Elisabeth Trzyzewski 

On September 20th, the youth of America filled the streets and joined together in protest about climate change.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 20: A’niya Taylor, 16, from Baltimore, MD, leads other youth down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol Building as part of the Global Climate Strike protests on September 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. Thousands of people across the United States, and the world, are taking to the streets today to strike for greater action to combat climate change. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Climate change has been a very important topic in science and politics. For years there has been the ongoing debate about wether or not climate change is really a thing and what can be done to stop it and the young finally had enough.

According to the Associated Press, more than 800 climate protests were planned across the nation. Hundreds of thousands of young people gathered together in cities stretching from New York City to Los Angeles.

The coordinated climate strikes were timed to occur just ahead of the well anticipated UN Climate Summit in NYC, and even more strikes are scheduled for this upcoming Friday the 27th.

Children participating in protests, expressing their concern for the future. Photographed by Shana Jade

The spark that started the strikes was what occurred a year ago when teenager Greta Thunberg sat alone outside of the Swedish Parliament holding a sign demanding stronger climate action. A year later Greta is encouraging the strikes and leading the way. She even participated in the strike in New York City and gave a speech at the UN Climate Summit.