One of the most important concepts that I have taken from my undergraduate studies is “biophilia,” or the idea that humans are innately drawn to nature. I understood this concept before I ever read about it because I have spent most of my life in the Great Outdoors. Summers in the garden and in the forest evolved into national park visits and camping on public lands in Arizona and the Pacific Northwest. Having grown up in the Sonoran Desert, one of the most biodiverse places in the world, and as a student of sustainability, I have always been biophilic. Phoenix, Arizona, is still a major urban area, though, it is very biodiverse due to the mountain topography of the region. Despite this, I learned through my studies that many communities do not have access to parks and green space. This awareness became clearer when I took on a position as a field and laboratory assistant for the Central Arizona Project Long-Term Ecological Research group, which advances research and education of urban ecology. CAP safeguards ecosystems through fieldwork and interdisciplinary projects in conservation while keeping a database on changes in the Sonoran Desert. More importantly, CAP works to understand how cities can promote best practices for ecosystems while developing the next generation of environmental stewards. In my role as a field and laboratory assistant, I learned the language of the environment around me, the conditions it needed to thrive, and how to conduct long-term ecological research. I could name all of the plants, birds, and biomes of the Sonoran Desert while understanding its biology and how it could function in an urban setting. Shortly after this experience, I left for a study abroad program in Copenhagen, Denmark, where I quickly realized that the language of the land was not one I recognized. Saguaro cacti were replaced by maples and hemlocks, which I had only seen in the botanical gardens. Curve-billed Thrashers and Gila Woodpeckers replaced by Eurasian Magpies, endless pigeons, and an occasional Common Kingfisher. My desert landscape was replaced by tall buildings, flat land by the seaside, and urban sprawl with few natural areas. I only had access to a few public parks in the area and I never saw more than a few bird species at a time. I became homesick for the desert and mountainous landscapes back home. I was used to fieldwork with birds and plants back home where I took in all the knowledge of the Sonoran Desert and that was the language I spoke, the language of conservation and desert ecology. This feeling of displacement helped me to realize that my concerns for conservation were rooted in how people have equitable access to nature. Not only is this an issue for human well-being, but it also leads to the loss of species in urban settings. Added to these larger issues were challenges related to quality of life, economic stability, infrastructure, housing equity, social and racial equity, zoning, and ecological challenges. One way to address these challenges is by reinstating biophilia in all people to promote well-being and environmental literacy. For this reason, the real work of sustainability is really in the city and not just the open natural spaces. Conservation initiatives have a long history of protecting endangered lands and habitats that have little connection to a city. However, that narrative should change due to the ecosystem services, opportunities, and biodiversity that cities can hold when ideal microhabitats are built. How would cities look if we employed the knowledge of conservationists, urban planners, and community leaders to construct spaces where flora and fauna can thrive without negative impacts? I want to be an advocate for nature and for historically excluded communities who do not have access to biophilic spaces by creating public parks and rewilding campaigns so that anyone, regardless of their identity can see themselves as an environmentalist and an advocate for the planet.

My goal is to be a chief sustainability officer for a charitable foundation that promotes urban conservation, environmental justice, and community engagement. I plan to foster transformative environmental change by giving agency to communities that need it the most through funding, consultations, and resources for research.As a future chief sustainability officer for a charitable foundation, I intend to promote both sustainable development and social justice by providing agency to communities who have been historically excluded from the environmental movement or have experienced environmental injustices. Lack of collaboration between stakeholders often obstructs access to resources for those who most need them; in particular, I plan to advance sustainable development through initiatives that promote community engagement and urban conservation. By working with organizations such as the Sierra Club and Conservation International, I hope to provide funding to underserved communities to conduct environmental projects that advance urban forests, green buildings, transportation planning, and renewable energy plans. I draw inspiration from models such as Conservation International where they place Indigenous communities at the forefront of their conservation practices. They connect them to technology, funding opportunities, training, and resources to promote their projects and traditional knowledge. This form of engagement is crucial to sustainable development because it supports how humans are developed first. I aim to achieve a similar type of collaboration where I work alongside communities to achieve their environmental goals. After I complete my bachelor’s degrees in Sustainability and Urban Planning, I will pursue a Master of Science in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability with a focus on organizational leadership. This degree will maximize my ability to manage, fund, and initiate change through nonprofit organizations and the public sector to advance environmental initiatives.

My favorite scientist is George Washington Carver because as an African-American man he was influential in finding uses for peanuts while revolutionizing agricultural practices. These efforts are often overlooked due to historical exclusion and erasure but his legacy lives on and inspires me to study food systems and create pathways for communities to engage in traditional ecological knowledge.

