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.

,

Manifesto, Nick Gil, class of 2020

When I think about what a social change agent is, I imagine a powerful, influential and inspiring individual or representative from a group who has a skill set that allows them to create the change they want to see in the world. This is something that I never imagined I would be able to even aspire to become, but with the knowledge I have gained in my time as an Environmental Studies major I have unconsciously been on the path to become a social change agent. How change is obtained can vary from person to person, but the background knowledge and motivation comes from the same place. We have been looking at an assortment of societal issues which ironically can all be looked at as environmental issues. By doing this it becomes clear that the massive entanglement of issues we see at a world scale are interrelated. From the injustices that are born from corporate greed that lead to the deterioration of indigenous lands in developing nations, to the high pollution rates in low income communities that have led to countless children developing health conditions that will forever affect their day to day lives; like asthma. Ever since I realized that not everyone notices or thinks about these topics, I have decided that I want to be an agent of social change. I am naturally a great facilitator of difficult discussions, so I dream to facilitate more of these difficult and sometimes unpleasant conversations with people who need to hear these sad truths with the hope to open the eyes of those I interact with. Once I graduate from this program, I will be going straight to my graduate level studies where I will obtain my masters in International Environmental Policy. Here I aspire to obtain more of the knowledge I need to hold more of these important conversations with some of the most important political figures in the world.

Manifesto, by Daniel "Noel" Noel, class of 2020

Prior to starting the environmental studies program (enst) at HSU I was a musician and studying music at my community college. After being a music major for two years and learning from friends about their experiences as music majors in 4 year colleges I knew in my heart it wasn’t for me. When I read the description for the enst program something happened.

“Do you love the natural world but also love thinking about culture, people, politics, media, economics, history, literature, art, and identity? Do you want to save the planet and also make the world a more equitable place for all its inhabitants? Do you want to develop a wide range of skills to address the world’s most pressing environmental and social dilemmas?” Yes, Yes and Yes. “Consider an interdisciplinary Environmental Studies degree at HSU…Environmental studies provides students with tools for understanding the complex relationships between human communities and both “natural” and built environments. (2018-2019 HSU catalog). At the time I didn’t fully understand why this description was so appealing to me and how strongly the goals of this major align with who I am.

I've spent the last three semesters at HSU reimagining my understanding of the world, embracing how I truly feel and learning how to create possibilities to empower change and connections in the communities I’m part of, in the world and within myself. Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Marie Brown (AMB) helped me understand concepts I was studying and connect them to feelings I was having about the world. Here are some of the ways these principles apply to my life.

Knowing that Change is Constant. Nothing is permanent. That you are changed by and change everything you interact with. You have the power to shape the world however small you are in it. Change holds an element of hope for me because oppressive systems colonialism and capitalism are also susceptible to change.

Fractals teach us that even small change has large impacts, that patterns repeat themselves and permeate throughout scales, that making a positive impact on a local scale can make waves globally. Recognizing patterns in our everyday life and connecting them to global patterns can help us understand why certain patterns exist and permeate. Fractals hold the ability to manifest patterns of empowerment on a local scale and design patterns to bring about global change.

I’ve come to understand the importance of Interdependence and Decentralization from theory based discussion and real life experiences. The concept of mutual aid embodies the power of community  interdependence and decentralization. Like finding strength in actions of solidarity, reciprocity and love for each other. Making efforts to decentralize from a state that uses violence and oppression to maintain power and societal structures. Collective power and power within instead of power over others. I joined the recently sprouted Humboldt Mutual Aid group and I jumped at the chance to attend meetings and  help coordinate our first skill share In community. I’ve remained involved with weekly meetings and an accountability process group that sprouted from a skill share event.

I won’t go into all the lessons that Emergent Strategy has taught me but after reading the book I do consider myself an agent of change. I seek creative ways to support the people around me. I study to understand the way social, political, economic and cultural energies shape the world we know. I want to foster interdependence in my communities and foster a collective strength that will allow us to replace systems of oppression with systems of healing, solidarity and respecting earth.

As important as understanding the world is understanding your place in the world. Understand and admit your differences, privileges, biases, fears, and shortcomings. So that you can be truthful to yourself and others. So that you can respect others and hope they respect you. Understand yourself and the realities of inequality and injustice in this world so that we can rid ourselves and our societies of racism, colonialism, capitalism, imperialism, all the other isms that seek to divide and exploit us and this Earth. So that we can replace them with systems of solidarity, reciprocity, healing, justice and dare I say, pleasure.

Manifesto, by Joel Denney, class of 2020

Manifesto, by Taylor Conrad, class of 2020

I believe I have the passions and skills to create change through human connection and visual design. I envision a future that has inclusive education that critically analyzes history to create real solutions to problems we have created. I don’t think our current education system is doing us and our planet justice and I want to have a part in changing it. I am passionate about children and the hope they carry. I want to do my part in arming them with the critical perspectives we learn about in ENST that I believe they’ll need to continue this shift to a sustainable future. We need to not only teach accurate history of humanity but also what we must learn from the past to have a brighter future. I desire a world in which children are educated about more than a standardized curriculum and can gain a real understanding of our world regardless of their backgrounds. 

I am passionate about visual communication and I have to come learn how powerful and effective it can be. I want to further my education into visual communication so I can have all the skills I need to be able to communicate the messages I think are most important. I want to visually communicate the crucial connection between humans and our environment. I want to stress the importance of the sciences and the humanities coming together but also just the fact that we need to unite as a species if we want to stick around on this planet. My next steps are to complete my study of graphic design and visual communication. This is a crucial next step for me because although I already am producing content, I want to sharpen my skills and study the rules of design to be able to effectively communicate my messages. 

