My Global & Environmental Identity
I am from San Francisco and love to spend time outdoors. Hiking, swimming, and fishing are some of my favorite activities, but each of these things is only available through a collaborative effort to protect natural spaces. Nature is one of the greatest resources that is freely available to everyone and is, therefore, everyone’s duty to protect. Nobody owns nature, and so often, it is overlooked and sacrificed for someone’s gain. I am someone who wants to stand up for nature and protect it’s beauty in all spaces, most of all in my hometown. It is easy for me to forget sometimes that the terraformed urban landscape of San Francisco used to be a magnificent natural scene and that the San Francisco Bay used to be empty of cargo ships and fishing boats. To me, being an environmentally aware global citizen means recognizing the value of nature and contributing to its protection in all spaces. Just as being a member of any community, there are certain responsibilities to protect shared spaces. Being a global citizen means protecting the shared spaces of the world ie. nature. Specifically for me I feel responsible for doing my part in protecting the green spaces of my home. The beaches, public parks, and the bay of San Francisco are all in need of care, and just as I have worked in San Francisco to preserve these spaces, I hope to continue my work at Loomis. It is my goal to document the natural beauty of the Loomis Chaffee campus and create a culture of respect for the amazing resource that is so abundant on the Island.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- Spanish 5: Latin American Civilization
- Spanish 5: Latin American Short Stories
- Spanish 5: Cinema
- World History: Systems of Justice/Injustice
- CL European History
- Hinduism & Buddhism
- CL English 4: Literature and the Environment
- CL English 4: Graphic Novel
- Digital Photography
- CL Statistics
Elective Courses
CL Environmental Science: This course, in addition to my other GESC-approved courses, served as a stepping stone for further environmental education. While in this class I learned about the many plants and animals of the Connecticut ecosystem, the cyclical systems of nutrients and energy, and how to live sustainably. I would recommend this class to any Loomis student regardless of their interest in the natural environment.
GESC Experiential Education
As a sophomore, I was extremely lucky to have an opportunity to partake in an Alvord Center trip to Costa Rica. This week-long experience was split between service, leadership training, and cultural education. Our two faculty leaders Mr. Heckman and Ms. Sadowitz partnered with local guides and representatives from the World Leadership Program for exceptional guidance in each of these fields.
If applicable ...
- As a Co-President of the Shultz Fellowship, I facilitate and moderate weekly bi-partisan political discussions. Through this group I have become more politically engaged and have been able to learn more about the global policies that impact the fight against climate change. Moreover, we host events for the school to increase political awareness and work towards becoming more engaged global citizens.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
- Northern California Coastal Forest Story Map: Link Through this project I gained a deep appreciation for the integration of each species within an ecosystem. I specifically learned about Redwoods which are a keystone species within the Northern California Coastal Forest. It was impactful for me because even though I had grown up so close to this amazing region of the world I had never truly grasped how important the preservation of the Redwoods was for the survival of so many other species.
GESC Seminars
- Seminar 2: I had a wonderful time at the Connecticut Culture and History Museum. The stories of immigration to Connecticut were especially enlightening as they documented the experiences of hardship and success based on the individual. One exhibit that I especially appreciated was the open suitcase exhibit. This interactive display allowed us to investigate the array of belongings that may have been included in the suitcase of an immigrant during the mid-1900s. There were many cases, each representing a different location in the world where many people immigrated to Connecticut from. In another section of the trip, we looked at some primary sources written by Puerto Rican immigrants to Connecticut that illustrated their struggle to access education after moving. These first-hand accounts of discrimination and marginalization helped me enhance my understanding of the hardships an immigrant from Puerto Rico may have faced during this time period. Through our trip to the Connecticut Culture and History Museum, I have become more aware of my privilege and gained a deeper appreciation for the preservation of marginalized voices.
- Seminar 4: AnaAlicia recognized a problem related to food sovereignty, nutrition, and food waste, and she then took action by founding her nonprofit, Nourish My Soul. This nonprofit provides opportunities for anyone, regardless of class or status, to cultivate food sovereignty. It was essential for her to distinguish that her organization was not specifically for people below the poverty line, as she explained that food insecurity is a widespread problem that impacts around 15% of Connecticut residents. Nourish My Soul, however, does more than just provide food. It is not a food bank but rather an opportunity for community members to grow closer, become educated, and support one another. After her presentation, I was interested in learning more about how the established systems designed to combat food insecurity may be falling short. Is food waste responsible for all of the food insecurity, or are there larger systemic issues related to agriculture and distribution? Are we failing as a society by allowing food insecurity to exist?
