It’s not every day a 16-year-old environmental activist who’s given three speeches at the U.N. and has filed a landmark constitutional climate change lawsuit against the federal government graces the television.
On Friday (June 24), Bill Maher welcomed his youngest guest, Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh Martinez, to his weekly HBO talk show, Real Time with Bill Maher. The teen activist of indigenous Mexican descent gave Maher a simplified breakdown of the Aztecs before diving into the real reason he was there – climate change.
“Climate change is the defining issue of our time,” Martinez told the host. “Young people are ready to use their art, their poetry, their passion, their music to engage with the world and be leaders today. Sure, we’re a future generation, but we’re here now, and we’re not going to wait to make a difference,” he continued.
Maher pointed out that he’s not “typical” in his generation. It’s true. Martinez became involved in climate activism at the age of six. He is currently the youth director of Earth Guardians, an organization devoted to youth environmental activism.
Hear one of his three U.N. speeches, and the most viral, on climate change:
Thank you!
I am so glad to see Earth Guardians growing, proud of the youth taking a stand for their future. I am also ashamed of what my generation has done and the hideous mess we have made for our children.
You think we’ve made a hideous mess for our children? You should see the hideous mess they leave in their rooms for us! By the way, don’t sell short, human compassion and enginuity to solve our earthly problems.
Bravo!!!!!
We do not inherit the land from our ancestors but rather we borrow the land from our children so respect it
Bunch of old farts! The boy has just delivered the most inspiring speech and that’s your reaction? A mandatory hand clapping? That speech deserved a standing ovation. None of you, UN representative will ever be able to make such an inspiring speech and you do not deserve your seat in the UN