The Importance of Womens History Month With Isabella Fallahi
By Lucy Ivey photo by Ashley Thompson
Meet Isa Fallahi. The 18 year old activist and all around badass has been socially and politically active for a lot of her life. Advocating for causes like climate justice, and the liberation of all people, Isa is truly a force to be reckoned with. Our Era sat down in collaboration with Steve Madden to chat with Isa about her journey, struggling with toxicity in the activism space, and more.
What’s your journey with the advocacy work you’ve done been like?
My journey within advocacy work was for the most part born out of a need to survive under these systems of oppression; patriarchy, racism, and capitalism. From battling anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQI+ bills in high school to having grown up between various frontline communities across the United States. My journey with climate justice activism began when I made the connection between my severe asthma and polluted air in Indianapolis, as well as seeing my family in South Florida deal with worsening hurricanes, flooding, and extreme weather of all sorts.
Let’s talk about your initiative Polluters Out, what inspired you to start that?
I was inspired to co-found Polluters Out alongside my colleagues, friends, and sisters– Ayisha Siddiqa and Helena Gualinga after I attended both the U.N.Youth Climate Summit after the September 20th Climate Strike and the 25th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties, more informally known as the U.N. Climate Negotiations. While I was there it became apparent that the youth were only being tokenized and our voices were not being valued, in comparison to fossil fuel executives and lobbyists who had exclusive back door meetings, and even sponsored the negotiations.
COP and the United Nations really opened my eyes to the sheer power of the fossil fuel industry, however I knew that if we could build a global coalition of organizations we could out organize them and eliminate them entirely. The movement was putting all this energy towards getting our leaders to shift gears, when the reality is they are spineless and buyable. We would have to sever the corrupt ties in order to even begin progressing in the right direction.
Have you dealt with any toxicity/ ignorance in the climate justice movement?
I have dealt with a lot of toxicity within the climate justice movement. From not just fossil fuel executives and UN police trying to remove me from COP for peacefully protesting their presence and negotiations. But a lot of the toxicity also comes from fellow organizers, there’s a lot of racism in the climate justice movement, as well as misogyny and often times it feels like we’re fighting a separate battle for the soul of our movement while also fighting institutions and the fossil fuel industry, arguably one of the most powerful industries in the world. I’ve gotten a lot of hate and backlash for the work I do, I remember even being in high school and receiving death threats for myself and my family.
Sometimes it’s really hard to not feel hopeless, but where there are reactionaries there are also revolutionaries. Where there is hate, there is even more love. The community I have built through my time in the climate justice movement from working in Zero Hour to forming Polluters Out, has turned into a chosen family for me. I have met so many amazing people who have the greatest capacity for empathy and humanity and they are what gives me hope in our movement and our message. I believe in our love for one another that we will be unrelenting in our efforts towards organizing a more sustainable and just future for all.
Why do you think it’s important for you to use your platform to speak on issues you’re passionate about?
I believe whatever words we choose to put out in this world; verbal or written- captions to videos all must hold truth, kindness, wisdom, and love. Only with that are we able to combat the disinformation and hate that is not only all over the internet, but also lead a widespread cultural campaign to push everyone towards a state of continuous unlearning. Unlearning systems of oppression both internally and externally; the lies they teach us to maintain capitalism and colonialism
Our platforms as organizers and influencers really play a pivotal role in advancing the political education of young people. Education on these topics helps to not only raise collective consciousness but inherently propels people to take action and join us in our movement towards total liberation of all living beings, including the Earth.
What has the reaction from your peers been like?
While there have been some negative reactions, growing up as a Queer Colombian Iranian Woman – it’s almost expected that when I speak up, speak loudly, and unapologetically command the attention of anyone in a room with me that white cishet men will feel intimidated. They feel like I am taking away the power in which they have been given historically, by taking up space. What many white cishet men and even Latino men don’t realize is that there is more than enough space in this world for all of our presences to be valued, but the myth of scarcity will have them believe otherwise.
However, equally my peers have responded with an outpour of love and support. I think in being vocal about these issues from such a young age, I’ve helped to engage many of my classmates since middle school to become more involved in grassroots organizing. And through social media was able to inspire an even greater audience to reject passiveness and fight against injustice in all forms, all over the world!
Have you dealt with any discrimination based off your gender/ identity? How have you gotten through that?
I have dealt with a lot of sexism in organizing spaces, mainly with men trying to silence me into the position of a follower, and not the natural leader that I am. And honestly the way I get through that is by reminding myself that their opinion on me is irrelevant, I am more resilient than them, and am my Abuelita’s daughter- no man intimidated her so why should I? So I just keep existing as myself and not only take up as much space as I can, but build a bridge to invite more women to take up space with me. Only in speaking up, constantly and unapologetically, will men realize that they can’t silence us or dull our light.
Why is women's history month important to you?
Some of the biggest revolutions and movements for social change in history have been led by women. From the Zapatista women in México, the women of the Black Panther and Young Lords Parties of the 1970s, to generations of women; grandmothers, mothers, and their daughters fighting for liberation in Palestine. Often in the collection of social memory, the role women have played as leaders, founders, and forefront fighters of these social movements is purposefully erased, ignored, or contributions minimized.
Many of the most notable male revolutionaries in history, simply wouldn’t have amounted to their greatness without the efforts of countless even greater women behind them. The mothers who birthed them, the women who nurtured them, educated them, and supported them– in the greater spirit of liberation. History quite literally wouldn’t exist without the existence and excellence of women, and neither will our future.
Isa is a true embodiment of what our generation looks for in a leader. Kind, passionate, and full of grit, it is clear that she’s not stopping anytime soon. Follow Isa at @isabellafallahi to keep up with her amazing endeavors.
