Courtesy of Xiye Bastida
WORDS BY HANNAH ROSE MÉNDEZ
VIDEO BY EMMA BLACKMAN AND MIKE EGAN
Mexican-Chilean climate activist Xiye Bastida lets us in on her favorite animals, go-to food, and what keeps her hopeful in the latest installment of 60 Seconds on Earth.
Xiye Bastida is fighting for climate rights for all. The Mexican-Chilean youth climate activist and member of the Indigenous Otomi-Toltec nation has attended more climate conferences than she’d like, but her unwavering determination is a pillar of hope in trying times. There’s so much more to Bastida than meets the eye. For starters, she is still a college student at the University of Pennsylvania, excited to get back to learning. In the meantime, she’s enjoying her summer break while it lasts.
In our latest edition of 60 Seconds on Earth, Atmos asks Bastida a series of rapid-fire questions to help you get to know her a little better. From her home base in New York City, Bastida breaks down her favorite childhood memories, Mexican foods, and how she envisions the future of climate justice.
The video includes only a few of the questions, but you can read the full interview below.
HANNAH ROSE MÉNDEZ
Let’s jump into it. First off, how are you today?
XIYE BASTIDA
I’m excited. I’m great. I’m feeling energized for September to come and school to start.
HANNAH
Where are you at the moment?
XIYE
I am in New York City.
HANNAH
Do you have any nicknames?
XIYE
Some of my friends call me Xi-Xi, but it’s not a nickname anybody can use. You have to be really close to me to call me Xi-Xi.
HANNAH
Tell us a little bit about Re-Earth Initiative.
XIYE
Re-Earth is a group of kids from around the world that get together to create projects that we never thought could actually happen. It just feels like a great community for any support that you need where we educate each other about what’s going on around the world in our countries.
HANNAH
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
XIYE
I think I would be a duck. I know it’s a more boring animal, but they can swim, fly, and walk and they get to see a lot of the world. So, I think they’re a very exciting animal.
HANNAH
That’s a very good point. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
XIYE
My favorite childhood memory is being with my cousins. I have around 50 cousins. During the holidays, we played games that don’t require any technology—what are considered older games now. That was my favorite thing to do.
HANNAH
Are you a cat person or a dog person?
XIYE
I’m a dog person, but it’s hard to be a dog person in New York. So, I’m a guinea pig person right now.
HANNAH
What’s your favorite song at the moment?
XIYE
Anything by Bad Bunny. The new album is just masterpiece.
HANNAH
Great. Secondhand shopping or slow fashion, small business?
XIYE
Always secondhand. We have enough clothes in the world to dress us for the next few decades. If you have the means to buy something sustainable, then do it. It’s just more expensive, but always, always go for secondhand.
“Always secondhand. We have enough clothes in the world to dress us for the next few decades.”
HANNAH
What’s the best advice you can give someone who wants to get involved in climate justice?
XIYE
The best advice I can give you is to merge your passion with climate solutions. So, whatever you care about, see how it can fit into a larger pool of solutions that we have to push for.
HANNAH
Do you prefer sunset or sunrise?
XIYE
I would like to think I prefer sunrise, but I’m barely ever awake at that time. So I would have to say sunset.
HANNAH
Beach or forest?
XIYE
Forest.
HANNAH
What makes you feel most at home?
XIYE
Food makes me feel most at home. Even if I’m in New York—in Sunset Park or somewhere where there’s a lot of Mexican food—I get nostalgic of Mexico.
HANNAH
And speaking of, what is your favorite Mexican dish?
XIYE
Enchiladas de mole.
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HANNAH
What’s your preferred method of travel? Boat, plane, train.
XIYE
Train. I think trains are very therapeutic, and I wish the train system was better in the US.
HANNAH
Who is your biggest inspiration?
XIYE
My parents are my biggest inspiration. They’ve been doing this for a long time. They met at the first Earth Summit in 1992. So they provided me the blueprint of what I follow and what my morals are.
HANNAH
How do you stay hopeful about the future?
XIYE
I stay hopeful because I know there are so many people doing amazing things, and I trust those people to keep delivering the message that needs to be delivered. I think we are at a tipping point where activism is just going to explode, and I am hopeful for that moment to come.
HANNAH
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
XIYE
I think I’m an extrovert. I do like being bubbly all the time and talking to people.
“I stay hopeful because I know there are so many people doing amazing things, and I trust those people to keep delivering.”
HANNAH
What is your favorite holiday?
XIYE
Winter break is my favorite holiday because I get to go to Mexico and see my family for New Years. And it’s just a wonderful time.
HANNAH
What’s the best place you’ve traveled to?
XIYE
Probably Tequisquiapan. It’s this small town in Mexico, and it’s just the most beautiful place. We call them magic towns, like Abuelos Mexicos. It’s just the tiniest, most beautiful town I’ve ever seen.
HANNAH
What’s one book you think everyone should read?
XIYE
The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.
HANNAH
What does the future of climate justice look like to you?
XIYE
It looks like everybody in the world being conscious about climate justice. It means every single decision being done through a climate lens. I think it’s about time that we get to that point.
HANNAH
Are there any sayings or affirmations you live by?
XIYE
Everything happens for a reason. If I follow that, I know that I’m on the right path. I know that where we are is where we’re supposed to be and we have to keep fighting because it is amounting to something.
HANNAH
Are there any exciting projects you’re working on right now?
XIYE
Yes. We’re working to build Climate Week and also COP27. Re-Earth is going to be there. We’re going to be doing some art at COP27. It’s going to be a little bit more relaxed as opposed to planning an event. We’re just trying to bring art to the venue.
HANNAH
And what are you most looking forward to at the moment?
XIYE
I’m looking forward to getting my school schedule back. Having no actual structure over the summer is a little weird to me because I don’t know when to do what. But during school I am actually a lot more organized, so I’m looking forward to school starting.
HANNAH
Perfect. And that’s 60 Seconds on Earth.
XIYE
Thank you so much!
