THE GCFA YOUNG LEADERS
The GCFA 2024 recognised nine young leaders from across the globe, for their inspirational activism, an understanding and interplay between environmental action, civil rights, equality, global feminism and building a better collective future.
ALEXIA LECLERQ
Alexia Leclercq is a grassroots environmental justice organizer and scholar. She has led dozens of campaigns from pushing for an equitable fossil fuel phase-out at the UN to passing federal climate legislation, fighting for clean water, relocating toxic tank farms, organizing mutual aid, and more. Alexia is the policy director at PODER, co-founder of the Colorado River Conservancy, and co-founder of a social-environmental justice education non-profit named Start:Empowerment.
Her curriculum has reached over 120,000 students across the U.S., and her work has been featured on Forbes, Washington Post, and the Guardian. She was awarded the prestigious Brower Youth Award, 2022 WWF Conservation Award, and is the youngest recipient of the Harvard AOCC Award. She served as the 2022 UN Assembly Ambassador and has been a guest lecturer at Harvard, University of Texas Austin, University of Connecticut, and Princeton. Alexia graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York University and Harvard Graduate School of Education.
ANGELA BUSHESKA
Angela is a 22-year-old Macedonian social entrepreneur, innovator, and public speaker. She is the founder of EnRoute, an application and a strong international community which helps people to reduce their carbon footprint and fight greenwashing through their daily activities. In a time period of 18 months, EnRoute reached over 60000 people and reduced more than 180.000 kg carbon emissions.
For her work, Busheska was named as the youngest Macedonian Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, 2021 Global Teen Leader, 2021 European Young Innovator, and a Global Changemaker who received the 2021 Diana Award and the Shawn Mendes Wonder Award. She was a National Geographic Youth Explorer, and a 2023 GreenTech Finalist.
As a victim of both severe bullying and climate crisis, Busheska shares her voice to motivate fellow teenagers. She has given two TED-ED Talks, has spoken at international forums as the COP26, COP 27, Macedonia 2025, and Youth4Climate, and has collaborated with leading non-profit organizations and agencies like the United Nations, Oxfam America, and UNICEF. For her work she was recognized as Youth Talent from President of North Macedonia, Mr. Stevo Pendarovski.
Passionate to utilize the power of tech for social good, she has worked last summer as a researcher in the Google Speech Team, working to make the Google Assistant available in low-resource languages and developing AI Models to make Google Slides more accessible. Bridging her love for tech and start-ups Angela is a Neo Scholar and .406 Fellow.
At the end of the day, she is an unshakable optimist and a big dreamer who fiercely believes that the power of never giving up is the only thing that can bring miracles in life.
JUDITH HEARD
Judith Heard, is a Ugandan environmentalist, tourism goodwill ambassador and fashion model, seamlessly blending beauty with purpose.
Crowned Miss Elite Africa in Egypt and Miss Environment Africa in India, she is championing a ‘50 Million Trees for Africa’ call-to-action campaign for heads of governments, leaders, international organizations, civil society activists and the generic public to join her afforestation movement —envisioning a greener world by 2050, commencing in her own continent. Committed to sustainable practices, Judith recently unveiled a eco-friendly bead bag collection crafted by local women's groups in Uganda.
Her journey, spotlighted on BBC, CNN, and Euronews reflects a dynamic background across advocacy against sexual assault, empowerment of the girl child, and mass awareness about HIV/AIDS and cancer.
KEVIN PATEL
Kevin J. Patel is a distinguished climate justice activist and social entrepreneur based in Los Angeles, California, with over a decade of experience advocating for a sustainable and equitable world. He envisions a future where young people can access the resources they need to implement climate solutions and combat environmental injustice. Patel is widely recognized for his pioneering work in establishing the Youth Climate Commission, which he passed in 2019. As the architect of this initiative, Patel has enabled youth voices to be heard more effectively in addressing the climate crisis.
In 2022, Patel was appointed to the Youth Climate Commission as a commissioner. In addition, he is the founder and Executive Director of OneUpAction International, a non-profit organization that supports and empowers young people to implement and accelerate climate solutions in their communities. Patel's commitment to sustainability has earned him numerous accolades and ambassadorships. He serves as a UN Togetherband Ambassador for Goals 7, 13, and 14 and was named a 2020 National Geographic Young Explorer.
He is also a member of several influential organizations, including the LA28 Next Gen Council, the World Economic Forum's 1t.org US Stakeholder Council, the Ingka Young Leaders Forum, Youthtopia World: Circle of Youth, the Climate Power Council, and many more. Patel's exceptional achievements have been widely recognized, and he has been awarded the MensHealth 20 Under 20 in 2020 and the 2021 NowThis News Sustainability Honoree. Kevin recently received his undergraduate degree in Political Science at Loyola Marymount University. Patel remains committed to his mission of creating a sustainable and equitable world for all.