- Seminar 5: Coffee with Colleagues, which focused on the environmental impacts of AI, was incredibly helpful for both my understanding of how AI works and how the use of technology can have a larger impact on the environment than people realize. For example, the training of AI systems requires an immense amount of energy upfront whereas other forms of data collection do not have to be trained. I was especially interested in learning about the way in which water is used when conducting simple google searches versus the impacts of using a generative chat bot. By participating in this meeting I am now more consciousness of my use of AI and try to limit my use to things that cannot be accomplished by a simple web search. Some things we touched on but I am still wondering more about are the impacts of building data centers to handle the increase in demand for AI and the environmental impacts of manufacturing GPUs.
GESC Electives
- This photo is a photo of the Shultz Fellowship prior to our Open Shultz on abortion. The format of this meeting which is open to the entire school prioritizes open communication and increased participation in current events. In this space we are both taking action and enhancing understanding. Prior to these meetings I research the chosen topic and write a brief to send to the members participating. By researching, sharing our findings, and questioning perspectives we are growing as global citizens and engaged members of the national comunity.
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
Climate Policy Open Shultz
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TdxeRHFe6vsKRX3aALrD8xMUKI3E-ChOZip1lbS9iUM/edit?usp=sharing
Project rationale
This project was especially important to me because I have been disappointed recently with the shift away from sustainable policy by our government. Hosting an Open Shultz where we could discuss the tensions of strong climate policy in front of the larger school community felt like a good way to spotlight this issue.
Target Audience
The brief that I created, as well as the event, was targeted towards Loomis Students but could be helpful for anyone who wants to learn more about the current state of climate policy. It is a collection of articles, videos, documentaries, books, and podcasts that explore the different aspects of sustainable policy. The different media make this collection accessible to anyone who is interested and offers clear fact-checked information in a non-biased way.
Project Process
The first step I took to pursue my goal of educating the broader Loomis community on environmental policy was beginning to educating myself. I read, watched, and listened to tons of media about this topic from all different perspectives and each with different scopes, then collected them all in one place. Once I felt I had a strong base of understanding, I wrote my brief and updated it as I continued my research. To complete my project and prepare to host my event, I thought of some discussion questions that seemed prevalent to me as well as pertinent to Loomis students and specifically researched those topics.
Project Reflection
I am extremely happy with both my brief and the way the Open Shultz Discussion went. Both the brief and the discussion were super informative, and I believe those who attended the event left more knowledgeable on sustainable policy than they came in. Moreover, this event, and the other Open Shultz events that we hosted this year, were able to show how politics does not have to be divisive. Being able to talk across the aisle, even when discussing important personal issues such as the environment and the implementation of sustainable policy, is a skill that I believe everyone should have and that Open Shultz promotes. Through the process of my capstone project, I have worked towards two aspects of the Alvord Center Engaged Citizen Matrix: enhance understanding and take action. I enhanced my understanding by researching and writing my brief. This process of data collection and organization was a tremendous help in rounding out what I already knew about sustainable policy and introducing me to new ideas on the same topic. I took action by hosting the event and moderating it. One of the subpoints of the take action section is "engage in civil discourse to raise awareness and promote understanding." This is the guiding purpose of all Open Shultz events. I hope that in the future my brief can be used by any students or faculty who are interested in learning more about the current state of sustainable policy. It likely will become out of date sooner rather than later, but it will still be a great resource to serve as a jumping off point for future research.
GESC Reflection
After completing the GESC, I believe that I have become more conscious of the wide-reaching impacts that individuals can have. In both political issues and environmental issues, everyone has the decision to either sit by or stand up for what they believe in. I would like to be a person who will stand up for what they value. In my statement of intent, I wrote, "A global citizen is someone who recognizes their place in the world and does what they can to improve it." I began with the goal of becoming more of a global citizen, and I can confidently say that this process has helped me to become one. Through the research I did for my capstone project, along with the GESC courses I have taken, I have become more educated on my place in the world and the responsibility I have towards sustainable practice. One thing that specifically stuck out to me in my research was the sheer volume of outspoken individuals who were able to participate in the discourse around sustainable policy. Their impact on the topics I researched inspired me to be a member of ongoing and future conversations.
Credits:
Created with an image by vivoo - "El Capitan big rock in Yosemite National Park on a cloudy day, California, United States"