These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Valerie Muñoz brings the ocean to land. As a member of EarthEcho International’s Youth Leadership Council, this 22-year-old master's degree student at McGill University designs collaborative campaigns to mobilize young ocean advocates worldwide through GenSea.

Tell us about a recent project.

In January 2026, I facilitated two youth summits for GenSea aimed at supporting participants to connect with the ocean. The team I worked with for the 100-person virtual session helped people from all over the world learn about their already existing relationship with the sea. Our guest speaker, Phillipe Cousteau — grandson of the famous Jacques Cousteau and founder of EarthEcho International — helped us see that oceans give us so much. They feed us and store carbon and generate as much of the oxygen we breathe as do the rainforests. Helping people who do not live near the sea understand its crucial role in our lives is important to motivate us to protect it. 

The 12 participants in the in-person session here at McGill spent time learning about the St. Lawrence River’s ecosystems. Although Montrealers do not think of themselves as ocean people, we are directly connected to it by the river. 

Despite really important policy changes such as Montreal’s elimination of single-use plastics in 2023, plastic pollution continues unabated and threatens the health of the ocean. We reflected on the reality that policy change, while important, will not deliver the results we need on its own. We must have widespread behavioural change too. This means changing our relationship with plastics. Participants were asked to record a short video about what they learned to increase the number of voices making themselves heard on social media and other platforms. We know people are more likely to change their own behaviour if we see others like us doing it first. 

What impacts are you having?

My own commitment is deepening, and I cannot imagine not working on climate change in some way. I know the networks I have helped to build are already supporting other young people to obtain job opportunities. One never knows where the ripples will surface.

How did you get into this work?

I was born in Montreal but grew up in a small beach town in Florida. I spent most of my childhood either in the water or on the beach. When a friend told me about this program, I jumped at the opportunity to help protect what I love. 

I am about to graduate with my master's degree. I have done research on disaster literacy in Trinidad and Tobago and I am very interested in working to engage young people in disaster recovery. 

What makes your work challenging?

My family is from Guatemala and my immediate family are in Florida. They can feel very far away in these times.

What gives you hope? 

I have many members of my “found family.” They have supported me every step of the way. 

What would you like to say to other young people?

Don’t let anyone tell you what you are able or not able to do. If you are interested and motivated, pursue it. Rejection can be thought of as simply “redirection.” Don’t wait for the perfect job to appear; even if you have only partial credentials, apply anyway. Sometimes the other gifts you bring will take you where you want to go, even if they are not listed in the initial requirements.

What about older readers? 

There is room for all of us in this work and we need you. Share the load. Perhaps something worked in the past and we don’t know about it but you do. We don’t have time to relearn everything from scratch. 

Valeria Muñoz is a student at McGill University and lives in Montreal. She is a 2026 Climate75 Fellow with The Starfish Canada.

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