I have been passionate about the environment and social justice for as long as I can remember. As a born and raised Floridian, I have been witness to the effects of climate change and its resulting long-term societal injustices. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Florida and my family lost power for nearly two weeks. This was the first time I can remember thinking about the disastrous effects of climate change. I was thirteen then, and now, at twenty, I recognize the vast global inequalities exacerbated by environmental degradation and rising global temperatures. While hurricanes are a mere inconvenience to some, to underprivileged communities and to many populations in the Global South, natural disasters can destroy lives and livelihoods. As I grow older and begin to think about my career goals, the climate has been changing with me, fueling my passion for environmental justice and my desire to make positive change in the world.
During my time as an undergraduate at Florida State, I have sought to learn more about both the science of climate change and how the discourse surrounding this global phenomenon impacts policymaking. I am an English (Editing, Writing, and Media) and Environment & Society dual degree student with a minor in Philosophy. I am a current Honors in the Major candidate under the English department, and I aim to bridge my disciplines through my research and demonstrate that we are living in an increasingly interdisciplinary academic world. During the summer, I intend to continue my research with the assistance of an IDEA Grant under the direction of my faculty mentor and director of the Rhetoric & Composition Department at FSU, Dr. Tarez Graban. I completed Dr. Graban’s Honors Signature Course named Sustainability in Public Discourse in the spring of 2024, and the class was what initially sparked my interest in environmental rhetoric and discourse.
As a pre-law student, professionalism, dedication, and rhetorical acumen are very important to me and my career goals. I hope to further develop these skills and more this summer while conducting research for my thesis. More importantly, I hope to cultivate my passion for environmental justice, find creative solutions to international problems, and uplift the voices of marginalized communities. I believe that listening to less privileged groups, particularly BIPOC communities and inhabitants of the Global South, is a key part of living a more sustainable future. I am confident that my thesis topic—a discursive analysis of two climate conferences that took place in 2009 in Denmark and 2010 in Bolivia—will allow me to explore climate governance on a global level and gain insight into how environmental justice initiatives can be equitably implemented.
The more I learn about climate change and witness its effects, the more I think that what our planet needs now is a radical reimagining of human-earth interactions. Perhaps the best way of doing so is to not only listen to marginalized communities but also the planet itself. In the words of Potawatomi botanist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer, “Our relationship with land cannot heal until we hear its stories.” I believe that my thesis project will help illuminate some of these stories.
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