What We Do

For over 30 years, Talking Talons Youth Leadership has provided enriching environmental education and leadership programs to New Mexico Youth. Beginning in 2022, Talking Talons is developing a new “Longitudinal Program Model”. The goal is to provide a continuum of support to students who are passionate about addressing climate change, staying engaged with them from 5th grade through 12th grade and connecting them with training, resources, mentorship, and leadership opportunities that will set them up for success and empower them to take action on issues they care about.

The challenges of climate change that we face at all scales of society are urgent, complex and deeply entangled with social issues. The next generation of leaders will need many tools at their disposal in order to approach these challenges in an innovative, strategic and interdisciplinary way. This includes knowledge of science and history, an understanding of politics and activism, skills in technology and media, diverse modes of creative expression and storytelling, leadership and teamwork skills, and an understanding of movement ecology. They will need to think in systems, and to know how to identify the leverage points where they can make a real difference. They will need to know themselves and their community deeply, stand proud in their strengths and talents, understand their weaknesses, and know how to take care of themselves or their comrades when the going gets rough. Through the continuum of Talking Talon’s new program, students will have a chance to grow these skills while learning about a variety of career paths and ways of engaging with socioenvironmental issues.

This Longitudinal Program Model will support the work of our community partners and strengthen our collective ability to tackle the challenges of climate change by mobilizing local youth to become a powerful, innovative and effective generation of leaders and problem solvers.