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Meet the AYCC 2012 International Team
Natasha Lay (NSW) – International Coordinator
My name is Natasha and I’m 23. I’m from southwest Sydney and currently studying a Communications degree in Social Inquiry with a submajor in Environmental Studies at the University of Technology Sydney.
I’m passionate about building an inclusive youth climate movement and tapping in to the endless potential of young people around the world.
I started volunteering with the AYCC at Powershift in June 2009 and have since been involved in different local actions and global campaigns. I was lucky to be part of the AYCC Delegations to COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 and COP16 in Cancun in 2010, coordinating creative actions. Leading the AYCC Delegation this year is a huge honour for me and I’m excited to be working with the amazing International Youth Climate Movement once again.
Nayuka Gorrie (VIC) – Indigenous Representative
I’m Nayuka Gorrie and I’m a proud Aboriginal woman. I’m currently enrolled at the University of Melbourne studying a Bachelor of Arts with majors in history and politics. Nayuka have been a volunteer with the AYCC since August 2011. I’m a member of the National Congress’s Youth Lobby Committee and Country Working Group and enjoy working in my community.
Katie Higgins (VIC) – Actions Co-coordinator
I am an Environmentalist, Human Rights campaigner and Animal Protection advocate. As a child, I was educated to the concepts of environmental destruction and social inequalities through the television program ‘Captain Planet’ and adopted the tagline ‘The Power is yours’.
In completion of my High school education, I traveled to Northern Thailand and volunteered as a conservationist, which opened my eyes to the shear magnitude of environmental and social evils facing our world. Determined never to side on the sidelines, I have since teamed up with organisations such as Beyond Zero Emissions, Bikes for Humanity, World Vision and Australian Students Environmental Network. Additionally, I have spent a considerable amount of time volunteering with Greenpeace International and Australia as a Non-violent Direct Activist.
I would consider myself an avid traveller, living in Holland for a year, roaming most parts of South-East Asia and exploring the west coast of the United States. Most recently, I returned from South America, where I experienced the thrill of a new culture and took part in some dare-devilish activities, including mountain bike riding the notorious ‘Death Road’ in La Paz.
In the coming months, I will graduate my Bachelor of Environments from RMIT University and have the ambition of completing a Law degree with the hope of pursuing International Environmental Law. I am absolutely delighted this year to be attending the Doha COP18 summit as a representative of all youth concerned about our future.
Sam Cooper (NSW) – Actions Co-coordinator
I grew up on a cattle farm in Armidale, and spent my weekends inventing fantasy worlds in the bush around my house, and my summer holidays on the beautiful North coast of New South Wales. I moved to Sydney when I was 10, and since then I’ve lived in Spain, backpacked in Europe, Vietnam and Cambodia, and volunteered in Nepal. I’ve seen so much of our incredible Earth, and met amazing people of different ages, cultures and experiences. It scares me beyond belief that so much of the world as we know it could be changed irreparably by climate change.
I am currently studying a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and Social Science (Development Studies) at the University of New South Wales. In my studies, I have seen how vulnerable we all are to the effects of climate change, from increased domestic violence and suicide in times of drought here in Australia, to infrastructure loss and the spread of disease through extreme weather events in developing countries.
I believe we need to stand up and demand strong action from our politicians to get the kind of changes we require to avoid the worst climate impacts. Since August last year I have been heavily involved with the AYCC in New South Wales. I am passionate about engaging, training and supporting young people to take action in their communities, to build a global movement demanding our leaders get the right things done on the most important issue of our time. I’m honoured to be able to attend the UN talks and the Conference of Youth, to share skills with others from around the world and to hopefully get strong global action on climate change.
Hayden Williams (NSW) – Conference of Youth Coordinator
I come from New South Wales, Central Coast about two hours north of Sydney. I work as a Project Coordinator at my local Neighbourhood Centre and enjoy filmmaking, rugby league, and travelling.
When I was at school I always picked up my friends rubbish and made them feel guilty when they threw their rubbish on the ground. I thought picking up rubbish was the most I could do to protect the environment. Since then I have connected with other young people who feel the same way about protecting the environment and stopping climate change and have learnt that I can do so much more.
Being picked to be part of the Australian delegation being sent to the climate talks in Doha is one of my biggest achievements. I can’t wait to represent the young people of my country on this issue and be a part of making change that will benefit the entire globe.
Max Smith (VIC) – Policy Co-coordinator
I was born and raised in the United States, and now live in my parents’ homeland of Melbourne, Australia. I have just completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Media and Communications at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
I am passionate about being involved in the movement to solve climate change. I believe that as both a young person and a global citizen I have the responsibility to ensure that I do my best to fight for environmental justice and preserve the ecological future of our planet. I can think of nothing more empowering than to be part of the movement of such capable and motivated young people driving solutions to the climate crisis.
As a member of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, I have been involved in an outreach program delivering presentations in schools to show other kids how they can exercise their voices and take local action on climate change.
Outside of university and volunteering with AYCC, I can be seen on the gridiron field playing American football for the Melbourne Royals and I wear number 7. I’m also an actor and comedian, and have performed shows in the New York and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals.
Basha Stasak (WA) – Policy Co-coordinator
General Muppet at Useful Inc. and sometime Law & Business student at University. I spend most of my time doing muppet things in the service of Useful’s main project Big Help Mob. I co-founded the Australian Youth Climate Coalition Branch in Western Australia in 2010 after witnessing the incredible renewable energy projects in Germany and experiencing the lack social and political will to act on climate change in Western Australia. In 2011 as part of AYCC WA I co-coordinated the 2011 Perth Power Shift Summit which brought together over 200 young West Australians to learn about and act on climate change. Since leaving my position as AYCC WA Co-Coordinator I have served as a member of Executive Council for the WA Conservation Council. I was inspired to apply to be a member of the 2012 AYCC Delegation to the UNFCCC after studying International Law in Geneva. I have an inexplicable frequent desire to rewatch West Wing episodes. I hope to be a Doctor Who companion when I grow up.
Lovisa Muyderman (SA) – Media and Communications Coordinator
My name is Lovisa and I have been involved with the AYCC for around two years; throughout those two years my passion has grown for solving the climate crisis, not just as an environmental issue, but also as a social, political and human rights issue and I’m excited to apply skills learnt through campaigns such as Meet Your Member and Power Shift recruitment at an international level. I grew up in the vastly different- though equally beautiful- environments of Sweden, where I was born, and Australia, where I have lived for ten years. I’ve also been lucky enough to travel my whole life, as well as learn about climate change without experiencing the extreme and devastating effects firsthand. Living in these places have somewhat spoilt me in regards to resources I have available to me, and when I travel to places where there are those suffering from climate change- both people and environments- it deepens my sense that those of us who have the resources to solve the climate crisis must do so. I hope that the experience of attending the meetings in Qatar will be an amazing and useful one to me and especially for those who may not be able to attend perhaps in spite of or because of the effect climate change is having on their lives and that I can make a positive difference on their behalf. This will surely be a great end to my gap year before studying development studies and law next year.
The AYCC is building a generation-wide movement to solve the climate crisis
www.aycc.org.au
2012-11-12 05:40:08
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