Anne Liang
2026 National Youth Climate Activism Essay Entry
Anne is a 19 year old from Quebec.
My passion for environmental advocacy is what led me to run in the Dawson Student Union’s election a year ago. With a campaign that promised impactful initiatives, sustainable services, and multiple eco-driven events, I was officially elected as the Vice President of Sustainability and Equity. While my success was worth a celebration, I began my environmental work immediately. I started by transforming DSU’s sustainable book service, The Swap, into a service that not only saved thousands of dollars by providing affordable second-hand books, but also ensured that all 1000 books that we had collected would be reused and not wasted.
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I understand that climate initiatives are much more influential within a community, which is why I have trained countless student volunteers to create a community of students who also care deeply about the environment. These students have become more than service volunteers as they have begun organizing significant environmental events with me and even spreading their influence to their classmates, gaining massive traction for my events.
While I have taken a major leadership role, I have learned that the best way to expand my knowledge of climate advocacy is by attending conferences beyond the Union. One of the conferences I enjoyed the most was the ENVironnment JEUnesse conference, where I engaged in insightful discussions to tackle the issues of mass consumerism, ultra-fast fashion, and income inequality present in our society. I also had the privilege of participating in a workshop focused on building personal utopias for younger generations, with the objective of fostering hope and inspiration, as well as presenting a speech to promote upcoming environmental projects within the student union. This conference was the first of many that I have taken part in, as I quickly became passionate about sharing new solutions to the climate crisis and joining different communities with diverse ideas.
Ann & Fatih Amin ENVironnment JEUnesse conference 2025
Campaigning for Youth Climate Corps on campus Nov 2025
What began as provincial work eventually expanded to include national-level advocacy when I contributed to the Youth Climate Corps campaign. Using my network in the student union, I made several speeches, hosted tabling sessions, and created social media promotions that emphasized the importance of YCC in youth employment opportunities while remaining rooted in sustainability and “Good Green Jobs”. The effects of this environmental campaign were significant. After tireless weeks, the YCC was finally included by the federal government, securing over $40 million in funding over the next two years. Especially after previous rejections from the government, hearing the success of YCC and witnessing students gain access to sustainable employment opportunities was more than fulfilling for me.
Just a portion of the student led thrift store inventory..
Thrifted Runway 2026 see more photos on IG
Additionally, this campaign inspired me to create opportunities for other students who are interested in the climate movement, yet do not know how to begin. While navigating a tight budget, I have hosted a Thrifted Runway and will be hosting the 2026 Intercollegiate Eco Expo alongside my colleague, Fatih Amin . I hope to one day reach national levels with these events and bring hope to the youth population regarding the future of the planet. I also firmly believe that awareness alone is insufficient, and that meaningful change requires active involvement, which is why I have spent over 8 months organizing these events to gather federal MPs, student leaders, and even the CEO of Renaissance to give meaningful speeches highlighting the importance of eco-conscious actions. Lastly, I have also secured a sponsorship from my favourite sustainable company, David’s Tea!
Anne and Fatih with CBC Radio host @Sabrina.marindola for the ‘Let’s Go’ show
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French conference on sustainable food systems - Quebec Federation of College Students - FECQ or on IG
As my term in the union is coming to an end, I can’t help but reflect on all the changes and impacts I was able to make in under a year. While I have always cared about the environment, these opportunities have opened my eyes to the urgent actions we must take as young adults. Although I am graduating from CEGEP this semester, I am excited to bring all my accomplishments, knowledge, and newly learned skills into my university career, and ultimately into my law career.
“Inspiration is not only the driving factor of change, but also what sustains it.”
~Anne Liang
As part of the submissions application we asked participants to answer these 3 questions in addition to their essay or video.
What future goals do you have around your environmental and climate work, and do you have any future projects in mind?
I believe that impactful climate advocacy must be demonstrated through action. I have led numerous environmental projects, one of which is a project I wish to expand as I continue my climate work in university: the Thrifted Runway. After months of planning and coordinating, I founded the Thrifted Runway at my school, which has gained massive traction and sparked a movement against the fast fashion industry. With over 30 student models in their favourite thrifted outfits and over 300 pieces of thrifted clothing collected, I launched a student-led thrift store at the event. This runway show has inspired hundreds of students and guests to begin thrifting and practice sustainable shopping instead of supporting the corporations that contribute significantly to fabric waste.
One of my goals in environmental advocacy is to expand this event into an even bigger project that will exceed the school level and eventually challenge the stigma of thrifting within Quebec. I hope that its expansion to a provincial, and one day national, scale will not only unite youth around the shared objective of fighting fast fashion trends but also advance the climate movement by spreading awareness.
If you could share one message of hope for your community, what would it be? Briefly explain why you would choose this message.
I understand that today’s economic climate can make it difficult to find hope for the future. In fact, I often speak with my college’s Green Earth Club to ensure that hope is not lost in the sea of negative social media posts. One of my key messages is to highlight that we are never alone in the movement. Not only are there hundreds of companies that constantly search for solutions to environmental challenges, but simple gestures such as recycling properly, founding initiatives, or simply supporting eco events can all add up, leading to improvements for our planet. In essence, it is about the direction we choose to look. As someone who has always been anxious about the future of the planet, this is a message I wish someone would’ve told me.
Who or what inspires you to work on climate change?
After a year full of climate advocacy, I reflect on my source of inspiration. I recall my very first meeting with my friend and colleague, Fatih Amin, who encouraged me to apply for this award. At the time, I was one of the anxious teenagers who was unsure about the future of our environment, and his hope and passion pushed me to develop initiatives that I could have never imagined were possible.
Together, we are organizing and hosting a full-scaled Intercollegiate Eco Expo, which will bring together dozens of institutions and panelists to not only showcase their best initiatives but also strengthen hope within CEGEPs. In fact, our theme this year is inspiration, as this project has taught me that inspiration is not only the driving factor of change, but also what sustains it. Ultimately, this project marked a defining and inspiring turning point in my work on climate change. While it brought my attention to countless environmental issues, it has also given me the motivation to address them one by one, starting with fast fashion.