Everything Connnected to the Land is Connected to our Bodies

The links between land and body have never been more apparent than in recent years, with extractive industries drilling, mining and fracking lands on or near traditional Indigenous territories, providing economic benefits to transnational corporations and national economies at a cost impacted communities are still grappling to understand. A cost most deeply felt by Indigenous women and young people.

This is why WEA is currently working in partnership with Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) to explore this critical intersection and ways to support the leadership of young Indigenous women who are resisting environmental violence in their communities.

To learn more about this work, please visit our website.

This beautiful piece was done by WEA Intern, Katie Douglas, for WEA's initiative on environmental violence.

 

From the artist: Each day that I spend interning at WEA teaches me more on the intersectionality that binds women’s rights, indigenous communities, and the environment. While the natural symmetry of these three elements is beautiful, the reality of their existence in our world is often one of destruction and injustice. As the greed of industry spreads, it is impossible not to see the direct correlation between detrimental environmental practices and their impacts on women with regard to health, culture, and actions of violence. From this, I was inspired to create an image that could begin to express humanity’s violation of the Earth as a parallel to humanity’s violation of the women’s bodies.

The open copper pit mine of the her belly shows that humanity is not only extracting Earth’s resources, but also that by plundering straight from her womb we are destroying any chance of future life. An oil well symbolizes the pollution that degrades the environment of so many native communities, while the flag is a symbol of the widespread domination of the Earth, indigenous peoples and women. Deforestation and waste are represented by the stump and can, and placed on her breasts to show our extreme dependence on these non-renewable resources. Despite the bleak outlook of the image, the ball of light in her hand represents my feeling of hope. Because if WEA has taught me anything, it is to trust to in the immense and impenetrable power that women hold in our hands to change this world for the better.

Meet Our Summer Intern!

We love summer for so many reasons.  It's the time of year when seeds planted in the spring blossom, bloom and grow strong, and it's a time to prepare for the warm gatherings and occasions for sharing that seem to characterize the fall.  At WEA, the summer is when we tend partnerships, plan for celebrations to come, and welcome in the amazing interns we've been fortunate enough to work with in summers passed.

This summer is no different, and we're so thrilled to welcome Katie to the team here in Berkeley for her summer break. Meet Katie below!

KATIE DOUGLAS — General Office & Research Intern 

1. Tell us about yourself — your background/journey to WEA.  I’m a student at Brandeis University in Boston, and heading into my senior year with majors in Environmental Studies and Anthropology. I attribute my love of the natural world to my parents for introducing me to redwood trees and blue-bellied lizards. During college I became heavily involved with the organization Half the Sky, and was incredibly moved by their work in providing access to education for girls across the globe. When I stumbled onto WEA I was amazed to find an organization that seemed to perfectly address the intersection of my interests in women’s rights, the environment, and the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities.

2. What do you do at WEA?  I’m a General Office Intern so I mainly support Kahea with general administration tasks, such as filing and managing the donor base. Additionally I research ongoing environmental developments for women, and assist with current campaigns.

3. Share 2 unique/fun/crazy/weird things about you that your co-workers do not know!  I worked on a farm for several summers, and seriously considered taking a baby goat home with me because I’m obsessed with goats. I have a secret skill for building camp fires.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersections of women, indigenous issues and the environment?  I think that the mainstream western environmental movement can be very ignorant to what an integral role women and indigenous persons play in the protection of the environment. While I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with the preservation of land, or the legal protection of endangered species, I think that the environmental movement can forget that millions of people around the world are already facing the direct consequences of climate change. Therefore their experiences make them experts on the current effects of climate change, and place them at the most important locations to develop sustainable change with equal access to resources and community training.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why.  Sheryl WuDunn, the co-author of Half the Sky, is one of my biggest inspirations. She has broken so many barriers as a reporter, an educator on women’s rights, and a modern leader. Her work on the direct links from women’s education to a country’s economic prosperity, resource management, and levels of poverty has always reminded me how integral women are to the state of our world.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you at WEA.  WEA is such a close-knit and welcoming community, and everyone made me feel so comfortable on my first day. I was really surprised by how small WEA is, but all these women have accomplished so much. And there are always so many kinds of tea in the office, which is awesome!

