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From Learning to Leading: South Bronx Youth Bring Climate Justice to NAAEE 2026
What happens when young people move from learning about the challenges facing their community to leading the work of changing them?
That is the work we are doing at WE STAY/Nos Quedamos (NQ)—and this October, our South Bronx Youth Leaders will bring that work to Portland, Oregon, for the 2026 North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference.
On October 6, our Senior Youth Leaders will present “Not Just Learning—Leading: A South Bronx Model for Youth-Driven Climate Justice,” sharing how place-based education, community history, and hands-on advocacy are preparing young people to connect environmental justice with housing, neighborhood planning, and community development.
The South Bronx has experienced generations of disinvestment and environmental injustice. But it is also a community with a powerful history of residents organizing, planning, and fighting for change. Our young people are building on that legacy. At the center of the presentation is South Bronx Under Pressure, an interactive game developed by NQ that explores how decisions about housing, land use, transportation, investment, and displacement have shaped our neighborhood. It moves participants beyond understanding the past to asking a more important question: What can we change today?
That is the heart of NQ’s youth leadership model: turning knowledge into agency and agency into action.
NAAEE gives us an opportunity to share this South Bronx model with educators, advocates, and community leaders from across the country—and to learn from others doing this work in their own communities. The conference theme, “Imagine If…”, captures what we hope to inspire: a future where young people have not only the knowledge to understand their communities, but the confidence and collective power to shape what comes next.
That future is not something we simply imagine. It is a future our young people are already helping to build.
Register for #NAAEE2026 today: conference.naaee.org
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Summer May Be Winding Down, But We’re Just Getting Started!
What a summer it’s been! From celebrating health and wellness at our annual Spring Equinox, to uplifting the voices and leadership of Bronx youth at our Youth Symposium, we’ve been busy building community, creating opportunities, and putting our values into action.
And of course, we closed out the summer with our annual We Are Melrose, where we officially kicked off Melrose 2034: From Preservation to Power—our growing campaign to protect the historic legacy of Melrose, preserve deeply affordable housing, and strengthen community resiliency for generations to come.
None of this work happens alone. A huge thank you to our incredible residents, community leaders, partners, funders, youth, and supporters who continue to show up and make this work possible.
But don’t let the end of summer fool you, the work is far from over! We’ve got more community events, organizing, youth leadership opportunities, and ways to get involved coming this fall.
Stay connected and keep up with what’s next by following us on Instagram! The next chapter is just getting started.
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Get Ready for Election Day!
Election season is here, and civic engagement is community power! Our neighborhoods are directly impacted by the decisions made by elected officials. From affordable housing and environmental justice to education, public safety, transportation, and the resources that make our communities thrive.
Voting is one important way to make your voice heard, but civic engagement goes beyond Election Day. When we stay informed, ask questions, organize with our neighbors, and hold our elected officials accountable, we help shape the future of our communities.
Ready to get involved? Start here:
Check your voter registration. Make sure you’re registered at your current address and that your information is up to date.
Know the important dates. Look up registration deadlines, early voting dates, absentee/mail-in voting deadlines, and Election Day.
Learn who’s on your ballot. Research candidates and ballot proposals, and learn where they stand on the issues that matter to you and your community.
Make a voting plan. Know where and when you’ll vote, and figure out transportation or other support you may need.
Talk to your neighbors! Share reliable voting information with family, friends, and community members and encourage them to make a plan, too.
Stay engaged beyond Election Day. Attend community meetings, connect with elected officials, join local organizing efforts, and continue advocating for the issues that matter most.
Your vote is your voice. Your voice is your power. And our collective power can help shape the future of our communities.
For more information check out the link: www.nycvotes.org
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