The Imperfect Activist

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 2 of The Imperfect Activist podcast, coming at you via the Be the Change Media Network.

The Imperfect Activist is a space where Tash, a young climate justice activist talks to other youth activists about the ways they’re trying to make the world a better place and using their creativity to tackle the injustices facing our generation whilst also just trying to survive and thrive on a planet that’s well, quite literally, on fire.

In this episode of The Imperfect Activist, Tash talks to May Puckey.

May Puckey is an eighteen-year-old climate activist who first became involved in the environmental movement during primary school when she regularly attended Fridays For Future events in Exeter, England. When May was eleven, she learnt about the catastrophic environmental impact of flying, accounting for 10% of the UK’s annual emissions and since then she has decided not to fly. Although May personally has given up flying, she mainly campaigns for systemic change and participates in numerous environmental groups and events in the UK and writes articles on different green issues monthly for various publications. You can read her work online in West Country Voices or in print in Reconnect, or follow her on Instagram and Substack to find out the whole list of where she is published (@maypuckey).  

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of The Imperfect Activist podcast, coming at you via the Be the Change Media Network.

The Imperfect Activist is a space where Tash, a young climate justice activist talks to other youth activists about the ways they’re trying to make the world a better place and using their creativity to tackle the injustices facing our generation whilst also just trying to survive and thrive on a planet that’s well, quite literally, on fire.

In this episode of The Imperfect Activist, Tash talks to Beth Rice.

Beth Rice is a project manager in cancer trial research, pageant queen and an avid lover of nature and travelling.

In the past 10 years, Beth has battled with her climate anxiety and frustration at not learning more about climate issues at school. Pageantry launched Beth into action and since entering her first beauty pageant in 2021, Beth has launched her own social justice project, Climate Whispers, which teaches young people about climate change and social justice through workshops. Beth has had the opportunity to travel to Ghana to work with young leaders through the @ENEFfoundation and attended the United Nations COP28 as an advocate for climate education.

Beth loves to talk about how a platform like pageantry can be a force for change and hopes to inspire others to advocate for climate issues and pursue their passion even in unconventional ways!

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

In this episode, we sit down to reflect on young people's role in international liberation movements, specifically focusing on what's happening in Palestine. From raising awareness, protesting, and fundraising, we touch on what community organizing looks like while feeling helpless, the role and suppression of social media exposure, and global youth solidarity in the face of deep-rooted injustices.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

In this tenth episode of The Imperfect Activist, Lucy travels (virtually) to Nepal to speak with Samita, a youth advocate and changemaker witnessing history unfold firsthand.

Together, they unpack the 2025 Gen Z protests - a youth-led uprising sparked by a government social media ban that quickly grew into a broader movement against corruption, inequality, and political failure.

Samita shares her insights from the ground, offering a raw and hopeful look at what it means to be young and resilient in a country on the edge of transformation. From the risks activists face to the rise of digital resistance, this episode explores how young Nepalis are challenging power, reimagining leadership, and placing youth voices at the center of change.

This is a story of protest, persistence, and possibility - and a reminder that resilience doesn’t always look perfect, but it does look powerful.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

Green jobs are supposed to be on the rise in Canada and around the world, shaping how young people enter a workforce in transition to net-zero. But what exactly is a green job, and how do values, ethics, and personal choices shape the paths we take, from nonprofits to corporate roles? In this episode, we unpack what green jobs mean for our future, how to avoid burnout in purpose-driven work, and why there’s a place for everyone in the climate movement.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

In this eighth episode of The Imperfect Activist, we zoom in on what it means to make change where you are. From grassroots organising in Devon, UK to youth-led movements like Green New Deal Rising, we explore how local action can connect to the bigger fights for climate justice and political transformation.

Youth campaigner Holly Gillett joins Natasha to share her journey - from community campaigns, to standing for local council, to challenging national parties on their climate failures. Together, we unpack what it looks like to bridge protest and politics, and why small, local wins matter in the context of global crises.

Because being ‘activist’ isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about showing up, experimenting, and growing movements in our communities, even when the politics feels stacked against us.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

In this seventh episode of The Imperfect Activist, Lucy is joined by special guest Bernice Waldeck, a social media creator for men’s rugby in South Africa. Together, they dive into Bernice’s journey of carving out space as a woman in a male-dominated sport, and how her passion for rugby led her to create for fun while shaping the online sports community.

The conversation explores the growing influence of social media in sport, the challenges and opportunities of being a female voice in rugby, and the exciting rise of women’s sport globally. Lucy and Bernice also reflect on how they first met through the URC Women’s Leadership Academy, a programme designed to empower young women to build careers in sport and spark passion for change.

Bernice is also the co-host of the Her Side of The Ruck Podcast with Tash, another alumna of the URC programme — a must-listen for all rugby fans looking for fresh perspectives on the game.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

This episode delves into an often-uncomfortable topic: money. Does it matter where the money for our organizing comes from? What are the implications of being funded by extractive companies and the very sectors we’re organizing against? Listen in for a discussion on consciously receiving funding from fossil fuel companies/big banks for climate organizing work, learn new perspectives, and apply some practical steps to your own work!

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

In this fifth episode of The Imperfect Activist, it’s your co-host Lucy taking the lead in a personal conversation about mental health and wellbeing exploring how our generation is breaking long-held stigmas and reshaping the narrative around emotional wellness.

This episode dives into the mental health pressures facing young people today, from academic and financial stress to activism burnout and identity struggles. Together, they reflect on why it’s so important to speak openly about mental health and why rest, boundaries, and self-care are not luxuries they’re survival tools.

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).

In this fifth episode of The Imperfect Activist, Natasha talks to youth climate justice campaigner and journalist Scarlett Westbrook.

Scarlett Westbrook is a leading climate justice activist and journalist, and the youngest person in the world to attain an A level in Government and Politics, which she self-taught at age 13. She is also the youngest parliamentary policy writer, most known for her work on climate education, and for being a lead organiser of the British School Climate Strikes. 

Together, they talk about growing up inside the UK climate movement - from school strikes to boardrooms, student-written climate bills to standing in Parliament. They reflect on what’s changed in the years since young people filled the streets with Fridays for Future. Where are they now? Why has the movement’s visibility shifted? And what has it cost the young people who were at the centre of it all

Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe!

To get connected with Lucy, Annabelle, or Natasha, please find them on Instagram at @theimperfectactivist.podcast.

For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Network on Instagram (@bethechangemedianetwork) or visit our website (www.bethechangemedianetwork.com).