Indigenous youth climate change activist and musician Martinez (Mexica) reimagines environmentalism for a new generation.

The many facts presented in this slim volume are enhanced with details of his personal story, including growing up in Boulder, Colorado, and being involved with environmental activism from early childhood. Martinez argues that climate change is an urgent issue that disproportionately impacts communities of color like his own. He also traces the political history of climate change rhetoric, pointing out that it was once a bipartisan issue before fossil fuel and fracking companies and wealthy lobbyists stymied conversations by exerting pressure on Republican politicians. He points out that all too often members of both major political parties keep silent, a move calculated to increase short-term profit while courting long-term financial ruin. Using his own experience as an intersectional, socially aware hip-hop artist, Martinez concludes the book with a call to action, encouraging his generation to use nontraditional, artistic approaches to creating change. This beautifully argued book is packed with facts, seamlessly weaving together the author’s personal experiences with well-researched observations of politics, economics, and history. Martinez’s language is clear and decisive, and his voice is intimate, bold, and inspiring, all of which make the book impossible to put down.

A hopeful, well-argued book on climate change written in a refreshing new voice. (Nonfiction. 14-18)

-Kirkus Review

I did not expect this to hit me the way it did. It was warning and dread filling, while staying inspiring and hopeful at the same time. I really liked the way it was written and its intersectional way of viewing the crisis our world is going through, stretching the importance of thinking of our problems as something intertwined. ( )

Poverty pimps! No knowledge of indigenous roots grew up wealthy, this kid is the living example of societal decline, making money off of the struggle. ( )

I don't agree with him politically but I appreciate the work on the subject matter. ( )

Literary Merit: Very Good
Recommended
Grades: 9 and up

The Pocket Change Collective is a series of “small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists.” They are 4”x6” and 64 pages, so they truly are pocket-sized. The authors are a diverse group of young adults (most are in their twenties) whose stories are accessible and could be inspirational to teens. They focus on big ideas like climate change, art, and LGBTQIAA+ issues through the lens of each writer’s experiences that led them to their particular form of activism.

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez calls on young people to make their voices heard in the fight to stop climate change in Imaginary Borders. Martinez’s journey as a climate activist began when he was just six years old and has continued into his young adulthood through his work with Earth Guardians. Martinez writes about going through a period of feeling disconnected from his activism until he began to fuse it with his work as a musician. He asserts that climate change is an issue that does not respect the imaginary borders of race, class, party, and nationality created by humans (“A superstorm doesn’t ask your political affiliation before wiping away your home”). He explains how climate justice is tied to racial and social justice and argues that for real change to occur, people from every stratum of society must be willing to make changes. This quick read would be great for teens who are budding activists or those wanting to better understand the social issues tied to climate change. ( )