][10] where he is studying Political Science.[11] In 2021, he participated in a panel "Taking Action for People and the Planet."[12][13]
In 2012, Patel worked with his community, teaching his fellow peers about food inequalities within South Los Angeles[14] at Carver Middle School. Later in 2013, he was diagnosed with irregular heartbeat/heart palpitations[15] which he claims is partially due to Los Angeles’ poor air quality.[16]
In 2019, he founded OneUpAction International[17] and through his work, he has collaborated with his community to create the first Youth Climate Commission in Los Angeles County[18] in efforts to amplify youth voices on the climate crisis. Patel is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador for Sustainable Develop Goals 13 & 14 and a National Geographic Young Explorer.[19] Patel serves on the Youthtopia World Circle of Youth Council, Climate Power Advisory Council,[20] World Economic Forum's 1 Trillion trees U.S. Stakeholder Council,[21] and the Intersectional Environmentalist Council.[22] OneUpAction is an intersectional youth-led activist organization founded by Patel in 2019 working to provide resources to youth advocates.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)