A story about showing up for affected communities when disaster hit by Joseph Anthony Julca Mendoza, 30 yr, Valencia, Spain
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Joseph is a marine biologist, science communicator and environmentalist from South America, working with Sustainable Ocean Alliance, an organisation mobilising young people and solutions to restore the health of the ocean. Joseph is involved in the global climate movement and local community support.
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I have had to live with natural phenomena such as earthquakes and tsunamis since I was little, so I was also prepared for them at school. I could then say that I was prepared and knew what to do in these situations, but the truth is that when faced with the action and force of nature we are never prepared.
In university I learned a lot more about natural disasters and the reason why they would intensify and happen more frequently: climate change. I grew up learning about climate change and observing its effects on the ocean and different parts of the world, so I decided to get involved in the international climate movement and activism, to do something about it.
But I never imagined that climate change would show me one of its most terrible sides just a few kilometres from home, at the most unexpected moment.
Exactly three weeks before writing this story, major floods caused by intense rains produced by a meteorological phenomenon called DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) in the south and east of Spain. The rains devastated entire towns, mainly here in Valencia, leaving thousands of people trapped and claiming the lives of many others. Immediately upon seeing everything that had happened, I went to the aid of those people and animals affected by this natural disaster. I did not hesitate, like many of my friends and citizens.
The reality of the disaster turned out to be quite harsh and made me feel a mixture of negative sensations and emotions. I felt anger, because it was a situation that could have been avoided, and sadness, because of the devastating circumstances in which those affected found themselves. However, I was also invaded by positive sensations and emotions such as optimism and joy, seeing that like me, there were thousands of people who had left everything aside to devote themselves to helping those affected in whatever way necessary.
And it is for reasons like these that I continue working to enact change and confront the climate crisis. I know that I am not alone. I know that there are many other people who are doing similar things as I do or helping in thousands of other ways. These actions, combined with the positive sensations and emotions, are what urge me to continue fighting day by day.