We are thrilled to highlight Jose Reyeros, a passionate and dynamic leader in the climate justice and community wellbeing space.
Jose Reyeros (he/him) is a climate action mobilizer based on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Originally from Mexico, Jose has committed his work to advancing ocean-climate solutions with a strong focus on youth engagement. He currently serves with the Youth Climate Corps of BC and co-leads Ritmos Climáticos, a community organization that empowers youth and immigrants by using culture and the arts as tools for climate justice.
We had the privilege of asking Jose a few questions. Let’s dive in!
What inspired you to study environment and sustainability and how has your education influenced your work in this space?
While on a gap year, I encountered myself in scenarios of climate change that moved something within me. I had a moral and spiritual awakening to mobilize to protect species and regenerate the earth, but I did not know it until once in the Salish coast. Here, I was directed to un-learn ideas of western conservation and sustainability to see climate action through a vision of indigenous-led futures with relational ways of living.
Can you share more about the inspiration behind Ritmos Climáticos and how it merges culture with climate activism?
Ritmos Climaticos is inspired by the synergies and cultural thickness of immigrant communities, that have continuously demonstrated their grist to stand in solidarity with frontline communities to land displacement and the impacts of the climate emergency and intersecting polycrises. We want to host "community" in an increasingly disconnected and individualized "Vancouver" and move beyond place and linear timelines to reconnect with communities in the global south and across turtle island so that they can help us organize and we can help them mobilize.
How do you see your Latinx heritage influencing your approach to climate justice, and why is it important to connect culture with activism?
I believe in the interconnectedness of places, species and efforts. For me standing with my Latinamerican heritage and people takes place in organizing with immigrants and taking close attention at the source of climate impacts where I come from and that originates in Canada: I have campaigned against Fossil fuel funding, techno-solutionism in corporate sustainability and other power dynamics that must be tackled in the most important spheres of influence in the world (The global North). One day I want to return to my place of origin and work, play, rest and resist with my family and paisanos.
In your experience, what impact have you seen when blending storytelling, music, and climate action?
The collective flourishing. We are strong together, and before we continue with these times of grief, uncertainty and precarity alone, we need to learn again how to stand together and do it from a place of critical hope, so we can emerge from the paralysis of current systems of oppression and escapism.
You speak about the power of music, food, and cultural traditions in helping communities feel safe to discuss difficult political topics. How can other activists and organizers incorporate this approach into their work?
Collaborating with us and trying things out! In Canada there is such an untapped potential to explore our diversity and taking a step to understand the world in the many different lenses and backgrounds of people around us. All it takes is stepping out of cultural assimilation to understand how our ancestors have coped with struggle in the past, because that is one of our keystone superpowers as a collective in Turtle island.
What role do you believe young people have in leading the fight for climate justice, and how can they balance listening to elders while also pushing forward radical, necessary changes?
Youth must keep disrupting, beyond the activism phase and beyond what previous generations have achieved. Along the lines of radical action, we need to see through radical wellbeing and how we can encounter new versions of living in our communities that challenge the paradigms that our leaders are failing to shift.
What advice would you offer to young climate activists who may feel disillusioned by the slow pace of change in policy and global action? How can they stay hopeful and motivated in the fight for a sustainable future?
If change is hard in your community, imagine at a global scale. I don't have the experience and pragmatic views of a top climate negotiator, but at the same time I am tired of how inaccesible climate diplomacy can be and the elitism between the lines of representing your community in global stages. That is why I believe in local action and the relation we build with the movements we join, specially when they are place based and connected to the people that we care about.
Do you have a favourite book, movie, or song that you feel always lifts your spirits or inspires your work?
Trying to not categorize favourites lately but a dear friend lend me a copy of "The Mushroom at the end of the world" and I have been inspired by funghi to think about the ambiguous alternatives to capitalism that shrooms' can share with us. A song is always Calle 13's Latinoamerica and a movie would be any social justice movie with Gael Garcia Bernal.
If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
My family, except they are 4 and I miss them everyday.
What kind of support do you think is needed to encourage leaders like yourself to continue their work in the climate space?
Financial support, doesn't have to be monetary but we could really get some subsidies, sponsorships, (immigration support ?!), housing, food and other things that dont make our lives so challenging as a non-permanent residents, people of colour and with 0 wealth to afford solidarity work.
Do you have any other information you'd like to share with our followers?
Stay up to date with Ritmos Climaticos and content on my pages to learn more about climate jobs for BIPOC youth, community gatherings and the extended care in communities around me.
Follow Jose and stay up to date with his work below:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatejose/
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