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA?  I hope to be continuously learning about current global developments and issues that deal with the intersection of women’s rights, the environment, and indigenous rights. I’m also hoping to gain a greater understanding of how non-profits like WEA function, and get to know an amazing group of women leaders.


Meet the rest of the talented interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Meet our Fall Interns!

As we all shut down our computers and close our office doors to get ready for the holiday weekend, we at WEA are once again reminded of how so much of our work would not be possible without the support of our rockstar team of interns.  So to kick off our gratitude-sharing festivities, we're sending warm hugs and tons of thanks to these ladies!

Thank you both for all the energy you're bringing to your time with us!

And we hope everyone has some time this weekend to take a moment, give thanks for one another and the planet we live on, and do a little something to show that appreciation to the world. 

REBECCA OLSON – General Office and Research Intern

1. Tell us about yourself – Background / Journey to WEA.  I grew near the Blue Ridge Mountains in West Virginia and moved to Northern California a few years ago, where I managed an inn for several years and took community college classes. Now I am finishing my bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at UC Berkeley with a self-designed research focus on feminist perspectives in international relations, considering how traits traditionally associated with femininity and marginalized in the political sphere could contribute to policies that support a more sustainable and equitable international system. In my research, I focus on the experience of women and marginalized groups. I've always worked while in college, but starting this summer I took a leap of faith and decided to prioritize valuable learning experience over income-earning, mainly because I wanted to start learning firsthand about the issues that are close to my heart. I spent the summer volunteering for an international organization based in Rome that supports sustainable forestry and agriculture. Then I found Women's Earth Alliance through an Internet search and joined the WEA team this fall.

2. What do you do at WEA?  I help with general office tasks and donor support. I am also researching the effects of energy development projects on Native U.S. and Canadian women's reproductive health, as well as its connections to violence against Native women, and I'm excited to contribute a few blog posts in the coming weeks as I learn more about these issues.

3. Share 2 unique/fun/crazy/weird things about you that your co-workers do not know!  I used to volunteer at a monkey sanctuary in Maryland, and I just started learning Argentine Tango.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersections of women, indigenous issues and the environment?  One major challenge is grappling with our economic mindset that prioritizes short-term income or profits over long-term prosperity. Also, I think that our conventional understanding of economics needs to expand to include those things that truly contribute to human well-being, such as healthy relationships with each other and with the planet. Treating the earth like a commodity is obviously not sustainable. Additionally, I think that development projects will tend to replicate or even exacerbate existing inequalities in society unless they are rigorously examined and take into account the concerns of all those who will be effected.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why.  Vandana Shiva, for her activism to preserve biodiversity and to support the work of women farmers. Many times I struggle with how to effect positive change in the world. I see Shiva's work as focusing on the regeneration of life, building life from the roots (in communities and working with small farmers), rather than coming down from the top with some big revolutionary idea.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you at WEA.   On my first day, I was told that I could take the initiative in projects that I'm working on. I said, "Oh, you mean if I want to do something differently I should check with you first?" She clarified that I can just go ahead. I'm still getting used to this approach, and find that it makes me feel energized and excited about the projects I'm working on.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA?  I hope to learn about specific effects of environmental damage on the bodies and lives of Indigenous women and communities, and to learn about what these women are doing to stand up for themselves and protect their bodies, families, and communities. I am already learning so much, and wondering why I haven't seen more stories about these issues in the mainstream media. I hope to be able to share what I learn with family, friends, and others who I know.


KATALINA TORRES-GARCIA – General Office and Research Intern

1. Tell us about yourself – Background / Journey to WEA.  I grew up near Los Angeles and moved up to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley where I’m finishing my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. When I saw there was an opening at WEA I jumped at it. WEA’s work focuses on the subjects I am most passionate about.

2. What do you do at WEA?  I’m the general office and research intern. I update and input donations and information into WEA’s databases, transcribe testimonies, help cultivate donor support and correspondence and assist with anything else the team needs help with!

