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Desi Caswell is the Director of Operations and Social Impact for the sneaker and apparel company Guillermo Bravo and the shoe store CORRE. She graduated from Seattle University in 2018 with a double degree in Anthropology and Humanities for Leadership. From managing production, retail sales, and marketing, ensuring sustainable sourcing, and promoting environmental justice through fashion, her approach to doing business is to focus on impact: "We need to root impact behind everything we do, daily."

You currently work as Director of Operations and Social Impact for the sneaker and apparel company Guillermo Bravo and the shoe store CORRE, both based in Seattle. How are these companies different from the “average” apparel or shoe business? 

Guillermo Bravo and CORRE are both rooted in diversity and sustainability. Very Seattle-esque, right? But it goes further than that, really. At Guillermo Bravo, we produce our own apparel and sneakers. An independently owned brand, G.B. produces many of our pieces by hand and strives to work with factories that are committed to sustainable materials and humane working conditions. As a team predominantly made up of immigrants, we refuse to cut corners when the rights of workers are involved. We work with local family owned factories as much as possible or international fabric mills where we have met the owners in person and know the quality and the processes behind their production. For example, on any given week you can find our owner Luis or myself driving fabric and supplies to the factory in Everett we work with. We want to keep things as locally produced as possible. 

CORRE is on the retail-side of things: a small boutique in Madrona specializing in diversity in footwear. For us, this means carrying footwear and jewelry that you aren't going to see in the United States as often. We partner with international brands who are predominantly female or minority owned. For the majority of the brands we carry, we are one of the only shops who stock them throughout the United States. 

What does the job of a Director of Social Impact for an apparel and shoe company look like? How would you describe what you do for your job from day-to-day? What excites you about the field?

My job as Director of Operations & Social Impact is awesome because my day is different all of the time. Some days are more customer facing at CORRE, where I’m working in our shop to talk with people about our pieces and where they come from. Other days are more logistics-facing. I’m in our studio on Capitol Hill working with the Guillermo Bravo team to source new fabrics, create production timelines, and come up with campaigns and marketing strategies for new product launches. Lately, my job is focused around Kickstarter efforts for Guillermo Bravo, launching March 2022.

I won’t give away all of the details yet (stay tuned) but the new sneaker we are releasing is built around the fact that sooner than many people care to admit, we will be living in a world demolished and shaped by climate change. As businesses, we have to react to these changes through analyzing the ways we produce, being responsible stewards of earth’s fleeting resources, and creating pieces that are as sustainable as possible. With our Kickstarter campaign, myself and our team hope to tell the story of how fashion and the human experience as a whole is changing because we aren’t taking care of earth in the ways we should.

How do you define social impact and how does your company work towards that goal?

For us, social impact comes down to two main categories: sustainable materials and humane partnerships. CORRE & Guillermo Bravo are different from your average business because we look at more than just the product. It’s not only about the price of something, how stylish it is, or how much profit we can make on it. It’s more than that. We are highly interested in the people behind the pieces and how they produce them.

For Guillermo Bravo, where we produce our own clothes and sneakers, we want to make sure that the mills we purchase our fabrics from are employing the utmost care in both the materials they are using and their employment practices. This autumn, our team traveled to a textile trade show in L.A. to meet the owners behind the fabric mills personally. It’s steps like these that are important in preventing fast and unsustainable fashion. For CORRE, we purchase our footwear from independently owned brands, predominantly female or minority owned. We know that our business and the shoes we sell are going into the hands of creatives just like our team rather than large corporations. 

Where do you see sustainable fashion and social and environmental justice intersecting? What trends have you noticed in the fashion industry over the past years? What gives you hope and what gives you pause when it comes to sustainability, climate impact, and environmental justice?

They have to be one in the same. We work with a lot of brands at CORRE who have released sustainably made shoes in the past few years. They use recycled materials or veg-based pleather. This definitely gives me hope for the future. Ideally, there would no longer be special-release environmentally friendly products because it would just be a given that everything is produced that way. The reality of the situation right now however is that these sustainable pieces do cost more to make. This means the brands are taking a financial hit or are charging the customer a higher price. I do feel a lot of hope working with small brands that are taking these steps. I’ll feel even more hope when we see giant companies taking the same steps. 

What should customers be aware of as they shop for clothes and shoes. How can customers make a social impact as they shop?

I think the biggest thing a customer can understand, especially when shopping small and local, is that clothes and shoes are super expensive to produce when doing it sustainably. Take our Guillermo Bravo socks for example. They’re $25 a pair, to some peoples’ dismay. But the facts behind it are we are using 100% cotton, US made. We are working with producers who are paying their teams a living wage. Our team is driving the socks to our tie-dyer’s house where one by one, she dyes every single sock. And that stuff is expensive. It’s funny because there is this TikTok trend going around right now where small business owners film themselves making their products, the audio singing, “It costs that much cause it takes me f*cking hours.” And, it’s true! It takes hours. Because it’s being made by people who are passionate about it and want to do it in the best way possible. People can make a social impact while they shop by shopping small because the money they spend is going directly in the pockets of the small business owners. Also, do your research on what brands you’re buying. Look at where they produce their pieces, usually listed on the tag of the item. Check out their website and see if they have a social impact statement and what the brands say about their own sustainability practices.

