The Antidote to Despair Is Community

Mwandeyi Kamwendo is an articulate, positive, and matter of fact person. She works as an advocate for fighting climate change. I found her to be a refreshing change from previous interactions I’ve had with climate activists. She spoke with true passion, yet she was calm, cool, and collected as she discussed climate issues. I found this attitude quite impressive, because the current state of our climate is anything but calm, cool, and collected. Growing up in foreign countries before moving to the U.S. for college gave her a very clear view on what it means to be a U.S. citizen. “Advocacy is a privilege,” she stated, as is being able to create your own open-ended definition of patriotism. She noted that the U.S. is a powerful country and that “with great power comes great responsibility.” 

She talked a lot about how important community is, stating, “Empowerment comes from connection and exchange of ideas.” Even working in your local community with local leaders is super important and is an easy way to start participating in advocacy and sparking real change. I think this was new and surprising advice for most of us, as there was an awkward silence after she asked us if we knew who our county district supervisors are. She spoke clearly about how easy and productive it is to start advocating in your community: “The antidote to despair is community.” 

She spoke with an assuredness and satisfaction in her work, without urgency or ego, with an understanding that true change takes time. She said that it can take generations and that it’s an honor to work both with people who have been working for social change for years and with younger generations who bring new perspectives and recognize new problems. She is the first person we’ve talked to who added to the sentiment that we are tired of hearing, “You are the hope.” She said, “You are the hope, and you will never be alone.” There will always be people younger than you who are joining the struggle to create a better future.

She approached activism in a refreshing and logical way that left me feeling at ease with the slow rate of progress and how important it is not to feel overwhelmed by the tragedies of the world. Everyone should become involved wherever they can, as “our superpowers are our own unique stories and experiences.”

-Lucy Yen

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Our Greatest Power Is Our Stories

Mwanedeyi Kamwendo spoke about activism, and her words carried great weight. What struck me during the interview is how she reminds us that our greatest power may be the stories we carry with us. Stories shape how we see the world and how we reach one another. Stories are not just words; they are tools. If we can find the part of our story that speaks to someone else, we can build connections, and that’s where change starts.

She spoke about how the internet has made the world smaller. What happens far away touches us now, whether we notice it or not. And while this connection brings challenges, it also brings strength. We can share our thoughts, hear from others, and grow. We do not have to agree, and being challenged makes us better. Mwanedeyi reminded us that knowledge is what truly drives change. To lead, to grow, or to speak with meaning we must learn, and learning involves listening.

Taking the time to see the world through someone else’s eyes is not a weakness but the first step toward real understanding. I really liked what she said about young people. The world tells us that we are too young, too new, too unsure to be helpful. However, she says, the young are the leaders of tomorrow. They may not have long histories, but they have something else, a vision of what the future can be, as they are not trapped by old ways.

-Gage Saul

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