I consider Greta Thunberg to be a heroine.

I wasn’t looking for her: instead, she found me.

Through my middle and high school days, I became known for championing green living. I was a budding activist and I was doing my best to inspire and educate those around me who I knew could help make a difference if they only gave a care: my fellow Millenials.

Deep down I knew that it was people my own age, my own peers, and those who came after us, who would bring the changes we needed to make a true difference in the fight for climate change.

Greta has taken that intuitive knowledge and run with it, inspiring a movement for change in the world’s youth. I’m in constant awe as I watch it unfold. In all of my wildest dreams, I’d never imagined seeing a movement of this size and impact being led by a such a brilliantly capable young woman. She has changed how we view our leaders, and for that, she’s gained heroine-status.

Seeing Greta take the world by storm is not only fueling my deepest dreams, it’s like watching magic happen right in front of my eyes. In fact, there’s something taking shape around the world called, “the Greta effect”—not just among the world’s youth, but crossing all age barriers. She is bringing about change in real and quantifiable ways.

She has recently arrived in the United States in order to continue to state her case, follow the science, and inspire the movement. I’ve watched in rapt attention as she crossed the ocean on a zero-emission boat voyage and continued to follow her posts and shares about her trip.

I was pleasantly surprised recently to see her on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. She’s succinct, she’s specific, and she’s real in a way that leaves little doubt to the depths of her passion for her cause. The best part? Trevor asks her to share with us all the one thing she would choose for every single person on the planet to do in order to start making a stand against the climate crisis.

Nearly tying for the best moment in the interview is when Greta is brutally honest about how she feels about her mother’s career path changing because of her climate change agenda.

I have a feeling that, to change the world, this family is in it for the long haul and with a whole lot of love.

Watch the clip and let’s all try to do our part, even if it’s not a zero-emission boat voyage or a weekly peaceful protest. The power lies in our hands and Greta is here to remind us.

{Looking for an alternate video link if this isn’t available to you? Try this.}