Self-Care 🤝 Climate Action, Thanks to Maksim Batuyev

In a digital age where 'self-care' is often reduced to face masks and bubble baths, Maksim Batuyev is flipping the script. His activism, spotlighted on platforms like MTV Mental Health Action Day, intersects mental health and climate change—two of the most pressing issues for Gen Z. Maksim is all about taking action, whether it's partnering with LA-based organizations for Climate Cafe sessions or getting mental health onto academic curricula.

As the buzz for Mental Health Action Day and our own Futures Ball reaches a fever pitch, Maksim will be stepping into the limelight as a Generation Future winner! In this must-read interview, we get into Maksim’s hustle, from his days in college when his civic spark was first ignited to how he's making waves in climate mental health. Seriously, this chat goes deep, and it's your go-to if you're down to catalyze change and foster emotional intelligence for a more sustainable future.

DoSomething: What initially lit your civic spark as a young activist?

Maksim: I was beginning an Environmental Studies degree when Donald Trump was elected president. The next day, I learned about Line 5, an oil pipeline in the Great Lakes, from the Spartan Sierra Club at Michigan State. I felt like I had to do something, anything, that would counteract what was happening.

It’s also thanks to the context. In high school, I spent a lot of time at skateparks where the mantra was “homies help homies.” I had friends start nonprofits and businesses, and I’d help them out. I’m a Kalamazoo Promise recipient, and 100% of my college tuition was covered by anonymous donors, which opened my mind to wonder about how I might spend my whole life (rather than get a return on investment for my degree). I was placed in an environmental program in college, so I was surrounded by others like me and encouraged to get involved locally. This kindling ended up just as important as the spark itself.

DoSomething: The Futures Ball will be a momentous night of honoring and celebrating the impact young people have made over the past 30 years and beyond. Growing up, was there a young person who inspired you to find your voice and advocate for issues you were most passionate about?

Maksim: I was finishing college as COVID lockdowns swept the world, and that’s when I first crossed paths with Clover Hogan. I was searching for resources about climate mental health after my Environmental Studies degree failed to offer any & my search led to her. We talked on Instagram, set up a Zoom call, and after realizing our shared passions, she enlisted me to help launch her international youth-led startup. I had no idea young people could do something like that. I helped her scale the organization while facilitating workshops with young people worldwide on how to navigate their anxiety and overwhelm, and mobilize their mindsets. Our time together ended up helping me mobilize my own.

DoSomething: As you work to scale and grow your climate cafe model, how do you hope this will impact the broader climate movement? Why is the intersection of mental health and climate action so important?

Maksim: I hope people understand that emotional intelligence isn’t just nice to have; it’s essential for effective organizing. These types of support systems and approaches are something we can all embody and implement. You don’t need a special degree to ask someone how they’re doing.

We can’t sustain or grow a movement if all of us are burnt out and distressed. The climate movement focuses heavily on telling people what to do, but we have to acknowledge that people are struggling with anxiety, trauma, grief, and so much more that can all feel incredibly overwhelming. What if asking people how they’re doing is more important than asking what they’re doing? I think all of these earth emotions come from a place of love, for people or for a place, and these feelings can be a source of transformation and strength, but only if our communities make space for them. Environmental health and human health are inextricably linked, so we’re missing an entire piece of the equation when we ignore one or the other.

DoSomething: How can young people become more proactive in local climate efforts in their community and make their voices heard on climate action?

Maksim: Start journaling. Or swap that out for any reflective exercise or conversation. I could tell you to join a club or talk to your local politicians, but I think to truly become proactive and make your voice heard, it’s essential to work toward a deep understanding of what this work means to you and how your identity aligns with external challenges.

Once this broader sense of self starts to form, you’ll be closer to identifying the communities and causes that are personal (and motivating) to you. What problem are you interested in solving over the course of your life? What do you find yourself doing without anyone asking? What lights a fire inside of you? Start there and see what arises.

DoSomething: Seeing what you’ve achieved now leading the Climate Cafe LA initiative, what would you tell 13-year-old Maksim and other young activists who are starting their journey?

Maksim: To 13 year-old Maksim: Don’t worry about fitting in. It’s not so important.

To the young activists: Rest, love, dance, create, make time to do things that fulfill and nourish you as a human being. Internal activism is as important as external activism - show yourself the same compassion you show the world. If you’re on this journey, you’ve found something incredibly special and the world needs you. One of the best ways to respect that is by filling your life with as much joy and love as possible.

DoSomething: What's next for Maksim Batuyev? What are you working on that gives you hope and is keeping your civic spark alive?

Maksim: Personally, I have some songs I’m releasing over the coming months that I’m very excited about. I’ve also seen so much need for mental health support, especially as it pertains to climate, so I plan to continue exploring how this work can evolve and what needs I can address.

I think my spark stays lit because I’ve found inspiration from so many different people and places, from underground artists to leaders in the climate movement, who have all supported me even as I doubt myself. Having projects and a life that connects such seemingly different communities has revealed to me our similarities. I’ve seen how much we all care. I think relating the values and goals of the climate movement to our multidimensional identities could be my life’s work.

DoSomething: As we build a more just and equitable future, why is it important to bring young voices to the table?

Maksim: Young people are often at the edge of social change because we’re less socialized, we’ve spent less time in the world, and are less conditioned to accept things the way they are. When you fail to understand young people or fail to invite us in, you’re not building for the future, you’re building for the present. We have our own table, and we’re already living in the future with new values and norms, waiting for you all to join us.

So to me, a truly just and equitable future has to be an intergenerational effort, combining the experience of older generations with the fresh perspectives and insights of youth.

At the intersection of mental health and climate change, Maksim Batuyev is pioneering a dialogue that's been a long time coming. We’re honored that Maksim has been named a Generation Future winner, and we can’t wait to see how his journey continues!

In this spirit, our Futures Ball will recognize not just the 'now,' but also the what-comes-next. Maksim's work is living proof that young people are already setting the table for the future, not just waiting for an invite.