Mitzi Jonelle Tan, co-founder of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, was born in the eye of the storm. Unlike many of her contemporaries who were first introduced to the climate crisis through textbooks and classroom discussions, there was no gentle handshake that came as an introduction. Tan met the climate crisis when the storms were halfway through her front door. What she thought would be a childhood nightmare soon became a grim reality she would relive year after year.

The Metro Manila-based climate justice activist first began making waves of change in 2017 after an eye-opening integration with indigenous leaders. Today, she is the international spokesperson of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (Fridays for Future Philippines), and has represented the movement at the European Youth Event, various UN Climate Change Conferences, and at the Natural History Museum’s Generation Hope in London.

For Tan, every fight is won with love, and love knows no boundaries. “I think my family brought me up thinking that the world is like this because the rules are written by a specific set of people. The people who have colonized us, the people who have abused us, the people who have taken advantage of the earth and our people,” the 27-year-old activist shares. “But I’ve always been a rule breaker, even as a kid, and I was like, those are the rules and those are the people writing the rules and I don’t want to follow them. I refuse to follow a certain box, a certain guideline, just because they said that that is how people should look.”

A portrait of a woman, Mitzi Jonelle Tan, displays her back and arm tattoos against a dark background.

Carl Jan Cruz Dress. Burlô by Vestido Earrings. Photo: Artu Nepomuceno.

“It’s not about dominating the conversation, but about pushing doors open so others can follow—and, eventually, working towards a world where those doors no longer exist at all.”

Tan takes the fight to the frontlines, regardless of where it is—whether it’s on the outskirts of Quezon City or in the parliaments of Europe where she brings policymakers to their knees. She is a morena who unapologetically takes up space, just as she should. But she’s also acutely aware of the privilege that comes with it. As she reflects on her media coverage, especially in the West, she recognizes that it’s because she speaks fluent English, is educated, has access to the internet, and can articulate herself in ways that many activists, especially those at the forefront of vulnerable communities, cannot.

For Tan, this acknowledgement of her own privilege is crucial in how she navigates her role. “It’s something we all need to actively practice and pursue,” she says, urging everyone in the field to recognize their privileges, use them to amplify other voices, and know when it’s time to step back and make space for others. It’s not about dominating the conversation, but about pushing doors open so others can follow—and, eventually, working towards a world where those doors no longer exist at all. As a Filipina, and as a morena, Tan knows there are still limits to what she can access and that we should all push for those boundaries to be dismantled. But once she’s in the room, her job is clear: to open the door wide enough for others to come in, and, ultimately, to imagine a world where there are no barriers to begin with.

Photographer: Artu Nepomuceno
Makeup: Eddie Mar Cabiltes
Hair: George Aliben
Stylist: Steven Coralde of Qurator, assisted by Jia Torrato, Charlotte Sombillo, and Jermainne Lagura.

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