What was the initiative?
Taleya traveled to El Salvador to support existing water security efforts in the region by creating a youth-led environmental campaign that explored interconnected topics including environmental degradation, ecosystem functions, the importance of biodiversity, and the ways human practices impact water quality. Using arts-based and land-based learning methods, she invited local youth into reflective practices around their relationships with the land and with Lenca Indigenous ancestors and knowledge. What began as a campaign grew into something more lasting: Taleya co-founded Jóvenes Guardianes San Simonenses del Mañana alongside local youth, creating a dedicated group and community space for continued learning, environmental stewardship, and connection with organizations across the country.
What was the community connection?
Taleya’s father was born and raised in San Simón, but was forced to leave in the 1980s due to political persecution during the civil war. This initiative created the opportunity for Taleya to know the land and community that shaped her father, and to contribute something meaningful alongside youth who are, in many ways, continuing a dream he had to leave behind. As a Canadian Salvadoran, it brought clarity to Taleya’s journey as an environmental activist. She got to reconnect with her roots while laying down new ones in a place she can now confidently call home.
How was it innovative?
The initiative was built on a model of entirely youth-led environmental advocacy, grounded in horizontal leadership and full autonomy over their community space and programming. They created intergenerational learning opportunities by working with Indigenous elders, local water organizers, and environmental organizations from across the country, weaving local knowledge together with national and global movements for environmental protection and connecting their community’s experiences to a much larger struggle.
What is Taleya doing now?
While Taleya’s role is shifting to behind-the-scenes support as the group continues its work independently, she’ll be carrying this experience forward as she begins her Master’s in Political Ecology, Degrowth, and Environmental Justice at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona this October, deepening her knowledge of how to build communities genuinely grounded in ecological integrity.