Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez or better known as Xiuhtezcatl Martinez ( read ‘Shoe-Tez-Caht’) was born on May 9, 2000, in Boulder, Colorado, United States. He is an environmental activist who is a native Indian, hip hop artist, and young director of Earth Guardians, a world conservation organization. He is one of many young people who is involved in a continuing lawsuit against the government for failing to protect people from the effects of climate change.
Martinez is one of 21 plaintiffs involved in suing the government in the Juliana vs. the United States case that has demanded the federal government for failing to act on climate change. The case began in 2015, which ultimately the federal court rejected the government to dismiss the case in November 2016.
He is also one of the seven plaintiffs involved in the recent lawsuit, namely the Martinez vs Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, whose purpose is the same as Juliana vs. the United States but at the state level. Martinez reasoned that the state must ask the country’s oil and gas regulator to consider the health of the community and the environment in the state where he lives.
In addition, he is the main plaintiff in the lawsuit against the Obama administration because the government failed to protect the atmosphere and the future of the population, especially the younger generation.
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and his concern for the environment
Martinez explains why protecting the earth is the responsibility of young people. Martinez emphasizes that protecting the earth is not about being an activist. It is about recognizing the power he has to make a difference.
His father since childhood has taught him that protecting the earth is a responsibility, just as our ancestors were also responsible for doing so. That is the knowledge that grows with him. Martinez has worked all his life as a guardian of the earth. According to Martinez, being the guardian of the earth gave him a way out to use his passion and voice and was very empowering.
His concern for the environment began early when he was six years old and spoke at a local environmental demonstration in his neighborhood. In the demonstration, he told all the parents how important to educate children about climate change. Since then he has been involved in demonstrations and local protests.
Currently, as a teenager, Martinez has given TED talk and has been invited to speak before the United Nations on environmental policy. In 2015 when he was 15 years old he spoke at the UN General Assembly and urged the climate action to immediately say, “What is at stake now is the existence of a young generation like him.”
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez Creates Speak for the Trees Songs
In 2015 as a hip hop musician he participated in contributing his work to compete with other young musicians from around the world. He sent self-produced music to inspire at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Martinez’s “Speak for the Trees” song was chosen as the Winner Jury Award.
Now, he is working on climate change issues, removing pesticides from the park, a moratorium for fracking because Xiuhtezcatl Martinez realizes that this problem will affect everyone, especially colored people, indigenous people, and youth generation like himself.