During the pandemic, I was deeply impacted by the social injustices and disparities that plagued my community and the news every day. I wanted to make an impact and start action in my specific niche. That niche is community engagement, human development, and transformative learning. In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice, there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.

I used to feel lost and out of place in my studies because there was minimal curriculum that centered on my perspective as a minority student. In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.

In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.

To me, legacy means creating a sustainable foundation for others to thrive and making an impact in your community through service and advocacy. Recently, I have done this at Arizona State University through JEDI work and curriculum. In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.

One of the most significant campus experiences I’ve had was working with the organization Changemaker Central at Arizona State University. This community of students is dedicated to social change through campaigns that promote entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability, service, and civic engagement. After receiving a grant from Changemaker to support my urban heat island initiative during my freshman year, I joined the Changemaker sustainability committee to encourage more students to pilot projects. I soon became a coordinator, responsible for planning events and integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into our work. A personal goal I had with this organization was to collaborate with overlooked and underserved student coalitions on campus. I achieved this goal through an earth month campaign where my team and I planned 50 events leading up to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. I worked with student groups that were not just environmental but were racial, political, and advocacy focused. For my events, I hosted several dialogue discussions regarding the UN SDGs and how to come up with solutions to complex sustainability issues such as food insecurity, urban environments, and dismantling inequalities. The purpose of these dialogues was to inspire students to apply for our community action grants. As a result of my efforts, the most diverse group of students ever applied for our community action grants, which resulted in over $20,000 allocated for projects involving sustainability, innovation, community engagement, and social justice. This position has been integral to my development as a climate leader and was a precursor to my research and my work as the facilitator for my intersectional environmentalism course. It all started with a dream, a passion, to create a safe space for students who are often overlooked.

Studying abroad in France will aid me in achieving my future academic goals of advancing my French language and my professional goals of building solutions to the sustainability challenges we see today. A study abroad program will support me in this by understanding cross-cultural communication and conveying social and cultural indicators to drive solutions. As a Sustainability major with a French and Urban Planning minor, it has been evident to me the impact that language has when it comes to driving social change to the climate crisis, injustices, and improving livelihoods. My university and personal experiences have made me realize that there are unique intersections in what I study. French has always been important to me because my mother studied it and I had the chance to do the same in high school and college. Sustainability is important to me because it entails social responsibility, economic drivers, and environment to create favorable conditions for present and future generations. As I delved deeper into my studies, I learned more about the urban planning process of France. They are implementing environmental initiatives to curtail carbon emissions and make parks, forests, accessible cities, and urban conservation accessible to all their citizens. This was the moment I realized that my studies finally had a unique connection and that my aspirations of becoming fluent in the French language can be attained through a study abroad where I learn about the language in relation to the environment. The courses that this study abroad includes also align with my desires for sustainable development and French communication. I will most likely choose the STEM and Society track for this immersive experience so that I can learn about sustainability and social psychology through the French lens. One class listed on the program that resonates with me is “ENVI 200:Sustainability and the Anthropocene.” The Anthropocene or Anthropocentrism refers to the way that human actions, development, and innovation are the sole proprietor for environmental degradation and that they are the central factor in considering what is ethical in terms of right or wrong toward nature. I am currently engaging in courses and discussions such as these at my university. However, it would be vital for me to understand humans interactions amongst the natural and built environment in a nation that is not my own. A nation that is centuries old and is currently making eloquent strides towards urban conservation through the Paris Accords, Climate Action Plans, environmental justice, and plans for urban forestry. I am academically prepared to study abroad because I possess interpersonal skills that allow me to interact with any culture, stakeholder, or individual willing to make a positive change in their community. My attendance at Arizona State University has allowed interacting and working alongside people across all nationalities, languages, gender, economic backgrounds, and disciplines. Given that I’ve had this experience, I want to take this a step further by meeting people where they are at physically. This means doing a study abroad program because I will experience firsthand the cultural beliefs and value systems that the French have in their own country as well other scholars coming from other countries. Essentially, what I want to take away from this experience is how I can be a global leader by amplifying voices. This can be difficult because students tend to feel isolated when studying abroad due to varying cultural values and differences. However, these differences make us stronger and help build global leaders who drive change by having a strong appreciation for their upbringing.

