Personal Narrative: Maxine Jimenez

• In this award-acceptance speech, Maxine tells her personal story of arriving for the first time in Los Angeles and being surrounded by more concrete than she’d ever seen.
  
• She describes how this motivated her to take action in numerous ways and with many different organizations to make a difference for her community and the planet.
• The associated lesson plan includes a student worksheet, a guide for hosting a climate strike or event, and a personal narrative writing assignment.
  

Positives

• This video can inspire students to take action in positive ways with tangible results.
• The speaker is a positive role model for students.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• The video is available for public viewing, but teachers must create a free account to access the other materials. 
  

Differentiation

• English language classes could use this resource as an example of public speaking and for writing personal narratives.
• Civics classes could use this resource to stimulate a discussion about the role of young people in society and government decisions. 
• Social studies classes could use this video when discussing equal rights, women's rights, environmental justice, ageism, and the societal costs of climate change.
• Similar resources include this lesson plan and this activity.

The resource provides insights on how to decolonize one's lifestyle to reduce one's carbon footprint, become more active in climate conversations, and take urgent climate actions. Maxine Jimenez shares her personal story in a way young people can relate to. This resource is recommended for teaching.