She’s giving forward by spotlighting the climate impacts of fast fashion and offering solutions.
Alanya Abou-Elmajd (she/her) is a recent graduate of Beaverton’s Westview High School. Her passion for climate activism came from seeing the Climate Clock in New York in 2020. After reading more about it, she realized the seriousness of climate change and that she could make a difference by being a climate activist. She was introduced to SAGE by a family friend and was offered an internship with the Vision 2030 team. The internship allowed Alanya to explore her passion for climate and social justice activism while giving back to her community.
Giving Forward Through Climate Work
At Westview High School, Alanya founded the Climate Change Club and served as President during her junior and senior years. She was already working on a thrift swap at the school when she began engaging with SAGE. She wanted to find a way to bring the thrift swap idea to the SAGE Climate Solutions Fairs, so she began presenting “Let’s Get Thrifty” at the fairs to share the importance of thrifting, the benefits of second-hand clothing, and the climate impacts of the fast fashion industry.
As a way to educate her local community, she and other Climate Change Club members hosted a district-wide fashion show and thrift swap for students that only featured second-hand clothes. Community members donated clothes to be featured in the fashion show and more than 170 people attended.
It does not end there; Alanya has also engaged in policy work around this. She and a team of students from Beaverton high schools created a climate action policy, similar to the Portland Public Schools policy, which the Beaverton School District is in the process of adopting. She has no plans to stop now that she’s graduated.
Building a Brighter Future
While supporting SAGE’s Vision 2030 team, Alanya also joined SAGE’s Leaders Action Board or LAB, a program for emerging leaders who want to work across generations to solve problems. As a member of our LAB, she conducted meaningful research to help SAGE learn more about the importance of connecting across generations to build a brighter future.
Reflecting on her experience, “I think it is amazing seeing different generations work together as a community. Older generations have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to give to the newer ones.”
It’s hard to say what Alanya’s future will hold. She’s talked about becoming an environmental attorney or a civil rights attorney. For now, she will be attending the University of Washington with a focus on political science.
To read more about Alanya’s fashion show at Westview High School in the spring, visit https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2024/05/westview-climate-change-club-hosts-fashion-show-to-promote-sustainability-among-gen-z.html.