Silvia Caralas

Silvia Caralas is a senior at the University of Washington, pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on climate justice, environmental governance, and youth-led community action. She is passionate about building bridges between policy, education, and community-based environmental solutions, and is committed to advancing just and participatory climate transitions. At UW, Silvia serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Climate Collaboratory, a student-led organization that creates interdisciplinary spaces for exploring climate solutions and systems thinking. In this role, she has led local outreach efforts to engage elementary students in understanding how every job can be a climate job, helping to demystify climate action for younger generations. She was also a finalist in the university’s Green Bowl competition, where her team proposed a “Library of Things” to reduce material waste and promote student well-being. In addition to her environmental work, Silvia has experience in the legal field, having worked at an immigration law firm in roles ranging from legal assistant to business consultant. This experience has deepened her understanding of systems-level advocacy and the importance of equitable policy in addressing complex societal challenges. Silvia continues to channel her interests in civic engagement, education, and environmental justice through her capstone work with Sustainability Ambassadors, where she is co-developing a youth-centered Asset-Based Community Development + Equity (ABCD+E) toolkit. She hopes to empower young people to map community strengths and drive locally rooted sustainability initiatives that reflect diverse voices and lived experience.