Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been incredibly rewarding and I have been presented with the opportunity to MC and MLK Day event at Western Washington University on Monday 16th, 2023. Aside from the DEI work that I do, I have recently acquired the position of "Student Board Member" on the executive board of our community Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. This position has allowed me to become familiar with the inner workings of a non-profit organization, I hope that this experience serves me well in the future, as I would like to major in Environmental Science Forestry and perhaps learn more about Marine Biology. So, I may be working in and around non-profit organizations throughout my career and learning from the senior members of NSEA has given me some incredible insight. I do my best to connect my school and community to the NSEA work-party events, where we do restoration and removing invasive species. I am the communications director for the environmental club at Sehome and I have helped to bridge the gap between the club and NSEA, I will continue to work on projects for the club surrounding the restoration and protection of the beautiful land on which we reside. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. My high school career, everything that I’ve worked towards… this is what the duty of an intellectual. To intake and synthesize information, to critically think about the world and what parts of it need change, to be the vessel through with knowledge is diffused throughout the world. Knowledge is a privilege, higher education is a privilege, and we would be remiss as scholars and intellectuals to not part with our knowledge, research, and understanding for the greater good of the world. For a world that is equitable, knowledgeable, and our own.

Malama aina, a value embedded in my childhood, means “to take care of the land.” Taught to me at a young age by teachers, neighbors, parents, aunties, uncles, and my hula teacher. I didn’t realize then how much of an impact growing up in Hawaii would have on me, how it would shape the way I think about the world, environment, and our individual interactions with it. My elementary years were spent at the Montessori school of Maui. On the slopes of Mt. Haleakala I learned the connection between individual actions and larger community, my kuleana aina; “responsibility to the land.” In first grade I carried buckets from the cafeteria to the compost area, feeding the chickens with scraps and turning the compost barrel which, we used to fertilize our taro patch. It taught me that I had the power to impact my environment and improve my community from one simple act. I had the unique perspective of experiencing many of the same issues that our neighborhood and broader area faced. Hawaii is plagued with environmental degradation by big business, we regularly experienced “black snow”; ash falling from the sky when HC&S was burning sugar cane nearby. Companies doused crops with pesticides, which ran directly into the ocean, brutalizing beaches, watersheds, and ocean life. I participated in many beach cleanups as we watched uneducated tourists harass wildlife for the perfect selfie, litter their trash, chemicals, and non-reef-safe sunscreen. These industries, upon which the Islands economy is dependent, force Hawaiians to strike an impossible balance between the ancient practices of Aloha and their deep-rooted responsibility towards their land. When I moved from Hawaii to the mainland, I felt an absence of broad community connection and kuleana towards the land. This realization was an isolating one and paired with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, these pivotal moments changed my understanding of how social justice and environmentalism intersect. As I became more involved, I began to understand the connection between environmental degradation and its disproportionate effects on communities of color, which have unequal access to a clean and safe environment. I felt that this was where I’d find my future, as part of the solution to climate change and justice for communities of color. Since then, I try to apply the lessons I learned at Montessori and take individual action to impact my community. I joined the environmental and hiking club during sophomore year. I became a “Student Board Member” for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Agency (NSEA), who partners with indigenous tribes to combat the environmental degradation that’s been inflicted upon salmon in our region. The earth is a connector. It connects us to each other, to ourselves, and to every living thing around us. Ultimately my goal is to further my learning and forge new connections that enrich the science disciplines by learning how to harness biology, ecology, and conservation, and connect them to the wisdom of indigenous peoples in order to inspire a community that understands their kuleana to the earth and to each other. If I were to advise my friends and family on how to reduce their carbon footprint, honestly, I’d tell them to vote. I’d tell them that as important as it is that we all live in an environmentally conscious way, it is equally important to know environmental policy and law. We need to thoroughly vet the people whom we are letting into office and vote in favor of our environment, because ultimately, big corporations are the ones contributing the most CO2 and pollutants into our environment.

Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been incredibly rewarding and I have been presented with the opportunity to MC and MLK Day event at Western Washington University on Monday 16th, 2023. Aside from the DEI work that I do, I have recently acquired the position of "Student Board Member" on the executive board of our community Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. This position has allowed me to become familiar with the inner workings of a non-profit organization, I hope that this experience serves me well in the future, as I would like to major in Environmental Science Forestry and perhaps learn more about Marine Biology. So, I may be working in and around non-profit organizations throughout my career and learning from the senior members of NSEA has given me some incredible insight. I do my best to connect my school and community to the NSEA work-party events, where we do restoration and removing invasive species. I am the communications director for the environmental club at Sehome and I have helped to bridge the gap between the club and NSEA, I will continue to work on projects for the club surrounding the restoration and protection of the beautiful land on which we reside. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. My high school career, everything that I’ve worked towards… this is what the duty of an intellectual. To intake and synthesize information, to critically think about the world and what parts of it need change, to be the vessel through with knowledge is diffused throughout the world. Knowledge is a privilege, higher education is a privilege, and we would be remiss as scholars and intellectuals to not part with our knowledge, research, and understanding for the greater good of the world. For a world that is equitable, knowledgeable, and our own.

Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been rewarding and I have been presented with the opportunity to MC an MLK Day event at Western Washington University on Monday 16th, 2023. Aside from the DEI work that I do, I have recently acquired the position of "Student Board Member" on the executive board of our community Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. The experience serves me well in the future, as I pursue Environmental Science disciplines. I do my best to connect my school and community to the NSEA work-party events, where we do restoration and removing invasive species. I am the communications director for the environmental club at Sehome and I have helped to bridge the gap between the club and NSEA, I will continue to work on projects for the club surrounding the restoration and protection of the beautiful land on which we reside.

I grew up in Maui Hawaii. I had the unique perspective of experiencing many of the same issues that our neighborhood and broader area faced. Hawaii is plagued with environmental degradation by big business, we regularly experienced “black snow”; ash falling from the sky when HC&S was burning sugar cane nearby. Companies doused crops with pesticides, which ran directly into the ocean, brutalizing beaches, watersheds, and ocean life. I participated in many beach cleanups as we watched uneducated tourists harass wildlife for the perfect selfie, litter their trash, chemicals, and non-reef-safe sunscreen. These industries, upon which the Islands economy is dependent, force Hawaiians to strike an impossible balance between the ancient practices of Aloha and their deep-rooted responsibility towards their land. When I moved from Hawaii to the mainland, I felt an absence of broad community connection and kuleana towards the land. This realization was an isolating one and paired with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, these pivotal moments changed my understanding of how social justice and environmentalism intersect. As I became more involved, I began to understand the connection between environmental degradation and its disproportionate effects on communities of color, which have unequal access to a clean and safe environment. I felt that this was where I’d find my future, as part of the solution to climate change and justice for communities of color. Since then, I try to make tangible changes to impact my community. I joined the environmental and hiking club during sophomore year and wrote a letter to my principal explaining the impact that the lack of representation in our schools was having on POC in our community and offered to help with projects for the next Black History Month. I became founder and co-president of the Young Multiracial Society (YMS) at my school; a space for students of color to build community and change, stepping up where the school has failed. Creating culture nights, displays and educational outreach during heritage holidays for our larger community. I hope to educate student and administrative leaders at my school on anti-racism, aiming to inspire intentionality about infusing these themes throughout our school. I became a “Student Board Member” for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Agency (NSEA), who partners with indigenous tribes to combat the environmental degradation that’s been inflicted upon salmon in our region. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. By studying the intersection of native practices with environmental science I believe that more sustainable, long term solutions can be found concerning our battles with climate change. In order to truly save the planet we must study the past. So hopefully, within that area of study I can do field research and study within the agriculture industry in the State of Hawai'i solving problems and integrating sustainability within those industries.

