PAGE 9
‘LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE LEFT US, WATCH US FIGHT IT, WATCH US WIN.’ IZZY RAJ-SEPPINGS Izzy Raj-Seppings is a 13-year-old student activist who started protesting in September 2019. She is a member of School Strike 4 Climate and a junior ambassador for Surfrider1 and Planet Ark 2. Image: ©John Janson Moore
“Shouldn’t you be in school, learning something useful?” This phrase is something almost every young activist has heard before. People say this to make us feel like we aren’t doing anything productive and that we would be better off sitting in a classroom taking notes. I think the exact opposite is true, I think this summer was an education. If I’m being honest, I learnt more relevant information this summer than I did the entire Year 7. The Town Hall protest was the highlight of my summer, I felt heard and understood by so many people. I made memories that I’ll carry with me my entire life, just from a couple of weeks of activism. I’m learning about how the world works. I’m learning about politics, about human rights, about law, democracy, corruption, media, perception, global input, economics. I learnt about friendship, about jealousy and about trolls but also about support, overwhelming support. I made stronger, closer friendships and left some old ones behind. I even learnt how to control my nerves, how to speak confidently in front of tens of thousands of people, I learnt how to write powerful speeches that get my message across and also how to write some the night before, as I had completely forgotten about them. I’m learning about time management and organisation the hard way.
1. Surfrider Foundation Australia is a registered not-for-profit ‘searoots’ organisation dedicated to the protection of Australia’s waves and beaches. See: https://www.surfrider.org.au/.
I’m learning about the right-wing and left-wing of politics, I’m learning about parties and policies. I learnt more about our PM, I learnt of his denial and of his love of coal. I’m learning about elections and how people are so easily persuaded. I learnt about how taxpayer money can apparently go to your own church. I have learnt all this and more in just five weeks. It’s an opportunity I believe many students should experience. I think the education system should spend more time encouraging and educating kids who want to learn and participate in the environmental action movement. I think the education system should teach kids more about what’s happening to our Earth and our country and how they can help in any way they can. I also think they should teach kids more about the negative parts of government, such as corruption and the subtle buying of votes. It may be alarming but it’s the truth and I believe we deserve to know the truth. I’m proud and keen to share this information because I was inspired by listening to other young people and now I’ve been given the opportunity to possibly do the same. I think it’s absolutely vital for our generation to be learning more about the issue and be able to have a say, as it involves us and our future. I got famous for holding up a sign. A sign with the message ‘Look at what you’ve left us, watch us fight it, watch us win.’ I strongly believe we can win this fight, together. The first step is educating ourselves.
2. Planet Ark Environmental Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit organisation with a vision of a world where people live in balance with nature. See: https://planetark.org/.