How does your Seattle University education inform your leadership and work with Guillermo Bravo and CORRE?

My education at Seattle U impacted my professional journey in many ways. My professors at SU taught me the importance of discernment: striving toward a career where I can use my talents and passions, feel joy, and serve others. It’s also grounded me in the desire to work toward a more just and humane world in whatever career I am in. I absolutely believe 100% that the lessons and global responsibilities ingrained in me at Seattle U impacted my desire to focus on sustainability now. My job title was originally just Director of Operations, but I changed it to include social impact. Because, businesses do need to focus on their impact. We need to root impact behind everything we do, daily. 

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

Definitely my involvement in the Center for Student Involvement. It was in that office that I met some of my closest friends and biggest mentors. I also got to explore my passion for event planning and fundraising through my work on Quadstock and Seattle U Dance Marathon. My extracurricular activities at SU gave me the knowledge and experiences that I use daily now. 

Angela Forristall ('17 BS Marine and Conservation Biology) is a Fisheries Specialist for the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She works closely with state and federal fisheries scientists, economists, fishermen, and individuals from academic institutions to develop fishery management measures that ensure healthy and sustainable fish stocks. We asked Angela about the hope and challenges she finds in her job, the collaborative nature of her work and the advice she has for students interested in this field. 

Where do you work? How would you describe what you do for your job from day-to-day?

I am a fisheries specialist for the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. I work closely with state and federal fisheries scientists, economists, fishermen, individuals from academic institutions, and more to develop fishery management measures that ensure healthy and sustainable fish stocks. My areas of focus are the groundfish (cod, haddock, flounders, etc.) and Atlantic herring fisheries. The day-to-day work at the NEFMC involves running and participating in public meetings where scientists, economists, social scientists, commercial and recreational fishermen, and the public discuss current issues facing these fisheries. It also involves developing analytical documents that look at fishing footprints, environmental changes, community reliance on fisheries, the fisheries’ importance to the entire ecosystem, and more to respond to these emerging issues.

What excites your about the field?

The field is exciting to me because I get to interact with many groups of people with a diverse set of interests but all working towards the same goals of ensuring the long-term health of fish stocks and the environment. I am continually learning: new statistical models, current circumstances influencing seafood markets, new gear innovations, updated understandings of species’ life histories, and more. 
What are the biggest challenges for your field and how are they being overcome? 
One of the biggest challenges in my field is ensuring sustainable fishing can still occur while the number and types of fish change and move in response to climate change. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 96% of the world’s oceans. Numerous different solutions have been developed or are under development. For example, more environmental factors are being incorporated into the methods that predict how many fish are in an area, some areas are closed to fishing during certain times of years to protect spawning fish, and scientists and fishermen are working collaboratively to gather more data on fishing trips and more.

What advice do you have for a student who would like to work in the field of fisheries management or conservation? What non-engineering majors or skills would you recommend?

Fisheries management and conservation is collaborative work conducted by state and federal government organizations, environmental non-governmental organizations (non-profits), commercial and recreational fishermen and harvesters, and scientists from numerous disciplines. Getting as much experience in every one of these categories will help understand how regulations and laws are made and changed and who are the impacted individuals. Take a wide range of courses (political science, economics, biology, GIS, statistics, etc.) but also make phone calls, send emails, and talk to folks in the field! There are numerous ways to gain experience from interning with a non-profit, working a summer in Alaska, partnering with a political advocacy group, and more. The more out of your wheelhouse something feels the more you will learn.

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

Now this is the hardest question! For me, it is a tie between the Blakely Island summer field courses with Dr. Whitlow and working in Dr. Hultgren’s lab. But what it boils down to is the professors at Seattle U who made my experience unforgettable and equipped me for the future in more ways than I understood or appreciated at the time. 
 

Jamie Hearn (School of Law, '22) is the Superfund Program Manager at the Duwamish River Community Coalition. In her role, Jamie organizes community engagement work and collaborates with institutions such as the EPA, Department of Ecology, King County, City of Seattle, and more to advocate for community priorities related to the cleanup of the Duwamish River. As a result of decades of industrial pollution, the severe contamination by PCBs, dioxins, arsenic, and other materials pose serious health risks when consumed by humans. With fishing being an important part of maintaining a cultural connection for the inhabitants of the Duwamish valley, which is mostly made up by BIPOC and/or immigrant communities, Jamie and the DRCC continue to advocate for the most health protective cleanup standards.

The Lower Duwamish Waterway is a Superfund site. What are the main environmental challenges for the Duwamish River?

