Program on the Environment

Youth are often seen as future leaders in sustainability, yet rarely as current co-creators of community solutions. This capstone explores how youth can lead local climate action through an Asset-Based Community Development plus Equity (ABCD+E) framework. This is a model that builds on community strengths while addressing systemic inequities that shape which assets are recognized. Expanding on my internship with Sustainability Ambassadors, a King County nonprofit that trains students as civic researchers and storytellers, this project investigates how place-based learning cultivates meaning, identity, and agency among youth. Through qualitative interviews with educators, planners, and county staff, I identify barriers and adaptive strategies for integrating asset mapping into youth-led sustainability curricula. Overall, findings reveal that youth participation deepens when learning is relational and inquiry-driven, emphasizing local assets such as cultural heritage, community organizations, and shared spaces. However, structural challenges which include time constraints, hierarchical teaching, and inequitable resource distribution limit implementation. By situating youth as co-learners and community storytellers, the ABCD+E framework reimagines education as a platform for civic engagement and environmental justice. The resulting youth-focused toolkit offers adaptable, equity-centered methods for linking classroom inquiry to community engagement, demonstrating that sustainable development begins with recognizing the assets and agency already present in every neighborhood.