PAST ROLES: Council Member, Web Content Intern
SCHOOL: San Diego State University, 2010
MAJOR: Recreation and Tourism Management, Outdoor Resource Management Emphasis
OTHER OCCUPATIONS: Adviser of e3 at SDSU, Citizens Climate Lobby intern, Power Vote Executive Task Force Member
HOMETOWN: Moreno Valley, CA
CONNECT: Facebook
About Me
I am a free-thinking individual with large aspirations and a desire to make positive change. I believe that there are many shades of gray in every so-called black and white issue. I want to start seeing and hearing a dialogue among people of all different backgrounds-conservative and liberal, male and female and all those outside the gender dichotomy-not about partisan issues or debate topics, but about who we are and what is important to us. I think that, among other things, we need to be more knowledgeable about our product supply, where things come from, how they’re made, who makes them, and how all of these steps along the way are handled; we need to teach each other that we CAN make a difference and that problems CAN be changed through celebrating even the tiniest of victories; we need to work towards eradicating poverty so that less people are forced to exploit their environment and each other; and we need to move beyond a single goal: profit. All of these forces, along with others, work concurrently to create troubles we face today, and it is by addressing them in the same fashion-together, simultaneously-that we can begin to untangle the threads of disharmony that plague us today.
I learn about problems arising from the disconnection from nature, and I try to reconnect with it regularly to understand that which I hope to protect. I like going with the flow, taking things as they come, hiking, dancing, listening to music, learning from my mistakes, good friends, good humor, and working with amazing people in my everyday adventures, especially the wonderful CSSC!
How I Got Involved In CSSC
Two members of my school’s organization, e3, went to a CSSC Leadership Retreat and came back with nothing but excitement and praise for the organization and the people involved with it. I heard countless stories about the amazing connections made and the great work done. After attending a convergence in Spring 2008, my future with the CSSC was set.
The Area of Sustainability That Interests Me Most
Consensus building, environmental justice, cross-barrier partnerships, sustainable communities, web-based campaigns and viral education
The Role of Student Action in Sustainability
Students, though they may not realize it, wield an enormous amount of power. They have access to some of the largest institutions in the country, and they have the voices and the numbers to change them. Students provide a fresh perspective to the sustainability debate, and bring a wide variety of new ideas to the table, ideas that otherwise may never come into play. Students working to make change on campus have the opportunity to gain more real life experience than they ever could in the classroom, and have a passion and drive to change the world that is simply unstoppable. I love students and I want them to lead the way into a new time, one characterized not by exploitation, but respect, and one that leads to a change in human thought and human action.
Sustainability Projects I’ve Worked On
- running a weekly Farmers’ Market on campus
- planning a regional conference on Food Justice
- maintaining close relationships with green businesses
- allocating funds earmarked for sustainable upgrades on-campus
- banning styrofoam in campus dining facilities
- campaigning and receiving approval for a Bike Lane on-campus
- lobbying for a comprehensive climate bill in D.C.
- running the Power Vote campaign on campus
