Meet Anissa Patel: Ambitious Climate Advocate and Youth Leader
Anissa Patel, a sophomore at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, is pursuing a double major in Environmental Science and Philosophy, Politics & Law. As a National Youth Action Team Electrification Challenge Intern with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), Anissa is working to engage youth teams across the U.S. in efforts to electrify school districts, bringing her academic knowledge and passion for policy to life.
Growing up in Dover, MA, Anissa’s journey into climate advocacy began at a local level, canvassing for political campaigns that championed strong climate platforms. Through her direct interactions with voters at their doorsteps, she discovered her passion for hearing people's concerns about the environment and learning about climate policies. "Talking to constituents made me realize how powerful community involvement can be in shaping climate policy," Anissa shares.
Her early experiences in political campaigns helped Anissa grasp the importance of local advocacy and gave her a sense of how climate inequity plays out in different communities. Growing up in a semi-rural area while attending school in a city also exposed her to the disparities in green spaces and the impacts of climate change on urban and rural areas.
Building Bridges Between Community Action and Institutional Policy
At CCL, Anissa plays a key role in the Electrification Challenge, working with youth teams nationwide to support their efforts to electrify their school districts. She helps guide these teams through benchmarks and provides training to ensure they succeed in their advocacy campaigns. Her goal is to bridge the gap between community-level action and institutional climate policy—a balance that she sees as essential for addressing large-scale environmental challenges.
"The scale of national climate policy is a big issue, but I want to work on making sure that local communities can have a voice in these larger conversations," she explains. Anissa's long-term aspiration is to go into environmental law and become a policy advocate, continuing to connect grassroots climate efforts with institutional change.
Fostering Greater Youth Involvement
Anissa is passionate about getting more students involved in climate campaigns and would love to see climate education expanded in schools to help scale up youth participation. "I think it’s really important that students see how their involvement can make a difference, and starting in schools is a great way to do that," she says.
Beyond her work with CCL, Anissa is deeply involved in climate advocacy through various other organizations. She works with Climate Changemakers and is part of Emory’s Climate Resilience and Transformations Lab, where she researches climate resilience solutions under Dr. Jola Ajibade. She’s also actively involved in sustainability efforts on Emory’s campus through the Office of Sustainability Initiatives.
Balancing Passion and Rest
Outside of her academic and advocacy commitments, Anissa is a competitive powerlifter and a member of Emory Suri, a South Asian fusion Acappella group that competes nationally. As a member of the group’s executive board, she has honed her skills in delegation and effective communication, ensuring the team performs well at a national level.
Anissa has found that her extracurricular activities have taught her the importance of balance. "Rest is really important," she notes, adding that working in teams has taught her diligence and the value of teamwork. Whether she’s training in the gym or performing on stage, these experiences have helped her maintain a healthy balance between her ambitions and her personal well-being.
Advice for Aspiring Climate Advocates
Anissa encourages young people to start small when it comes to climate advocacy. "I began working on a campaign at the neighborhood level, and that experience brought me to where I am now," she says. For her, taking small steps in community involvement can lead to big results. "Little steps and little actions go a long way," she adds.
Anissa’s story is a testament to the power of ambition, dedication, and the desire to create meaningful change at both local and national levels.