I grew up in Maui Hawaii. My elementary years were spent at the Montessori school of Maui. On the slopes of Mt. Haleakala I learned the connection between individual actions and larger community, my kuleana aina; “responsibility to the land.” In first grade I carried buckets from the cafeteria to the compost area, feeding the chickens with scraps and turning the compost barrel which, we used to fertilize our taro patch. It taught me that I had the power to impact my environment and improve my community from one simple act. The local community on the islands is a rich and complicated mix, my skin tone is one of the many shades of brown found there, my family felt accepted by the people around us, giving me the unique perspective of experiencing many of the same issues that our neighborhood and broader area faced. Hawaii is plagued with environmental degradation by big business, we regularly experienced “black snow”; ash falling from the sky when HC&S was burning sugar cane nearby. Companies doused crops with pesticides, which ran directly into the ocean, brutalizing beaches, watersheds, and ocean life. I participated in many beach cleanups as we watched uneducated tourists harass wildlife for the perfect selfie, litter their trash, chemicals, and non-reef-safe sunscreen. These industries, upon which the Islands economy is dependent, force Hawaiians to strike an impossible balance between the ancient practices of Aloha and their deep-rooted responsibility towards their land. When I moved from Hawaii to the mainland, I felt an absence of broad community connection and kuleana towards the land. This realization was an isolating one and paired with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, these pivotal moments changed my understanding of how social justice and environmentalism intersect. As I became more involved, I began to understand the connection between environmental degradation and its disproportionate effects on communities of color, which have unequal access to a clean and safe environment. I felt that this was where I’d find my future, as part of the solution to climate change and justice for communities of color. Since then, I try to apply the lessons I learned at Montessori and take individual action to impact my community. I joined the environmental and hiking club during sophomore year and wrote a letter to my principal explaining the impact that the lack of representation in our schools was having on POC in our community and offered to help with projects for the next Black History Month. I became founder and co-president of the Young Multiracial Society (YMS) at my school; a space for students of color to build community and change, stepping up where the school has failed. Creating culture nights, displays and educational outreach during heritage holidays for our larger community. I hope to educate student and administrative leaders at my school on anti-racism, aiming to inspire intentionality about infusing these themes throughout our school. I became a “Student Board Member” for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Agency (NSEA), who partners with indigenous tribes to combat the environmental degradation that’s been inflicted upon salmon in our region. The earth is a connector. It connects us to each other, to ourselves, and to every living thing around us. Ultimately my goal is to further my learning and forge new connections that enrich the science disciplines by learning how to harness biology, ecology, and conservation, and connect them to the wisdom of indigenous peoples in order to inspire a community that understands their kuleana to the earth and to each other.

I grew up in Maui Hawaii. When I moved from Hawaii to the mainland, I felt an absence of broad community connection and kuleana towards the land. This realization was an isolating one and paired with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, these pivotal moments changed my understanding of how social justice and environmentalism intersect. As I became more involved, I began to understand the connection between environmental degradation and its disproportionate effects on communities of color, which have unequal access to a clean and safe environment. I felt that this was where I’d find my future, as part of the solution to climate change and justice for communities of color. Since then, I try to apply the lessons I learned at Montessori and take individual action to impact my community. I joined the environmental and hiking club during sophomore year and wrote a letter to my principal explaining the impact that the lack of representation in our schools was having on POC in our community and offered to help with projects for the next Black History Month. I became founder and co-president of the Young Multiracial Society (YMS) at my school; a space for students of color to build community and change, stepping up where the school has failed. Creating culture nights, displays and educational outreach during heritage holidays for our larger community. I hope to educate student and administrative leaders at my school on anti-racism, aiming to inspire intentionality about infusing these themes throughout our school. I became a “Student Board Member” for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Agency (NSEA), who partners with indigenous tribes to combat the environmental degradation that’s been inflicted upon salmon in our region. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. The earth is a connector. It connects us to each other, to ourselves, and to every living thing around us. Ultimately my goal is to further my learning and forge new connections that enrich the science disciplines by learning how to harness biology, ecology, and conservation, and connect them to the wisdom of indigenous peoples in order to inspire a community that understands their kuleana to the earth and to each other.

Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been incredibly rewarding and I have been presented with the opportunity to MC and MLK Day event at Western Washington University on Monday 16th, 2023. Aside from the DEI work that I do, I have recently acquired the position of "Student Board Member" on the executive board of our community Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. This position has allowed me to become familiar with the inner workings of a non-profit organization, I hope that this experience serves me well in the future, as I would like to major in Environmental Science Forestry and perhaps learn more about Marine Biology. So, I may be working in and around non-profit organizations throughout my career and learning from the senior members of NSEA has given me some incredible insight. I do my best to connect my school and community to the NSEA work-party events, where we do restoration and removing invasive species. I am the communications director for the environmental club at Sehome and I have helped to bridge the gap between the club and NSEA, I will continue to work on projects for the club surrounding the restoration and protection of the beautiful land on which we reside. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. My high school career, everything that I’ve worked towards so far… is a microcosm of the change that I aim to create around me.. To intake and synthesize information, to critically think about the world and what parts of it need change, to be the vessel through with knowledge is diffused throughout the world. Knowledge is a privilege, higher education is a privilege, and we would be remiss as scholars and intellectuals to not part with our knowledge, research, and understanding for the greater good of the world. For a world that is equitable, knowledgeable, and our own.

Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been incredibly rewarding and it began because of the under representation in my community, which is a huge problem that I and many other students and community members of color in my area. The Young Multiracial Society, which i founded with my good friend as a way to create a space for students of color to be the representation we couldn’t see. As I continue my education I would like to major in Environmental Science Forestry, Marine Biology. And, it is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. These are the projects that deserve funding, and as I have found through my endeavors of event planning, funding is key. Should I obtain funding of my own i would specifically work on research in indigenous communities and evolving better ways of applying indigenous conservation methods throughout methods of production and consumption. I would use the money for the travel, research equipment, business proposals, social media campaigns, and ultimately i would work with non-profits and businesses that specialize in training companies on sustainable practices. Changing the way we manufacture, travel, eat, grow, and consume to increase sustainability across the board. Particularly restoring nutrient rich soil given how depleted much of the soil in the U.S has become, is a big goal of mine. By learning from indigenous practices how to crop in a way that creates nutrients rather than depletes it, we can improve the health and well-being of insurmountable humans. Knowledge is a privilege, higher education is a privilege, and we would be remiss as scholars and intellectuals to not part with our knowledge, research, and understanding for the greater good of the world. For a world that is equitable, knowledgeable, and our own.

Over the past 4 years, I have worked to create tangible change in my community, for the improvement of my quality of life as well as the quality of life of others. Specifically, I have helped to guide my school towards creating spaces for students of color to find community, and to express themselves and their culture. I've achieved this through starting a club, the Young Multiracial Society at Sehome High School, through that club I have been able to curate display cases, art pieces, community events, school-wide outreach, and speakers’ panels to give community members of color a voice and a platform. My DEI work around the district has been incredibly rewarding and I have been presented with the opportunity to MC and MLK Day event at Western Washington University on Monday 16th, 2023. Aside from the DEI work that I do, I have recently acquired the position of "Student Board Member" on the executive board of our community Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. This position has allowed me to become familiar with the inner workings of a non-profit organization, I hope that this experience serves me well in the future, as I would like to major in Environmental Science Forestry and perhaps learn more about Marine Biology. So, I may be working in and around non-profit organizations throughout my career and learning from the senior members of NSEA has given me some incredible insight. I do my best to connect my school and community to the NSEA work-party events, where we do restoration and removing invasive species. I am the communications director for the environmental club at Sehome and I have helped to bridge the gap between the club and NSEA, I will continue to work on projects for the club surrounding the restoration and protection of the beautiful land on which we reside. It is important to me that I note my philosophy of Environmental Justice, which sits on the principal that ancient native and indigenous peoples knew how to use their resources without depleting them, they understood the forests around them and had important uses for the many plants that surrounded them, in order to protect our environment from the destruction that it faces, we must look into the past and learn from the people who were here first. Only then can we make the change that we want to see. That is the change that I want to see, it is what I work towards, and what I am fascinated by. It is this, my community involvement and interest in the intersectionality of culture and environment, that I believe makes me a good candidate for this scholarship. Knowledge is a privilege, higher education is a privilege, and we would be remiss as scholars and intellectuals to not part with our knowledge, research, and understanding for the greater good of the world. For a world that is equitable, knowledgeable, and our own.