Extreme flooding in the town of San Pedro Tultepec following three years of drought forced Xiye Bastida and her family to relocate to New York City in 2015. This personal experience with climate instability catalyzed her transition into a prominent organizer and activist focused on indigenous and immigrant representation within the environmental movement.
Early Background and Education
Born in Atlacomulco, Mexico, on 18 April 2002, Xiye Bastida is a member of the indigenous Otomi community. Her father, Mindahi, and mother, Geraldine Patrick Encina, are environmentalists who raised her in San Pedro Tultepec, located in Lerma. Bastida holds dual citizenship in Mexico and Chile. After moving to the United States, she attended The Beacon School and subsequently enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania in 2020.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Activism and Organizational Leadership
Bastida began her advocacy through an environmental club, where she lobbied for the Climate and Community Leaders Protection Act and the Dirty Buildings Bill while participating in protests at Albany and New York City Hall. She is a major organizer for Fridays for Future New York City and serves on the administration committee of the People's Climate Movement. Her organizational experience also includes membership in the Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion. Additionally, she co-founded the Re-Earth Initiative, an international nonprofit organization focused on intersectional environmentalism.
Public Engagement and Media
In 2018, Bastida received the Spirit of the UN award following her speech on Indigenous Cosmology at the 9th United Nations World Urban Forum. She led The Beacon School during the first major New York City climate strike on 15 March 2019 and greeted Greta Thunberg upon her arrival in the city later that year. Her media contributions include the documentary short We Rise, released by Teen Vogue in 2019, and the 2020 video project Imagine the Future. She also contributed to the anthology All We Can Save and delivered a 2025 TED Talk on climate justice.
Honors and Filmography
Recognition of her work includes inclusion on Time Magazine's TIME100 Next list in 2023 and the Forbes 30 Under 30 social impact list in 2026. Her film projects beyond We Rise and Imagine the Future include The Way of the Whale, released in 2025, and How to Live on Earth, released in 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 18 April 2002, Atlacomulco, Mexico
- Citizenship: Mexico and Chile
- Education: The Beacon School, University of Pennsylvania
- Key Organizations: Fridays for Future, People's Climate Movement, Re-Earth Initiative
- Awards: Spirit of the UN (2018), TIME100 Next (2023), Forbes 30 Under 30 (2026)
Questions readers ask
What is the origin of the name Xiye?
The name is pronounced 'she-yeh'.
What is the Re-Earth Initiative?
It is an international, intersectional, and inclusive nonprofit organization co-founded by Bastida.
