Joanna Zhu is a passionate advocate for the environment, particularly for sustainable fashion. Joanna leads Common Closet, an initiative associated with the United Nations Association in Canada. Common Closet works at the intersection of sustainability and humanitarianism, redistributing clothing to communities in need during Edmonton’s harsh winters and repurposing textiles into blankets for shelter animals.
Through Common Closet, Joanna has mobilized more than 100 student volunteers and built partnerships with local thrift stores, shelters, and community organizations. To date, the initiative has diverted more than 450 items and 300 pounds of overstock clothing, valued at over $6,750, from potential waste and redistributed them with care and dignity. With new partnerships and chapters in development, Common Closet is working toward distributing nearly 3,000 pounds of clothing in 2026. She has also mobilized students across several schools to transform unwanted textiles into blankets for animal shelters and rescues, engaging school communities representing approximately 4,000 students.
Joanna has also worked with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance. Over the course of two years, she has helped to design and distribute two environmental education projects: educational kits distributed to 120 classrooms throughout Alberta, and a trivia card game with 1,500 copies printed.
Joanna is a youth mentor with the UNAC Eco-Clubs Program, where she leads a group of other youth to design an initiative solving a climate-related problem. She also facilitates the Climate Leaders Fellowship in collaboration with the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab, where she has led students from over 10 countries. She is currently a Regional Director with Sustainable Youth Canada, where she leads a group of 4 youth to implement various initiatives throughout Edmonton. She was also a representative on the City of Edmonton Youth Council, publishing an op-ed and speaking to City Council on the effects of policy that disproportionately impact unhoused individuals.
All in all, Joanna is a passionate youth leader who is committed to creating space for youth in climate and policy leadership.