My biggest accomplishment is bringing representation and agency to overlooked identities in sustainability. In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most. As a future chief sustainability officer for a charitable foundation, I intend to promote both sustainable development and social justice by providing agency to communities who have been historically excluded from the environmental movement or have experienced environmental injustices. Lack of collaboration between stakeholders often obstructs access to resources for those who most need them; in particular, I plan to advance sustainable development through initiatives that promote community engagement and urban conservation. By working with organizations such as the Sierra Club and Conservation International, I hope to provide funding to underserved communities to conduct environmental projects that advance urban forests, green buildings, transportation planning, and renewable energy plans. I draw inspiration from models such as Conservation International where they place Indigenous communities at the forefront of their conservation practices. They connect them to technology, funding opportunities, training, and resources to promote their projects and traditional knowledge. This form of engagement is crucial to sustainable development because it supports how humans are developed first. I aim to achieve a similar type of collaboration where I work alongside communities to achieve their environmental goals. After I complete my bachelor’s degrees in Sustainability and Urban Planning, I will pursue a Master of Science in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability with a focus on organizational leadership. This degree will maximize my ability to manage, fund, and initiate change through nonprofit organizations and the public sector to advance environmental initiatives.

As a future chief sustainability officer for a charitable foundation, I intend to promote both sustainable development and social justice by providing agency to communities who have been historically excluded from the environmental movement or have experienced environmental injustices. Lack of collaboration between stakeholders often obstructs access to resources for those who most need them; in particular, I plan to advance sustainable development through initiatives that promote community engagement and urban conservation. By working with organizations such as the Sierra Club and Conservation International, I hope to provide funding to underserved communities to conduct environmental projects that advance urban forests, green buildings, transportation planning, and renewable energy plans. I draw inspiration from models such as Conservation International where they place Indigenous communities at the forefront of their conservation practices. They connect them to technology, funding opportunities, training, and resources to promote their projects and traditional knowledge. This form of engagement is crucial to sustainable development because it supports how humans are developed first. I aim to achieve a similar type of collaboration where I work alongside communities to achieve their environmental goals. After I complete my bachelor’s degrees in Sustainability and Urban Planning, I will pursue a Master of Science in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability with a focus on organizational leadership. This degree will maximize my ability to manage, fund, and initiate change through nonprofit organizations and the public sector to advance environmental initiatives.

In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I created space for everyone to express their cultural identities, passions, and interests they otherwise could not find in academia. As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.

As a future chief sustainability officer for a charitable foundation, I intend to promote both sustainable development and social justice by providing agency to communities who have been historically excluded from the environmental movement or have experienced environmental injustices. Lack of collaboration between stakeholders often obstructs access to resources for those who most need them; in particular, I plan to advance sustainable development through initiatives that promote community engagement and urban conservation. By working with organizations such as the Sierra Club and Conservation International, I hope to provide funding to underserved communities to conduct environmental projects that advance urban forests, green buildings, transportation planning, and renewable energy plans. I draw inspiration from models such as Conservation International where they place Indigenous communities at the forefront of their conservation practices. They connect them to technology, funding opportunities, training, and resources to promote their projects and traditional knowledge. This form of engagement is crucial to sustainable development because it supports how humans are developed first. I aim to achieve a similar type of collaboration where I work alongside communities to achieve their environmental goals. After I complete my bachelor’s degrees in Sustainability and Urban Planning, I will pursue a Master of Science in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability with a focus on organizational leadership. This degree will maximize my ability to manage, fund, and initiate change through nonprofit organizations and the public sector to advance environmental initiatives. In my junior year, I joined the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) workgroup for the School of Sustainability as an undergraduate chair member. In our first meeting, we discussed how the School of Sustainability (SOS) has done little to acknowledge the contribution of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) to sustainability efforts or issues. Although the SOS did require courses that considered equity and justice there were few offerings that focused on race or how race, class, and gender create different realities for different people. I suggested we create a course that studied the intersections of race and identity and how different communities experience or act upon sustainability. I suggested that we move quickly to offer this new course in the upcoming spring semester and make it student-led, faculty-advised. I received support from a faculty member, developed a course proposal, sent it to the registrar, and got it approved in a week’s time. I developed the course without any prerequisites so that it would be accessible to anyone at my university while being inclusive of all degree levels such as undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. I was able to successfully enroll 21 students in the course while splitting it in half for undergraduate and graduate students. One topic I taught about was Black Representation in Sustainability and how Black Americans have paved the way for the modern-day environmental movement by preventing toxic facilities, advocating for public lands, and highlighting climate change as a human rights issue. After facilitating part of the class, I handed it over to the students where they split into teams to teach one class. Collectively, we brought in guest speakers and learned about topics such as ecofeminism, leadership from indigenous communities, and land stewardship. An idea I thought was ambitious at the time only scratched the surface of my potential and reflects the passion I have to lead by uplifting others. I was proud of myself because this experience made me realize my leadership prevails when I amplify voices. I As I continue to learn, I will continue to do work that leaves space for myself and others who need it the most.