Some of the main contaminants of concern in the river are PCBs, dioxins, CPAHs, and arsenic.  This is a result of decades of industrial pollution.  Many of these substances bioaccumulate in fish and can pose serious health risks when consumed by humans.  One of the main environmental and health concerns that our organization focuses on is fisher health.  Many people fish on the river, despite there being a health advisory issued.  It is currently unsafe to eat anything but salmon, and even when consuming salmon, there are serving limits based on the species.  Because many of our community members in the Duwamish Valley are BIPOC and/or immigrants, fishing is an important part of maintaining a connection to one's culture.  It also allows people to provide for their family and spend valuable time outdoors.  We believe that everyone should be able to fish from the river and consume their catch.  While this is not possible right now, we continue to advocate for the most health protective cleanup standards so this will one day be a reality.

What does environmental justice for the Duwamish River look like? In your opinion, what is needed to achieve environmental justice for the Duwamish communities?

Environmental justice means redistributing power, reinvesting in community and health equity.  The wealth of Seattle was cultivated at the expense of the river and the communities who live near it, including the Duwamish Tribe and residents of Georgetown and South Park.  Our communities also face the consequences of deliberate disinvestment, redlining, and racist environmental policies that have allowed industry to concentrate in low-income communities of color.  Justice will require the entities that have benefited from this exploitation to reinvest in our communities so that we can update infrastructure and create healthier communities.  Communities also need to be meaningfully engaged in decision making.  They have historically been left out of decisions that impact them, and this is a critical aspect of the power redistribution that needs to happen.  Finally, our communities face serious health impacts from the cumulative impacts of multiple forms of pollution.  A 2013 study found that South Park and Georgetown residents have a life expectancy of 73.3 years, which is 8 years shorter than the Seattle and King County average and 13 years shorter than for residents of the neighborhood of Laurelhurst, in zip code 98105.  Environmental justice will never be a reality when stark inequalities like differences in lifespan exist in one of the wealthiest cities in the country. 

How would you describe what you do for your job day-to-day? What excites you about your field?

My day-to-day life always looks different, which is one of the exciting parts about my work.  I write a lot of comment letters on environmental justice policies and technical documents related to Superfund and upland cleanup.  I also spend a lot of time creating fact sheets or other materials that make complicated, technical information easier to understand and culturally relevant for community members.  This requires translation into multiple languages and using accessible language.  I also do a lot of community engagement work, like planning public meetings or events to explain to community members what types of cleanup actions are happening and how they can participate in public comment periods to make their voices heard.  Finally, I collaborate with governmental officials and staff from the EPA, Department of Ecology, King County, City of Seattle, and Port of Seattle to advocate for community priorities related to cleanup.

How did your Seattle University education prepare you for your work? 

The Law School has a rigorous legal writing program that has really prepared me for the wide range of writing I do, from technical policy documents to outreach aimed at elementary students.  I also did a lot of research at SU, both in classes and through extracurriculars like externships or the American Indian Law Journal.  This helps me so much in my work today, as I am constantly doing research to better understand new and existing regulations and how they will impact our communities. 

What advice do you have for students who are considering careers related to environmental law? 

Get as much experience as possible!  Environmental law is very intersectional, so explore the ways that different fields are connected to environmental law to get a better idea of what specific practice areas interest you.  I got a lot of fantastic experience through externships and really feel like a lot of my learning and growth happened when I was getting hands-on experience working on cases. 

How can Seattle University students and employees engage in the work of the DRCC? What actions can individuals take to move forward?

Sign up for our newsletter on our website.  We keep everyone updated on comment periods we are working on and share any volunteer opportunities there.  The realities of people who live in the Duwamish Valley are vastly different than those that live in other parts of the city, and staying informed on what is happening is a critical part of using your voice, resources, and privilege to advocate for our communities.  SU students can participate in comment periods and elevate our advocacy campaigns to their own communities to uplift our work.

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU? 

Participating in the Environmental Law Society and American Indian Law Journal, where I got to work with other students who shared a passion for environmental justice and tribal sovereignty!  Some of the most amazing people I have ever met were a part of these groups, and my time in these organizations led me to the career I have now. 

John Kearns ('16, B.S. Mechanical Engineering) is currently a Building Performance Analyst at McKinstry. In his role, he helps customers meet their energy, carbon, and sustainability related goals for buildings. His work plays an important role in ensuring that buildings in Washington State are prioritizing sustainability and keeping up with what the climate crisis asks us from our built environment. Among the many projects he is involved in with McKinstry, John has been working on the development of a “Zero Carbon Over Time Infrastructure Plan” for Seattle University.   

How would you describe the work that you do at McKinstry?

I work for the Building Performance team at McKinstry. Our team helps across all phases of a building's life, from new construction pre-design to deep energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings. We leverage technical tools like energy modeling that help customers meet their energy, carbon, and sustainability goals.

How did your Seattle University education prepare you for the real world? 
The senior design program was a great opportunity to learn about different industries and get a view into the professional side of things. McKinstry was actually my senior design project sponsor. I remember learning a lot about both McKinstry and other team sponsors as well. It was a good introduction to the professional opportunities available to us.

