Our future is being made now, and I promise to do everything in my power to make yours safe.

I am sitting in a classroom thinking about you. Which is rare for me. I hope that our family has taken some initiative to do something about changing society instead of building robots and large houses.

I hope by 2050, our society has taken initiative to be producing energy solely through renewable sources.

It’s not enough to just recycle. I will sign petitions and call my local representatives. I will also engage in conversations about climate change – even with people with whom I don’t see eye-to-eye.

I wish you all the best and always make sure that you can be proud of yourself and don’t need status-symbols for feeling nice.

But when you encounter that resistance–and you will, regularly–know that you must respond just how we have had to these past 50 years. With love, and sternness, and most of all, courage. Because that is what the resistance fears the most. We who came before you promise that we will do the same while we wait for you. Know that you will never be alone.

Last week I took you to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline.

I want you to see those corn fields in the north, the beautiful beaches down in Florida, and the stars in the woods at night.

I’m sad and angry that collectively more has not been done to this date. And that still with such dire warnings, obvious impacts, those in power are acting far too slowly.