Capstone in a Time of Coronavirus, by Michael Raigoza '20

Letter to my cohort:

I hope you guys are all doing well, mentally and physically. My family and I are all currently healthy at the moment which I am thankful for. 

Life in the time of the coronavirus has been a wild ride, and has made me (and I'm sure all of us) adapt rather quickly to the realities of the future. With the looming threat of climate change I always assumed society would go through drastic changes that would have lasting effects, whether they be positive or negative, but I just thought we had a few more years to prepare for this. COVID-19 had other plans. 

At first, I was angry and disappointed with not being able to socialize with my friends, not being able to achieve my education through the classroom setting, and now not being able to celebrate graduation with all of our classmates. It was selfish, but something I needed to realize and learn from my mistake. This is an issue regarding all of humanity and the world doesn't revolve around me and what I want. Coming home to my parents house made me realize this point as well because my dad is 65 and my uncle has a weakened immune system. I needed to change my mentality to one that encompasses the needs of others. Like most things, time has healed my irrelevant wounds and allowed my perspective to grow into interests in other areas.

I am lucky enough to grow up in a rural area where my parents have 10 acres of oak habitat, so I have just been immersing myself in nature during this time of isolation. I have been fishing, hunting, cutting fire wood, planting trees, building sheds, fixing our chicken coop, and started a garden with my dad. Practicing for my future homestead lifestyle that I would really love to have. Its hard work but I enjoy because it keeps me active and my mind has a place to escape to from the outside issues of the world, even if only for a portion of the day. I don't want to hide from the problems at hand, but to me its important to give myself a reprieve so that there is balance in my life. 

My work for my service learning project, which was installing a solar project on my tribes reservation, is still ongoing but just done remotely. We're in the stages of presenting the overall timeline and implementation plan to the tribal council so they can vote on it. This also helps with the day-to-day boredom because I still feel that I am working on something that benefits other people and the environment. It provides motivation to not just toss in the towel and shut myself completely away from the outside world. Finding the balance between isolation and motivation has been what I have been working on mostly for myself these past 3 weeks. 

I truly hope you guys are all expanding your interests into positive directions and making the best of what you can out of a shitty situation. I think there will be a window for us to enact real change in a short amount of time once this global tragedy begins to subside. We can and will be leaders in this change because we know this isn't the end of the issues we have ahead of us. For now I am just trying to stay strong and prepare myself for when that time comes so that I can take full advantage of it. 

Much love!

Letter to Environmental Studies Freshmen, from Gabi Smith '20

April 9th

I came into HSU the semester that Trump was elected into the presidential office, and I graduated from the comfort of my bedroom, living in sorrow for the lives taken by the Coronavirus. A lot of beautiful and ugly things happened between those four perfect years of my life, and now more than ever, I trust and know myself like never before.

Environmental Studies sweeps me off my feet with the overwhelming amount of information on politics, society, technology, indigenous studies, and engineering. My soul was guided into this major, not only because I am a very social being who thrives off conversation ( they don’t call me Gabi for nothin’!) but because I was naive about the reality that is molded by modern day- Western philosophy. From imperialism to decolonization, we are taught that the very framework of society is shaped around globalization and specifically in the U.S., a settler colonial landscape. We unpack words and interpretation of what it means to be limited by our cultures and how we personally hold the essence of changing politics for the better. Environmental Studies taught me too many things to write in a letter to people who must learn for themselves, but I will say that ENST is about agency- about the realization to rise up to the emergence that is your most receptive, decisive, honest & loving self. Here, we know that the Environmental Crisis is not a natural problem, but a humxn created phenomenon of capitalistic greed. Most of all, we learn to love each other outside of the classroom, to gather and play music, cook food, and grow into ourselves- together.

I have been putting this letter off because I knew I would cry, and of course this sentence ignites my liquified eyes, but none of this matters if I do not pass on the importance of engaging with ENST like your life depends on it. A place where we explore uncomfortable conversations so we may educate our families and peers, students in this major get by with their voice, and if they are quiet people, with their artistic word.

ENST is shaped to tailor towards the individual student in a way that opens them to the world on their own path. With personable teachers and advisors, no one is left behind. I found my passion for my Irish heritage through this major because we do a lot of reflecting on our natural and already blooming characteristics. I did a research poster project about the symmetry between Britain's settler colonization of Ireland and North America alike. I was able to explore my calling to feel my roots and even did mock job hunts for careers in Ireland. I also was able to explore a more seemingly relevant aspect of my life as a caretaker. My little brother has Autism and I have worked for supportive living agencies throughout my time in Humboldt, so I have explored the levels of teaching disabled children after college. In sum, I have realized the importance of family and love in my life, for without it, life can feel isolating and random.

I speak of emerging into myself through heritage and supportive living work because these are the sorts of things we understand as we grow into adults who can make a positive influence on the world. Being an environmental studies student is about being saturated in awareness of positionality. To explore the truth of the unequal distribution of environmental harms on different communities and cultures in order to develop skills on how to address these conversations and actions in our daily lives.

Finishing college could not be more of a mixture of feelings- I half want to stay in the comfort of classrooms and university events, and half want to run as fast as I can out of the school institution which I’ve known intimately for seventeen years. I am torn into a million pieces but must remain grounded in the one thing that I can count on- change. Life goes on, and we must honor the experiences which shape us and make room for more. Being a graduate means that the reality of being an economical citizen is more prevalent than ever before, but it also means I can create my own schedule and have the opportunity to travel the world. We all have dreams, but what more are they if we do not reach for them? Purely said, life is worth living and is a beautiful strange occurrence at that.

To be frank(ie), here is some of my advice for ENST majors:

1. Go to all of your classes unless there is a logical reason not to
2. Go to all of the parties, bon fires, community events, concerts, city hall meetings, protests, and friend’s houses you can- it’s worth your time to get to know a sense of place, I promise.
3. Build a couple lifelong friendships.
4. Try some new things and substances.
5. Everything is done best in moderation, even moderation.
6. Read Emergent Strategy by Adriennee Maree Brown before it is assigned to you- you will thank me for this.
7. Do all the homework you mentally can, but some is okay to skip.
8. Get involved in student politics, we shape the university (It took me three years to realize I needed to be the Associated Student’s Environmental Sustainability Officer).
9. Follow your gut, then your heart, and your head (also your root, sex drive, voice, and spirit.)
10. Do the right thing, there is always enough time for the right thing.
11. Make art, it will keep you sane. (So I got a music minor focused on drumming and Irish fiddling!)
12.  You’re a person first, a student second, and an advocate third.
13.  Dance/Sing/be you like no one is watching
14.  Take road trips- to know the area and people is to know the history.
15.  Fall in love. (with you, him, her, them..)
16.  Forgive yourself so that you may move forward.
17. Take nothing for granted, especially the trees- Protect them.
18.  Watch this documentary, it is relevant to Humboldt and ENST  in so many ways: Who Bombed Judi Bari? By Darryl Cherney
19.  Be human with your professors, they are people too.
20.  Always remember, this too will pass.

  

Lastly, I request you ask yourself this as many times throughout your college experience as you remember- write it down:

Who are you now and who do you want to be when you graduate?

Peace and Love,

                             Gabrielle/ Brelly/ Gabi/ Red.

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