Through my time at HSU I have experienced the importance of knowing your positionality and privileges. This is something I was never taught in all my 12 years of school previously and it’s quite possibly one of the most impactful areas of study I have been exposed to. I want to continue to share with my peers and the children that I work with how each of us sees the world differently and acknowledging why we have that perspective can be so powerful. Another next step I want to take may happen through my service learning project (fingers crossed) or to seek out the opportunity in another avenue. 

I will make my first real attempt at visually communicating these messages to children. I envision myself exploring how to translate these often heavy ideas and topics into something digestible for children. I want to spark creativity and thought through my work. I will need to look into how others have done this and take inspiration to my own ideas to create something that can impact our youth. I also want to take these ideas, passions and ideas and spread them among my peers through conversations with active listening and empathy. It hasn’t been easy for me to realize all the ways I benefit from the oppression of other humans, animals and exploitation of the environment but it has forever changed the way I see the world and value this awareness so greatly. I will do my part to foster hope but also create inspiration and education on what actions are going to make the necessary changes.

Manifesto, by Alejandra Ureno, class of 2020

Social Change Manifesto

Emergent Strategy has helped remind me of the beauty that actually comes within the struggle. A gentle reminder that in life, there are different ways to respond to challenges and change, and the way that one chooses to adapt to the unexpected has great influence over the course of those events.

May this manifesto help remind me of these important core principles and serve as a personal guideline towards coming to peace with the obstacles I might face throughout the journey.

Change is Constant.

Inevitably, change will always occur throughout life – on all levels, in every aspect, realized, or not.

How Will You Choose to Cope with These Changes? Will You Allow Them to Intimidate Your Potential? Will You Let the Fear of Uncertainty Overshadow the Potential for Success and Undiscovered Blessings?

Adaptation: the process of changing to fit some purpose or situation.

Intention: the thing that you plan to do or achieve: an aim or a purpose.

“How we live and grow and stay purposeful in the face of constant change actually does determine both the quality of our lives, and the impact that we can have when we move into action together.”

It is not unusual to respond to change with feelings of fear or stress. Often this is because we aren’t clear or committed about our dream or destination, so instead of moving towards anything in particular, we are in nonstop reaction… We will adapt to that change or we will become irrelevant.

As an individual, developing your capacity for adaptation can mean assessing your default reactions to change, and whether those reactions create a space for opportunity, possibility, and continuing to move towards your vision.

Transformation does not happen in a linear way.

Growth is nonlinear – if we release the framework of failure, we can realize that we are in interative cycles.

Although we might pervasively associate growth as constant and linear, it does not always occur as such. Like a rollercoaster, life is full of ups and downs, and those downs are not to be correlated to failure. It is important to remember that the downs in our lives are sometimes the experiences that shape us into stronger, better abled, and resilient individuals from which to learn from our past mistakes from.

Sometimes a down is what catapults us forward at a higher speed.

Do not be discouraged when you feel as though your progression is not occurring in a constant, straight line.

Resilience: How We Recover and Transform

The ability to become strong, healthy or successful again after something bad happens; the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

You can choose to allow negative experiences and emotions to overshadow the other aspects of our life, or we can choose to draw from our negative emotions and experiences, channeling that energy towards something positive.

Your ability to not only adapt, but bounce back with an armor made of steel – to successfully recover from any negative emotions or obstacles, and transform oneself into the idealized version of oneself.

Do not be discouraged or knocked-down by barriers in life, unexpected challenges, or unforeseen ‘failures.’ Instead, remember that you are strong, capable, and completely capable of bouncing back – with a vengeance!

Creating More Opportunities: How We Move Towards Life

To cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.

“We have to collaborate on the process of dreaming and envisioning and implementing that world,”

Remove yourself from the framework of fear and hesitation; Remember that life is truly what you decide to make of it – thoughts, perceptions, actions, and energy all shape your reality and the forces that enable you to make decisions in life.

Once you realize your true potential, skills, and likeliness to be successful, you are abler to identify an opportunity and make it yours. Rid yourself of insecurities, fear of failure, and reluctance. Embrace your achievements and the aspects of yourself that have elevated those wins, envisioning a version of yourself that has shaped and claimed her own successes and is proud.

This activity has been a wonderful reminder of the fact that I already have all of the tools I need to be successful. Everything I am looking for, I have the ability to give myself if I am courageous and focused enough. I cannot allow momentary challenges and failures to get in the way of my future success. Emergent Strategy has been a beautiful reminder that as human beings, we all share similar fears and tribulations. It is our way of managing the stressors in life that really shape the paths our lives take.

To be an agent of change in the world means to lead by example – to be an individual that lives their life in the manner in which they expect will bring them their desired results. To be accepting of the things that happen to them, able to successfully adapt in times of tribulations, to spread love and positivity, and to help others realize their own potential and contributions.

I would hope to be the kind of change agent that is resilient in the face of adversity, and can learn to be optimistic while looking for the positive in every situation. I want to be sure of who I am and where I want to go – helping others realize their abilities to do the same for themselves and an anchor of support for others.

My hope is that throughout my journey towards the next steps in my life I will be able to look back at this manifesto and know that I am perfectly set up for success. If I decide to tap into every aspect of myself that embraces these core principles, the challenges I encounter will not weigh so heavily on my life. The trajectory of my life will be strongly determined by my ability to adapt, create, transform, and remain resilient, and for that I am very hopeful.