What advice do you have for a student who is considering a career in sustainability?

Be open to new and different pathways into the sustainability field! I feel like I'm constantly learning about new avenues and branches of sustainability that I didn't know existed before. The climate crisis is a deeply complex problem that affects all aspects of life. Some topics get more coverage than others, but they are not the only careers or pathways to consider if you're interested in sustainability. I'd recommend thinking about sustainability holistically and explore how different industries can play a role in the climate solution. By expanding your understanding of the different options you can take, you'll have given yourself more opportunities to end up in a career that is fulfilling and involves sustainability.

How does your work intersect with environmental justice?

The building industry accounts for more than a quarter of Washington state's emissions. Design decisions made today have lasting effects on our environment and impacts of climate change more dramatically impact marginalized communities. Additionally, as our world changes, what we ask of our buildings will need to change too. There is a human health and wellness factor with buildings and we spend most of our time indoors. We need to have designs that are capable of handling weather extreme climate events (extreme temperatures, smoke events, grid resiliency, pandemics, etc.) and keep building occupants safe and comfortable.

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

The community, both academically and socially, was my favorite part of SU life. For me, it was the right size and balance to be able to make life-long connections and friendships while also enjoying all the city has to offer. I loved the personal connections made with teachers, the class sizes, and having a cohort of engineering students to go through all the opportunities and challenges of college life! 
 

Meghan Reha is a principal engineer at the renewable energy consulting company Natural Power. Reha graduated from Seattle University's College of Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering program in 2009. She spends most of her time working on wind turbine developments and relaying technological details of turbines to project owners.

How would you describe what you do for your job from day-to-day? What excites your about the field?

I’m a principal engineer with a renewable energy consulting company. I spend my time thinking about wind turbines: understanding new technology or design developments, talking to manufacturers or owners about problems that are happening in turbines that are in operation and how we fix those problems. Then I translate those nerdy technical details into lay-person language and help different stakeholders (investors, owners, etc.) understand what might go wrong (or right) with their projects as a result, and how they can mitigate some of those risks. I love nerding out about wind turbines (yes, I get to climb them!). Being part of climate solutions also means a lot to me.

What are the biggest challenges for renewable energy projects and how are they being overcome? 
I think this depends on the context in which you’re considering these projects. If we take the current economic and social systems as fixed, then the biggest challenges are bureaucracy (e.g., getting permits in place to develop offshore wind) and scaling up resources (both supply chain and labor). But if we take a step back and recognize that we are executing renewable energy projects with the same priorities as we have developed conventional energy projects, which means that they will contribute to income inequality, racial inequities, and even different forms of environmental degradation. In that context I think the biggest challenges are courage and imagination to hold different priorities: to take seriously the ecological boundaries in which our economies exist and ensure our business models and practices reflect this. If we can’t fix our eyes on different measures of success than profit or growth, and re-order our priorities when making so-called business decisions, we are fueling our own destruction with wind power.

I’ll give you an example. In my home state, solar PV systems that are capable of supplying electricity when the power goes out (either off-grid or islanding systems) are not eligible for government rebate programs, effectively making them financially infeasible. So, even though I have solar on my home, when the power goes out, my solar panels stop producing. Utilities, which have strongly resisted distributed-generation because they find it a serious threat to their business model are placated because they keep the rate-paying customers, and the renewable energy people are placated because they got their green energy system. But in the very moments when having local, distributed generation becomes vitally necessary, it becomes out of reach. It is a missing-the-forest-for-the-trees practice that we keep enacting. And make no mistake, resisting the powerful forces of capitalism while building infrastructure is a mighty big challenge.

Where do you see renewable energy and environmental justice intersecting?

Everywhere! But I will highlight just two: one where renewable energy is part of the solution, and one where renewable energy continues to be part of the problem.

Fundamentally by eliminating the reliance on fossil fuels as energy sources, renewable energy technology is intersecting with environmental justice. The energy transition, if done well, begins to reverse some of the blatant and ongoing harm that is environmental racism: reducing air pollution, eliminating water pollution from coal, creating careers that don’t require the sacrifice of bodies to earn living wages. Renewable energy generation, in its best incarnation, is part of environmental justice. 
But renewable energy depends on minerals and metals, and the extraction of these resources is at the root of tremendous suffering for humans and for the land. But until we have a honest reckoning of what the true cost of this extraction is, we will continue to produce new wind turbines, solar panels, and chemical batteries in a world where it is cheaper to extract new metals than it is to recycle metals from old batteries. And in this context, environmental justice is part of counting the full cost for these goods. 

What advice do you have for a student who would like to work in the field of renewable energy? What non-engineering majors or skills would you recommend?

There are loads of careers in renewable energy that don’t require an engineering degree. The industry needs detail-oriented project managers, data analysts, and technicians. At the college level, that could look like degrees in communications, economics, business, psychology, or software development. But not everything needs a college degree. We need trade unions full of skilled technicians who are also committed to a sustainable future, too.

