Katia Bannister is an 18 year old youth social and climate activist and community organizer from unceded Coast Salish territory who now lives and studies on the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. Katia is a first year student in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. She has worked and volunteered extensively for local environmental and social justice organizations, including the Canadian Freshwater Alliance, Dogwood Foundation, Canadian Mental Health Association Cowichan Valley Branch, and the Cowichan Valley Earth Guardians. She currently works part time as Communications Officer for the UVic Sustainability Project (UVSP).
Katia is a firm believer in climate justice and uses her voice and writing to catalyze visible changes in this world, and to inspire other youth to take action in their communities, develop their skills in leadership and use their unique voices and talents to create the change they want to see now and in the future. She is a sought-after youth speaker who has participated in countless webinars and conferences, including several hosted by POLIS, and given guest lectures as a youth climate activist at Vancouver Island University and the University of Victoria. She is an avid blogger at Sowing Seeds for Change who is equipping herself with knowledge, experiences and skills to become an ethnoecologist.
