Kiara De Los Santos I Women's History Month

Life Challenges:

Losing both my biological father and stepfather at a young age has been one of the most difficult challenges of my life. Growing up without them, I often compared my situation to that of my friends, making the loss even harder to process. My mom and I struggled to get by in LA, moving between apartments and hotel rooms—but through it all, I was raised with love, and for that, I am endlessly grateful.

Being so far from the rest of my family in the Philippines has been another challenge. From across the world, I’ve watched as my home country faces the increasing devastation of climate change—typhoons, floods, and displacement. Though I may be miles away, I do everything I can here in the U.S. to advocate for climate justice, knowing that every effort counts toward protecting the places and people we love.