At every level, though, we need folks who are paying attention. If we are going to be a more just energy industry, we need to be hiring people who have sophisticated understanding of where injustice is embedded in “the way things have always been” and who have the imagination for a different way of being in the world and believe in our collective power to shape the world in the direction we can imagine.

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

I have a lot of great every-day memories of studying and relaxing in the McNulty Collegium. Grateful for SU providing such a welcoming and supportive space for off campus students, where I made lifelong friends.

What books have been influential in shaping your worldview?

So many! But just to highlight a few: Emergent Strategies, by Adrienne Maree Brown; Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Doughnut Economics, by Kate Raworth and The Land is Not Empty, by Sarah Augustine 
 

Sierra is the Program Engagement Lead at Front and Centered, a statewide coalition of groups working together at the intersection of equity, and environmental and climate justice! In their role, Sierra works with the organization’s members on areas such as transportation justice and disability justice, energy and local pollution and many other environmental topics. After Seattle U, Sierra obtained a Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law and Graduate School. Their advice to Seattle U students “Don’t be afraid to reach out for informational interviews, don’t pressure yourself to follow the beaten path, and prioritize your well-being.”

You work as the Program Engagement Lead at Front and Centered. Tell us a bit about the organization you work for?

Front and Centered is a statewide coalition of groups whose missions and work come together at the intersection of equity, environmental and climate justice! The coalition was created for communities of color-led groups and all frontline communities to come together to pursue a Just Transition. We recognize that there is a lot of work to be done to create a better, more just, future for all Washingtonians. By coming together, we can have an intersectional and informed movement towards that goal, all while centering the needs and interests of folks on the frontlines of climate and racial injustice. For example, the coalition has created groundbreaking legislation such as the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act and often collaborates with state agencies to shape how they can improve their work too. This work would not be possible without our members and it’s exciting to see the state be open to new, community-led approaches.

How would you describe your day-to-day? What excites you about your field?

A great part of my role is just how many organizations I interact with daily! I get to meet folks from all over the state (and sometimes beyond) to help empower and uplift their work. We have members working on every topic from transportation justice to disability justice, energy to local pollution, and so much more. Organizations also range from school clubs to formal 501(c)(3)s, from churches to labor unions. There are so many people and communities to learn from and share what I know! One of my favorite parts is being able to bring people from all over the state and different lived experiences to the same space to learn and co-create. I think that’s where the best policy and movement ideas originate.

What are some of the critical environmental and climate justice issues Front and Centered is working on currently?

Legislatively, we’re pushing the Cumulative Risk Burden (CURB) Act and closely following the budget work this 2024 session. CURB aims to require agencies to act in a precautionary manner when making decisions about environmental permitting in already overburdened communities. Our budget work includes advocating for the state to improve accountability, and maintain and add new investments in frontline communities to enable better participation in state activities. Additionally, our four programmatic workgroups (Co-Governance, Energy Justice, Local Pollution Prevention, and Transportation Justice) continue to work in depth on shaping those topic areas. In 2024 we’re looking forward to exploring the intersectionality of all of these topics and more to really understand just how connected all the coalition work really is!

What actions can individuals take to move these issues forward? What role can/should a higher education institution such as SU play? What responsibility do we have as a campus community?

Individuals can join our mailing list to receive action alerts and event notices! Also follow us on Instagram, we’d love to expand our community there! I think higher education can play an important role in our movements. Campuses can often feel like a bubble, separate from the surrounding communities. In reality, universities like SU are situated in incredibly rich communities such as the Central District and International District (CID). SU is also on Duwamish tribe land. I think the campus has a responsibility to learn the history of the land we occupy and how we impact the frontline communities there. It would be great to see the school teach students about the history of these areas and support the amazing work that folks in the CID are doing such as Africatown Community Land Trust. 

What gives you hope and what gives you pause when it comes to environmental justice and climate action?

It gives me hope that so many people, of all ages, are mobilizing on all levels! People are taking action in so many ways and exposing the faults that many of our current systems have. I love seeing people find their specific contribution to the climate and environmental justice movements! Social media, art-activism, reading theory in book clubs, volunteering with local mutual aid organizations, and so many other examples exist. People are integrating this work into their daily lives and thus creating better neighborhoods, cities, states, and hopefully a better world. On the other end, I know how depleting this work can be. Many people are just trying to survive. Younger and younger people are taking to activism and it’s hard to grapple with how beautiful that is and yet how sad it is that they may be losing a sense of innocence having to demand basic human rights. Overall, we still live under systems of capitalism, white supremacy, xenophobia, etc. All of which rely on us being separate and too exhausted to band together. Despite that, I still believe that people hold power, and we’re putting that phrase into action every time we create moments where we can eat, laugh, rest, and show up for each other and ourselves.

How did your Seattle University education prepare you for your work and further studies?

