My generation was born into a changing world. It’s crazy to consider the disastrous effect humans have had on the environment in just the 18 years I’ve been alive. When that realization hit me, I shifted from awareness to anger to action.

Before I was old enough to attend school, I found myself protesting, speaking, and marching for climate and environmental action. One of the things I noticed right away was that almost everywhere I went, I was the only person like me around. Not only was I the only kid, I was almost always the only indigenous or brown person at all these events.

Every part of our climate crisis, from the extraction, refining, and transport of fossil fuels to the catastrophic weather extremes smashing the globe, is disproportionately impacting poor, black, and brown communities. And somehow our perspective wasn’t being included in the mainstream environmental conversation.

Climate change is now a part of the political conversation, arguably in a way it’s never been before because of the pressure the younger generation is putting on our leaders to address the greatest issue of our times. And these elected officials know that if they want to stay in power, they’re going to have to make climate change a part of their platforms.

Millennial and Gen Z voters will make up 37% of the electorate in 2020. We’re the most diverse, most progressive, and most educated generations in history, and we are continuing to grow in power. More than any other age group, we see acting on climate as a top priority.

Young people and marginalized communities are reclaiming our power and our voices in the movements that are shaping our future. From Standing Rock to Flint, from the Bayou to D.C., we’re beginning to see a different face of environmental leadership. As a generation that understands the absolute necessity of building intergenerational, intersectional movements, we are not settling for anything less than courageous leaders that are ready to fight with us to build a more just future.

In the scramble for Democratic presidential hopefuls to hop on the sustainability train, the guy who’s been there all along remains the top choice for my generation. Unlike most politicians, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has created a political space that authentically includes and respects the voices and participation of young people. He doesn’t treat us like our opinions and our work are less valuable because we haven’t lived as long, or write us off, like most politicians do, because we don’t vote at as high a rate as our elders.

In December of last year, Sanders invited me to speak at a town hall called “Solving the Climate Crisis.” Sanders, environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, actress and activist Shailene Woodley, and CNN commentator Van Jones welcomed panelists like myself and then Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to break down the climate solutions our nation needs. When it came time to introduce me, Sanders said, “Of all of the generations out there who are helping us to lead the fight against climate change, it is clear that it is the young people who are in the forefront.” He gets it.

It’s not a coincidence that his support among people ages 18 to 29 has grown from 2% at this time in the presidential race four years ago to 42% in recent polls in a very crowded field. He’s not just recognizing our leadership; he’s incorporating it into his campaign.