Friday saw hundreds of thousands of young people take to the streets to protest against climate change. In New York, the protests began at Foley Square with the marchers eventually making their way to Battery Park. We asked the photographer Bryan Thomas, who has covered the effects of sea-level rise in his home state of Florida, to document the event and he decided to set up a mini studio in the heart of the protests in downtown New York. These are the results.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Erin McGrath

Age: 17

What scares you most about climate change?

Rising sea levels. We joke on Long Island that eventually we’ll be have no place to live but we don’t want it to happen too soon.

Why are you marching?

I recently realized how important it is to participate. I wanted to make my voice heard even in this small way.

Bridget Williams

Age: 30

What scares you most about climate change?

The future. We are in a frightening place. I fear the most for the animals.

Why are you marching?

Doing the most that I can do as an individual that can impact change. It’s inspiring. I always wanted for there to be a massive impact and change. To see the youth have the will to do it is inspiring.

Rachel Zimmerman-Diaz

Age: 18

What scares you most about climate change?

In the system where we live now, we don’t feel any of the externalities of the products we are consuming. It’s OK to be ignorant until you know the harm that our consumption yields and then there’s no excuse. If you do nothing, then you are seeing yourself as above someone.

Why are you marching?

I have the choice to be here, when there are people that don’t, that can’t speak for these issues even though they are the ones being most adversely effected by them. If I care about this and I don’t come here, what is the point?

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Stella Grossenbacher and Danielle Rembert

Age: 9 and 48

What scares you most about climate change?

Danielle: Plastic. Plastic is something that never disappears. Almost everything else is biodegradable. Plastic breaks into small pieces. It gets into our body. It destroys the ecosystem of the world. I fear plastic more than the heat because I can visualize it.

Why are you marching?

Danielle: Because we know it’s a very urgent problem. I don’t think marching solves the problem but it gives you energy and a sense of community. I don’t think it will change anything fundamentally. If everyone does something little every day that can help more than marching.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Cecilia Innis

Age: 19

What scares you most about climate change?

We are already seeing the effects. Poor black and brown communities are already affected the most. It is hurting marginalized people. The people that can’t leave when hurricanes come for them.

Why are you marching?

There is power in numbers. Personally, I can’t be an advocate for social justice and not be a part of this.

Ozi Hidalgo Balareco

Age: 28

What scares you most about climate change?

The possibility that a lot of people will be left without homes and have no place to go. And there’s very little empathy from people in a position to help.

Why are you marching?

It’s important to be present. It’s important to be part of the movement. And if you believe that climate change will affect all of us, you need to make your voice heard.

Uma Natarajan

Age: 23

What scares you most about climate change?

The fact that my children won’t be able to have the same opportunities that I had. We are already experiencing the effects of past generations’ actions. I’m afraid that my future children won’t be able to have, like, access to clean water and being able to have three meals a day.

Why are you marching?

I’m angry. We’ve been feeling the effects of climate change. There are no policies to make a difference. Politicians can say whatever they want, but they don’t have policies to back those actions. There is no plan.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Kaity Jia

Age: 21

What scares you most about climate change?

We are in a nightmare scenario right now. If we don’t act fast, there will be a lot of chaos and people suffering. I don’t want us to have to fight for our lives.

Why are you marching?

This is something that I’ve supported my whole life: preserving the environment. A lot of young people who share this sentiment are now the ones who will be seeing the effects of climate change. We are young. We will have to live through this. We will have to live through natural disasters and rising sea levels. It’s already happened in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Scientists have predicted this and there will be storms coming.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Michael Gibbons

Age: 19

What scares you most about climate change?

The fact that the effects will be catastrophic and happen in our lifetime.

Why are you marching?

To be a part of this change. To be with other people, to get the word going out. When you see other people that have the same mindset as yourself, it will inspire you to impact people who aren’t so aware.

Angelina Tromcoso

Age: 17

What scares you most about climate change?

We are just sitting here and doing nothing. If we don’t say anything it’s just going to get worse and worse. I don’t even think there will be a world.

Why are you marching?

I was moved when I saw the buzz on social media. Then the school was encouraging us. When my teacher told me that, “the future is in your hands”, I was really moved by that.

Nora Diede

Age: 17

What scares you most about climate change?

The fact that our entire world is going to completely die. It’s petrifying to think about. Our children won’t be able to experience the same things we had.

Why are you marching?

I’m marching because the youth need to take over. The adults aren’t failing us, but they aren’t doing everything they could. It’s important to fight for this cause.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Seren Roberts

Age: 10

What scares you most about climate change?

It’s that people and animals will get hurt if we don’t make a change. And trees will start dying and we need the air.

Why are you marching?

Because I don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Raadiya Shardow

Age: 18

What scares you most about climate change?

It will affect everyone. Those who care and those who don’t. The future seems bleak and hopeless but we can create change. This will affect everyone regardless of race, age, socioeconomic status; it is actually very unifying in that way.

Why are you marching?

I want to be able to tell my kids that I cared. I want to see a future where my grandkids can play outside, drink water, be healthy and happy. If this is destroyed, we have nowhere else to go.

Sophie Anderson

Age: 16

What scares you most about climate change?

The effects that we are already seeing. The reality is that we are seeing effects right now. An example is Hurricane Dorian. This is what is happening. These people don’t have a voice; we need to elevate them.

Why are you marching?

For the people whose stories aren’t being told. For my future. For my friends’ future.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Bryan Thomas/The Guardian

Aidan Aroubas

Age: 15

What scares you most about climate change?

No matter how much we protest it, nothing ever gets done about it. Someone might become vegan or start recycling, but you won’t see a company do something.

Why are you marching?

I’m taking a stand. If we don’t get a critical mass, there won’t be anything done. It won’t be taken seriously.