I went into SU knowing I wanted to pursue a law degree so it was nice to connect with pre-law staff early on and join the Pre-Law club. At the time I wouldn’t have admitted that business education would help me, but I have to say being Excel certified has made my life much easier! After SU I went on to attain a Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law & Graduate School through an accelerated program. I think my SU education prepared me to be both disciplined and still find moments of levity at the hardest of times. Special shout out to the Philosophy department which I credit for a lot of my critical thinking and debate skills!

What advice do you have for students who are considering environmental-focused careers?

Don’t be afraid to reach out for informational interviews, don’t pressure yourself to follow the beaten path, and prioritize your well-being!! In my experience many professionals are super open to meeting with students to share about their educational and career journey. Plus, it’s a great way to build a support network for ongoing advice and get those letters of recommendation. Also, for a lot of environmental careers having a doctorate level degree is great, but it might not be critically necessary. I think it’s important for current students to break the pattern of thinking you must have a specialized degree to do what you want. Often, having a community presence will get you in the door and you can develop your specialty through experience without going into debt. It’s honestly about asking yourself who you want to help and questioning whether you absolutely need a specialty degree to do that. Lastly, prioritize your well-being. Your work can’t happen if you’re not around and this field takes a lot out of us. Sometimes it can feel selfish to prioritize ourselves and what we need but I promise you coming back from burnout is a lot harder than enforcing healthy boundaries!

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

My fondest memories are the times I spent with friends in the Sustainable Student Action (SSA) club. At the time we were advocating for the school to divest from fossil fuels. But what I learned there was invaluable. I learned how to step up and step back, how to navigate spaces that were not always friendly, and how important community is to the quality of my life. We spent so many hours meeting with professors just to learn the science behind fossil fuels and grappling with what it means to be an advocate. And of course, we had some fun direct actions which also taught us the art of taking risks and trying not to get our scholarships revoked. I still use a lot of what I learned from SSA to this day and definitely encourage current students to join clubs that spark their passions.

Jenny Symonds is an urban ecologist and environmental analyst at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, working at the nexus of ecology, urban planning, landscape architecture and environmental justice to help improve cities for both people and wildlife. Their advice for current and future students: "Going into environmental work is awesome because there is such a variety of different jobs and fields out there!" Read their interview below.
 
You work as an Urban Ecologist/Environmental Analyst at the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Tell us a bit about the organization you work for?

SFEI is a non-profit research institution in the Bay Area. We provide cutting-edge science research and recommendations to practitioners and policy makers in order to inform their decisions on environmental management. I work in the Urban Nature Lab within our Resilient Landscapes program which focuses more specifically on nature based solutions to improve the health and resiliency of cities.

How would you describe what you do for your job day-to-day as an Urban Ecologist and Environmental Analyst? What excites you about your field?

Something I enjoy about my job is the variety of my day to day workload. A lot of my job involves literature review, synthesizing information, writing, GIS analysis and graphic design, but I have also spent time doing field work, giving presentations, and organizing events. Urban ecology has always excited me due to its multidisciplinary nature. I get to work at the nexus of ecology, urban planning, landscape architecture, and environmental justice to help improve our cities for both people as well as wildlife. I enjoy that it is part of my job to learn about a variety of different topics that interest me. I think another nice part about going into the field of environmental science is you tend to have great coworkers and mentors that are passionate about sharing knowledge and the work they do.

What type of data analysis do you conduct in your role and how is this used in the work of your organization and urban ecology in general?

I work with data in a variety of ways. One area SFEI excels at is multi-benefit quantification, which looks to quantify the various benefits associated with environmental improvements including flood management, improved health, habitat provision, and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Quantifying benefits allows practitioners to justify and implement environmental interventions and attach metrics and benefits to complex projects.

What are the main challenges from an urban ecology standpoint in your area (Bay area)?

What makes urban ecology so interesting is also its greatest challenge, which is the convergence of both people and nature. While many of the things that are beneficial for the environment are also beneficial to humans, there are many socio-economic and political aspects to today’s society that are necessary to consider, especially in the Bay Area. Green gentrification is a complex issue when looking at urban greening interventions, in addition to a long history of environmental racism that continues to be embedded into the fabric of today’s cities. These are all complex yet important topics to interrogate when engaging in urban ecological work.

How did your Seattle University education and CEJS internship prepare you for your work and further studies?

Seattle University did an amazing job supporting my education and giving me the confidence to pursue my interests. My internship at CEJS allowed me to get my foot in the door of environmental work which set me up for the opportunities I have gained since, including a National Science Foundation sponsored REU internship, a position as a Research Assistant at UC Berkeley, and my current position as an Urban Ecologist/Environment Analyst at SFEI. I gained experience and skills at CEJS that continue to support my career such as data analysis, graphic design and outreach.

