York students transform climate emotions into hope, activism

Originally published by Yfile (September 26, 2025)

By Sarah Merghani, Sophia Bryan-Carbonell

York University students have launched a peer-led initiative called The Nest designed to create safe and supportive spaces for students to navigate the emotional side of the climate crisis, while exploring ways to turn those feelings into meaningful action.

The Nest was founded by Sarah Merghani, a third-year student in global health, and Sophia Bryan-Carbonell, a fourth-year student in psychology. Both serve as lab coordinators with the Wellness Impact Lab (WIL).

The idea emerged from their experiences with climate cafés – peer gatherings where students share their emotional experiences of the climate crisis – that had been offered through WIL. When Merghani attended her first climate café in 2024, she was struck by how powerful it was to give voice to her own feelings.

“It was the first time I openly processed and talked about the climate crisis, and I realized I was carrying a lot of anger due to the fact that the Global South, where my family is from, is experiencing the worst impacts,” she says.

Bryan-Carbonell, who has attended and co-facilitated climate cafés through WIL, noted a similar response, underscoring to her how valuable it is for students to have space to process climate anxiety, which often goes unacknowledged. “Conversations about climate change often focus on policies, protests or global impacts. But for many students, the most immediate reality is how it feels: sitting with uncertainty, fear and hope for the future,” says Bryan-Carbonell.

As both the co-founders became more involved with climate cafés, they often noticed a shift: students wanted to go beyond emotional processing toward action.

Together, they envisioned an initiative that would allow students to process emotions while also feeling empowered to act. With support from York’s Agents of Change program – which provides funding, mentorship and training through Calumet and Stong Colleges – and mentorship from Professor Harvey Skinner in the Faculty of Health and Community Scholar Susan Harris at the Wellness Impact Lab in the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, The Nest was created.

The name reflects the dual purpose of sanctuary and growth. “It’s a safe space for students to come together, connect and find grounding. But like a real nest, it’s also a place from which you eventually take flight; spreading what you’ve learned, starting conversations and creating action in your wider community,” says Merghani.

Drawing inspiration from WIL’s climate cafés, The Nest hosts gatherings called circles where students can feel validated, supported and empowered.

Circles will take place throughout the year at both indoor and outdoor locations, including Maloca Community Garden. Each circle combines sharing, reflection and grounding practices with a small collective action, so students leave with lighter emotional burdens, stronger community ties and the empowerment that comes from acting together. Currently, circles are being piloted at York’s Keele Campus with long-term plans for expansions across other York and even Canadian campuses.

The Nest’s inaugural circle in September featured circle sharing and seed planting, as well as a meditation led by Harris and a closing session of qigong led by Skinner.

Students shared openly, many for the first time, and feedback confirmed the value of creating this kind of supportive space on campus. “The Nest’s Opening Circle was a welcoming and supportive space. It allowed me to express my eco-emotions freely," says Mahnoosh Jalilzadeh, a fourth-year psychology student.

Looking ahead, circles will be held every other week through the academic year, each organized around a theme, from arts-based expression to civic engagement. “Organizing circles around a theme helps give focus and intention to the practices, discussions and creative activities,” says Bryan-Carbonell. “Themes also help connect each circle to a sense of purpose, which makes the gatherings more meaningful and encourages students to build on their experiences over time.”

The long-term vision is to grow The Nest into a sustained peer-led community at York, expand its practices and form collaborations across the Greater Toronto Area with partners committed to climate wellness and student engagement. At the heart of that vision is a simple belief: that sharing climate emotions together can transform them into something constructive.

“Climate emotions can feel heavy. But shared in community, they become seeds of strength, hope and change. With each circle, The Nest is growing a community of students who transform their climate emotions into resilience and action,” says Merghani. “Together we can shape a more just and sustainable future.”

Students interested in joining The Nest can attend an upcoming circle or connect with the team at thenestyu@gmail.com. Updates about future events will be shared through The Nest’s upcoming website and current social media channels (@thenestyu).

You may also be interested in...