Iris-Bella is an 11th grade student from Rhode Island. For her, disaster preparedness is tied to climate change and community engagement. During her time on the national YPC, she is most interested in connecting with directly with Latino communities and with other members of the national YPC to collaborate on preparedness and environmental awareness. She would also like to create accessible resources on disaster preparedness for people experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island.
As an intern with Clean Ocean Access, a Rhode Island environmental nonprofit organization, Iris-Bella has demonstrated her interest in helping community members become more aware of climate change and how to combat it. She has done this through presenting information about composting and waste management to schools and communities in Rhode Island, both in English and Spanish. Iris-Bella also donated five-gallon buckets to families so they could start composting at home and has taught elementary school students about worm composting. Outside of environmental work, she has partnered with Sojourner House, a local organization that supports victims of domestic violence, to lead peer education group presentations at her school during Teen Dating Violence Month in February.
In her free time, Iris-Bella enjoys photography and making short films using a camera she purchased with savings from her summer job. She also spends time watching movies, gaming, and playing the violin.