Celebrating Young Environmental Leaders: The 2025 Brower Youth Award Winners Announced
The Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative proudly presents the 2025 Brower Youth Award winners, recognizing their outstanding efforts to foster sustainability and justice in our world. This year's celebration takes place at the iconic David Brower Center in Berkeley, California, marking a significant moment in the 26-year history of the Brower Youth Awards, the most prestigious environmental distinction for young leaders in the U.S.
The five remarkable award recipients showcase a wide range of achievements across the environmental spectrum. From mental health advocacy regarding climate anxiety to grassroots efforts that enable youth involvement in policy-making, their work exemplifies the impactful role younger generations play in environmental movements worldwide.
1. Inaam Chattha (22, Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Growing up surrounded by the wildfires of Alberta, Inaam has transformed his eco-anxiety into action by founding "Green Mind," a youth-led initiative aimed at helping young people manage climate-related mental health challenges. His initiative empowers youth, particularly from rural areas, to engage with environmental issues through storytelling, backed by two children's books he authored. Inaam's efforts garnered him recognition as one of Canada’s Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists.
2. Sophie Tipper (18, Centennial, Colorado): A passionate advocate for young people's role in environmental policy, Sophie launched a campaign for her school district to tackle waste and increase energy efficiency when she was in middle school. As part of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, her groundbreaking policy telegraphed the importance of youth voices in state environmental groups, leading to the successful writing and passage of a bill for youth representation on the Colorado Department of Public Health's Environmental Justice Board.
3. Kyle Trefny (23, Eugene, Oregon): After witnessing the destructive impact of wildfires, Kyle pursued a firefighting career and co-founded the "FireGeneration Collaborative". This innovative organization empowers youth and Indigenous communities, aiming to reform how society interacts with fire management, shifting the focus towards resilience and opportunities in fire-related policies.
4. Joey Wu (22, Woodbury, Minnesota): Following a personal experience of water insecurity during a visit to Taiwan, Joey tackled PFAS contamination in Philadelphia by designing a filtration system. He also launched "Waterroots," which focuses on climate literacy and empowers youth to address water-related issues in their communities. With over 50 international members, Joey’s initiative aims to connect technical solutions to community needs.
5. Lily YangLiu (16, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada): Starting her political journey at a young age, Lily canvassed for local candidates at just 10 years old. Now, she leads initiatives advocating K-12 climate education and aims to expand youth representation in critical decision-making spaces like the United Nations. Recently, she gained recognition as one of Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence, raising the profile of youth voices in environmental discussions.
The 2025 Brower Youth Awards ceremony took place on October 9, at 5:30 PM, and served not only to honor these exceptional young activists but also to inspire others to join the cause. Each winner is a testament to the power of youth activism, which drives change by reimagining approaches to pressing environmental issues.
Historically, the Brower Youth Awards support the next generation of environmental leaders through training, networking, and amplification of their voices. Since its inception, the awards have celebrated over 150 young environmentalists, creating a legacy of environmental stewardship among youth.
As Earth Island Institute continues to support initiatives focused on climate change, conservation, and sustainability, we encourage the community to follow and support the endeavors of these young leaders. Visit broweryouthawards.org for more information about these prolific young changemakers and their contributions to a just, sustainable future for our planet.
The five remarkable award recipients showcase a wide range of achievements across the environmental spectrum. From mental health advocacy regarding climate anxiety to grassroots efforts that enable youth involvement in policy-making, their work exemplifies the impactful role younger generations play in environmental movements worldwide.
Profiles of the 2025 Brower Youth Award Winners
1. Inaam Chattha (22, Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Growing up surrounded by the wildfires of Alberta, Inaam has transformed his eco-anxiety into action by founding "Green Mind," a youth-led initiative aimed at helping young people manage climate-related mental health challenges. His initiative empowers youth, particularly from rural areas, to engage with environmental issues through storytelling, backed by two children's books he authored. Inaam's efforts garnered him recognition as one of Canada’s Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists.
2. Sophie Tipper (18, Centennial, Colorado): A passionate advocate for young people's role in environmental policy, Sophie launched a campaign for her school district to tackle waste and increase energy efficiency when she was in middle school. As part of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, her groundbreaking policy telegraphed the importance of youth voices in state environmental groups, leading to the successful writing and passage of a bill for youth representation on the Colorado Department of Public Health's Environmental Justice Board.
3. Kyle Trefny (23, Eugene, Oregon): After witnessing the destructive impact of wildfires, Kyle pursued a firefighting career and co-founded the "FireGeneration Collaborative". This innovative organization empowers youth and Indigenous communities, aiming to reform how society interacts with fire management, shifting the focus towards resilience and opportunities in fire-related policies.
4. Joey Wu (22, Woodbury, Minnesota): Following a personal experience of water insecurity during a visit to Taiwan, Joey tackled PFAS contamination in Philadelphia by designing a filtration system. He also launched "Waterroots," which focuses on climate literacy and empowers youth to address water-related issues in their communities. With over 50 international members, Joey’s initiative aims to connect technical solutions to community needs.
5. Lily YangLiu (16, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada): Starting her political journey at a young age, Lily canvassed for local candidates at just 10 years old. Now, she leads initiatives advocating K-12 climate education and aims to expand youth representation in critical decision-making spaces like the United Nations. Recently, she gained recognition as one of Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence, raising the profile of youth voices in environmental discussions.
The Ceremony and Future Endeavors
The 2025 Brower Youth Awards ceremony took place on October 9, at 5:30 PM, and served not only to honor these exceptional young activists but also to inspire others to join the cause. Each winner is a testament to the power of youth activism, which drives change by reimagining approaches to pressing environmental issues.
Historically, the Brower Youth Awards support the next generation of environmental leaders through training, networking, and amplification of their voices. Since its inception, the awards have celebrated over 150 young environmentalists, creating a legacy of environmental stewardship among youth.
As Earth Island Institute continues to support initiatives focused on climate change, conservation, and sustainability, we encourage the community to follow and support the endeavors of these young leaders. Visit broweryouthawards.org for more information about these prolific young changemakers and their contributions to a just, sustainable future for our planet.
Topics People & Culture）
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