What advice do you have for students who are considering environmental-focused careers?
Going into environmental work is awesome because there is such a variety of different jobs and fields out there. I definitely recommend taking at least one class on GIS. My more general advice would be to gain relevant experience as early as you can, as it will make getting future positions easier. A lot of times there are general skills that you can gain that will benefit you in whatever sub-field or position you end up pursuing, such as writing, data analysis, GIS, graphic design, outreach and information synthesis. Also, don’t be afraid to apply to positions you don’t think you will get. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had were ones I assumed I wouldn’t get.

What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

My fondest memory as a student at SU, apart from living in the same building as all my friends, is working at CEJS and getting to learn about environmental work in higher education while I helped to contribute to SU’s sustainability.

Sister Jessica Zimmerle (’21, M.A. Theology and Ministry) serves as the Advocacy Director for Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power and Light. In her role, she participates in environmental justice action in the local community and encourages people of faith to engage in conversations and advocacy surrounding environmental justice policy.  She does this work as a sister in the Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and will be ordained as a Minister of Word and Service in the ELCA in November 2022. Read on to learn more about Jessica and Earth Ministry/WAIPL’s campaigning around salmon and orca recovery, climate justice, toxic chemical reform, and the halting of fossil fuel infrastructure. Her advice: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the work, focus on your piece of the puzzle!”

You have been working for Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power and Light (WAIPL) since 2013, first in the role of Program and Outreach Director and you recently transitioned to serving as Advocacy Director. How would you describe the local environmental work that Earth Ministry/WAIPL does and that you do in your role day-to-day?

Earth Ministry/WAIPL is a statewide, multifaith nonprofit with a mission of transforming faith into action for the well-being of communities and the environment. We organize people of faith to advocate for strong environmental policies and provide strategic guidance to religious communities for working toward environmental justice.

We often describe the work of Earth Ministry/WAIPL as a three-legged stool. First is faith formation, helping people of diverse faith traditions connect their spirituality to environmental justice and clearly articulate the core religious values that guide their actions as stewards and advocates. Second is to lean into those values in community life. Earth Ministry/WAIPL provides flexible structure to support houses of worship through our Greening Congregations program and supports congregational green team leaders through our Colleague Connections calls. Third is faithful advocacy, providing training and opportunities for people of faith to bring their values into the public sphere and create systems-level change. We do this work through coalition partnerships, ensuring our advocacy is strategic and bringing a unique moral depth and breadth to the environmental justice movement.

In my role as Advocacy Director , I organize the faith community to show up in environmental justice policy conversations. The work varies day-to-day but might include translating secular environmental information into a values-based multifaith framework, teaching advocacy trainings in houses of worship, and mobilizing people of faith to take actions like testifying at public hearings, meeting with their elected officials, and attending rallies or community events. We are primarily focused on grassroots advocacy, equipping everyday people of faith to share their stories with decision makers, but also engage clergy and high-level religious leaders, in addition to myself doing some lobbying on behalf of the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community. Woven throughout our organizing is an intentionality to hold an environmental justice lens that seeks to listen, follow, and benefit those most vulnerable. Ultimately, I seek to demystify advocacy by providing the tools and encouragement for people of faith to contribute a unique moral message within the environmental justice movement.

What are some of the critical environmental and climate justice issues in Seattle and Washington State? Currently, what are the main advocacy issues Earth Ministry/WAIPL is focusing on?

Earth Ministry/WAIPL's current campaign issue areas include salmon and orca recovery, climate justice, toxic chemical reform, and halting fossil fuel infrastructure.

Of paramount concern to our community is how we work toward solidarity with Native Nations as the original and ongoing stewards of these lands and waters. Restoring abundant salmon, which in turn can feed starving orcas, is a moral issue. The United States has made treaty promises to Sovereign Nations that are not being upheld and this is especially harmful since salmon are sacred cornerstones of the many different Indigenous cultures across the Pacific Northwest. We are currently following the leadership of various Native Nations and tribal leaders calling for a free-flowing Lower Snake River that has been proven to give salmon their best chance of recovery. That’s a challenging conversation in many parts of the state and, through Earth Ministry/WAIPL, the faith community is acting as a mediating presence that builds bridges toward solutions that honor everyone’s needs while first and foremost prioritizing our obligation to tribes.

This summer we’ve also organized advocacy around climate action that centers equity and justice. People of faith submitted comments to support the strongest possible implementation of a Clean Fuel Standard, a bill we helped pass in 2021 to reduce transportation pollution. We also advocated for updated residential building codes that require clean energy heating, mirroring the most climate-friendly building codes that Washington passed earlier this year for larger buildings. Nearly half of our state’s climate pollution comes from transportation and buildings are the largest growing source of emissions so these are really significant victories!

Coming up this winter Earth Ministry/WAIPL will be engaging in the next round of our state’s program to ban toxic chemical in consumer products, halting expansion of Washington’s largest fracked gas pipeline, and working with coalition partners to pass environmental justice policies in the Washington State Legislature.

