Youth Voices Rising: London Maxwell Explores Climate, Community Health and Youth Voice With Ryan Kirkpatrick

This story is part of Youth Voices Rising, a Black By God narrative-change project supported by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and produced in partnership with the Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy at West Virginia State University.

By London Maxwell

During Black By God’s Youth Voices Rising camp, London Maxwell had the opportunity to interview a local leader working on environmental issues in West Virginia.

Maxwell was assigned to the community category and interviewed Ryan Kirkpatrick, a climate and energy organizer with West Virginia Citizen Action.

A Charleston resident, Kirkpatrick has traveled and lived in other places but continues to call West Virginia home. He studies business administration and business agriculture at West Virginia State University and has organized around chemical safety, environmental protection and public health.

Kirkpatrick also serves as vice president and environmental chair for the Charleston NAACP and is a Climate and Energy organizer for West Virginia Citizen Action Group. 

During their conversation, Kirkpatrick discussed his environmental work, the importance of protecting communities and what has kept him connected to West Virginia. For him, much of that connection comes down to family and culture.

The interview helped Maxwell better understand how environmental issues can affect the everyday lives and health of people living in a community.

“One thing I learned is how important climate resources can be for a community and how much of an impact they can have on community health,” Maxwell said.

Kirkpatrick also discussed something he would like to see change for West Virginia’s young people: giving them more opportunities to participate in the conversations and decisions that affect their lives.

“I wish that more young people were invited into these spaces where they can make decisions,” Kirkpatrick said.

That message connects directly to what Maxwell and the other Youth Voices Rising participants were doing: meeting people working in their communities, asking questions and learning more about the issues shaping West Virginia.

For Maxwell, an interview about the environment became a broader conversation about community health, belonging and the importance of making room for young people to help shape their future.