RUPI KAUR
Rupi Kaur is a poet, artist, and performer. A breakout literary phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Kaur wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey (2014). Next came its artistic siblings, the sun and her flowers (2017) and home body (2020), both debuting at #1 on bestseller lists across the world. These collections have sold over 11 million copies and have been translated into over 43 languages, with milk and honey surpassing Homer’s Odyssey to become the best-selling poetry of all time. She was also regarded as ‘Writer of the Decade’ by The New Republic and recognized on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list. In 2022, Kaur released her fourth book, Healing Through Words, another bestseller and a journey of guided writing exercises to help readers explore their creativity.
As she has done from the very beginning, Kaur self-produced Rupi Kaur Live (2021), the first-of-its-kind poetry special on Amazon Prime followed by her first foray into film as an executive producer on This Place, which premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Kaur also wrote and narrated an original poem for the short film Rise with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, which was showcased at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and available on Amazon Prime.
Most recently, she joined Nisha Pahuja, Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling, and Priyanka Chopra as an executive producer of the Oscar-nominated documentary "To Kill a Tiger." The Academy Award-nominated film was also a New York Times Critic’s Pick and winner of 26 awards, including TIFF, Palm Springs, Doc Aviv, and The Director’s Guild of Canada, and it was recently acquired by Netflix.
Kaur has also graced stages across the globe having just completed another sold-out tour this year. Her shows are poetic theatrical experiences interlaced with Kaur’s own touch of stand-up.
Kaur’s work encompasses love, loss, trauma, healing, femininity, and migration. She feels most at home when creating art, performing her poetry onstage, and spending time with family and friends.
SAAD AMER
Saad Amer is a leading climate activist and environmental justice expert. He is the Founder of Justice Environment, a consultancy that works with governments, businesses and nonprofits on climate change, sustainability and the just transition. He served as an Expert Reviewer for the IPCC and is a consultant to the United Nations. He was named most influential voice in ESG by WWD and was named Forbes 30 under 30 for social impact.
As one of the country’s most prolific voting rights organizers, Saad has reached millions of voters and created campaigns featuring the likes of Vice President Al Gore, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Taylor Swift. He helped secure $6.5 billion dollars for the National Parks, has researched the impacts of climate change on the ground in the Indian Himalayas, co-created Harvard University’s inaugural Sustainability Plan, and discovered a new hybrid species in French Polynesia.
Saad has written for National Geographic, PBS and the World Bank, has spoken at the United Nations, US Department of State and TEDx, and has been profiled by Vogue, Nature and the New York Times. He went to Harvard University where he studied Environmental Science and Public Policy and was a Fellow at Yale University’s Public Voices on the Climate Crisis with The OpEd Project.
YURSHELL RODRIGUEZ
Yurshell Rodríguez is a climate activist, researcher, and a person who took the government to court about climate change in Latin America. She comes from a group of people called the Afro-Caribbean Raizal who live in the islands of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina in Colombia. Since she was young, Yurshell has been working hard to look after nature. In 2018, she and 25 other young people, with the help of an organization called Dejusticia, went to court against the Colombian government to stop trees being cut down in the Amazon rainforest. They won the case.
Yurshell has a degree in Environmental Engineering from the National University of Colombia and is now studying for a master's degree. She works with the international NGO If Not Us Then Who at the Residency Program and leader of external communication. She is part ofthe Local NGO Sea Land and Culture Foundation Old Providence Initiative, that works on preserving the Raizal Culture and Ecosystems.
Yurshell was chosen as a Young Environmental Activist by a group that advises the United Nations on climate change. She has spoken about climate change in important meetings like Cop 25 in Madrid, Cop 26 in Glasgow, and Cop 27 in Egypt. She wants to help the communities that are most affected by climate change
YUSRA MARDINI
Born on March 5, 1998, in Damascus, Syria, Yusra fled her war- torn homeland as a teenager. During the harrowing journey Yusra prevented the dinghy from capsizing and saved herself and other refugees from drowning. Settling in Germany, she turned the tides of her life through sheer determination and talent.
A competitive swimmer since childhood, Yusra didn't let adversity dampen her spirit. She continued to train and made waves on the global stage at the Rio 2016 Olympics as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team. Her story is not just one of athletic prowess but also of unwavering courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
Today, Yusra Mardini is an embodiment of inspiration, using her platform to advocate for refugees worldwide as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Her journey reminds us all that with hope and perseverance, we can overcome even the most daunting challenges.
ZARA ODU
Zara Odu, the visionary founder of Designers Consociate, is a dynamic force with 15 years of experience in Africa's vibrant creative landscape. As a brand consultant and ardent champion of sustainable development, Zara is a catalyst for transformation. Passionate about advancing conversations surrounding sustainability and the circular economy in Africa, Zara is a leading advocate in the industry. Through Designers Consociate and her recently launched Roundabout, she works tirelessly to promote conscious business practices and raise awareness about the importance of sustainability.
Zara excels in implementing circular principles, fostering innovation & creativity, and optimizing supply chains for African designers seeking global impact. Her local expertise and extensive network grant her an unmatched understanding of the intricate African market tapestry.
Zara’s vision and commitment have made her consultancy a trusted partner for brands seeking to make a positive impact while staying true to their values, fueling a greater shift towards sustainability in the African fashion landscape.
She is also a member of the Fibral Material Alliance.