1. Learn about local, statewide, and federal environmental issues and opportunities through a justice framework. That said, you don’t need to learn it all! People often don’t engage because they think they don’t know enough. You don’t need to be a policy expert, you just need to know your values! Learn the basics of what’s going on, the inequities at play, and the solutions being called for by those most impacted.
2. Talk about it! At an event Earth Ministry/WAIPL recently co-hosted, Dr. Katherine Hayhoe (whose books I highly recommend!) noted that nearly a quarter of the county acknowledges global warming is happening but only 35% are talking about it. Talking helps us care more deeply, which propels us toward action. When talking about it, focus less on far away global impacts (ie: polar bears) and more on how its impacts your community (ie: wildfires and smoke here in Washington.) Talk about why environmental stewardship and justice matters to you and if you’re a person of faith tie it to your spirituality. Most importantly, talk about what real solutions look like and how they can contribute to more healthy, stable communities.
3. Take action, doing more from your heart than your head. A good story has the power to really connect with people, including decision-makers, and resonate on a level that can spark change. Plenty of others will speak to the science and economics, as people of faith we can cover the home base of the heart and ground an issue in shared values. The basic story recipe we share is to say who you are, what you value, and what you want.

When you look back at the years since you joined Earth Ministry/WAIPL in 2013, what gives you hope and what gives you pause when it comes to environmental justice and climate action? 

When I started at Earth Ministry/WAIPL the big fight was around coal export. The world’s largest coal companies wanted to make the Pacific Northwest their hub to move this outdated polluting fuel from Montana overseas to Asia. We the people rose up with a resounding NO. We formed coalitions with unexpected allies, organized all along the railroad lines, and showed up time and time again at public hearings about these projects. Six coal export facilities were proposed, zero were constructed. One of those proposals was on the sacred lands and waters of Lummi Nation near Bellingham, and the faith community especially turned up to support Lummi leaders’ resistance to the project.

It gives me hope that the conversation about continuing to burn coal feels like ancient history. After the coal export there was a boom in proposed oil-by-rail facilities, which we also defeated. Now the primary threat is fracked gas, yet we’ve already prevented the world’s largest fracked-gas-to-methanol refinery from being built along the Columbia River in Kalama, Washington. One project we’re still fighting is Puget Sound Energy’s fracked gas facility in Tacoma that violates the Puyallup Tribe’s treaty rights. You can read all about our decade of halting fossil fuels in our latest edition of our publication Earth Letter. 
We spent a long-time playing whack-a-mole fighting these facilities as they popped up. Now we can focus more on proactive climate action that addresses current pollution and invests in a just transition to clean energy. There’s still plenty of work ahead, but it helps me carry on when I reflect and see how far we’ve come.

As I look forward, the area of needed growth that gives me pause is around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The environmental movement has been historically white-led, yet it is folx who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and low-income that are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and know what their communities need to thrive. In the last few years we’ve seen intentionality toward diversifying the movement, and that is something Earth Ministry/WAIPL and other organizations are prioritizing. Yet across the movement there is still much work to do to foster a more welcoming and inclusive space that truly listens and follows the lead of those on the margins.

You are a graduate from SU’s School of Theology and Ministry. What is your fondest memory from your days as a student at SU?

The School of Theology and Ministry (STM) was truly transformational for myself and so many others. After graduating in 2021, it took me awhile to name that STM had become my spiritual community. For five years it was where I was nourished, challenged, and seen. I had hoped to carry that community forward, but with Seattle University deciding to close STM I find myself grieving the loss of my church home and the lacking opportunity for others to experience this special space. 
Overall, STM is where I have made some of my most unexpected friendships that cross generational, racial, political, and religious divides. These are colleagues I will turn to in the highs and lows of my ministry for the rest of my life. The deep wisdom and differing perspectives within this ecumenical and interreligious community is valuable beyond measure and continues to make me a better leader. The closure of this radically inclusive seminary that held a prophetic edge is truly a loss to the religious landscape of the Pacific Northwest.

What advice do you have for a student who would like to work in the field of environmental/climate justice advocacy?

Do not be daunted by the enormity of the work, focus on your piece of the puzzle! The reality of the climate crisis and environmental pollution can be overwhelming. For me, doing this work through my faith helps make it more sustainable. I root my environmental activism in a core value of grace, which grows from my Lutheran background. I will never be a perfect environmentalist, and that’s ok! Acknowledging this reality frees me to put my energy toward how I can help contribute to systemic solutions rather than fixating on the shortcomings of my personal actions. I believe that God is at work through each of us, which also frees me from the burden of total responsibility. The gifts you and I can offer are one piece of the Holy’s grand puzzle of justice, healing, and love.

How can university students engage in the work of Earth Ministry/WAIPL and local environmental causes? 
We would be happy to welcome you into the Earth Ministry/WAIPL community! No matter if you’re from in or out of state you can engage in advocacy while you’re studying here in Washington. Feel free to reach out by emailing emoffice@earthministry.org to get connected with our network of faithful advocates and congregational partners. You can also learn more about us on our website at www.earthministry.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @EarthMinistry.