3. Share 2 unique/fun/crazy/weird things about you that your co-workers do not know!  I’m really fond of dogs, so much so that my attention span is temporarily suspended if I see one and I’ll only really be thinking, "Must pet dog..." When I’m not thinking about dogs I’m probably thinking about food, or traveling to different countries to eat food.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersections of women, indigenous issues and the environment?  I see the biggest challenge in the intersections of women, indigenous issues and the environment as changing the embedded patriarchy within our systems. This challenge is exacerbated when corporations have their hands in environmental issues fueling injustices and are neglecting human rights. To create an environmentally sustainable future it’s necessary for women have agency over the environment that shapes their lives.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why.  Many women inspire me, but my mom is always who comes to mind first. She set the standards of equality for my life, and I'm thankful because now I won't settle for anything less. She encouraged me to learn and to question and to not hold back my voice or opinions.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you at WEA.  One thing that surprised me at WEA is the volume of new information I am exposed to. Before I began I felt relatively informed, but after just my first couple of days I learned about issues that I knew little about and will never forget.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? Throughout my time here at WEA, I hope to get practice and knowledge about how a non-profit operates to move forward and continue to work to improve the environment and lives of women, including my own. I look forward to learning and seeing how when we women connect to share knowledge and resources, change can occur on small scale to become widespread.


Meet the rest of the talented interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Meet Our Summer Intern!

We don't know what we'd do without all the wonderful interns who have given of themselves to support our work over the past few years.

That's why we're so excited to introduce you to the amazing intern working with us here in Berkeley this summer!  She's a rockstar, and we feel so lucky to have her on board!  If you're in the Bay Area, come by and say hi to Kelsey and the rest of the team!

KELSEY RILEY – General Intern

1. Tell us about yourself – Background / Journey to WEA.  Born and raised in the Bay Area, I have always appreciated the incredible amount of cultural and environmental diversity Northern California has to offer. Even as a child, I knew that I was incredibly lucky to live in such an amazing area with countless opportunities. I grew up volunteering at school events and summer camps, and it has always been my passion to give back to my community. Here in Berkeley I volunteer through a mental health awareness org, as well as a homeless shelter for youth ages 18-25.

I just finished my second year at UC Berkeley and I am majoring in Gender and Women’s Studies. A good friend of mine interned with WEA previously and after I heard about her experiences, I knew I had to get involved!

2. What do you do at WEA?  Generally I help with daily operations, whether it be logging donations or writing thank-you cards to our generous donors. In addition I have been working on some graphics to add to WEA’s social media pages, as well as doing research on the Alberta tar sands and their impact on indigenous women and their communities.

3. Share 2 unique/fun/crazy/weird things about you that your co-workers do not know! I enjoy the movie Napoleon Dynamite a little too much! I won a pig-calling contest when I was seven… I am strangely proud of this accomplishment.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersections of women, indigenous issues and the environment?  I think that at times it can be difficult to examine the intersectionality between these categories because they each have issues within themselves. We must be able to look at these intersections critically and search for ways in which they bring different identities together in order to make sense of these complex challenges and find ways to actively work on them.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why.  Emma Thompson. Other than being an Oscar-winning actress and screenwriter, she supports anti-poverty agency ActionAid, is the chair of human rights organization The Helen Bamber Foundation, and works to raise awareness of human trafficking. I deeply admire both her work in film and her philanthropy.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you at WEA.  How such a small group of individuals can make such an impact in so many ways. WEA is a living, breathing example of women supporting women in a way that brings individuals of all experiences together to empower one another. WEA encourages women to continue being successful leaders within their communities.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA?  I hope to learn more about the intersections between women and environmental issues, and how women can work together to make differences both in their communities and on a more global scale. I also hope to contribute to hands-on, creative projects that assist the social media presence of WEA as an organization.

Meet the rest of the talented interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Meet our Spring Interns!

What's amazing, and talented and leaves us thinking it's too good to be true?  

Our WEA intern team!  

We have some serious love for these ladies – and for all of the rockstar interns who have supported WEA over the years.  They help us not only during our big events, but also in the day-to-day running of things, making our work not only possible, but THRIVE.

Because we adore them and their awesome skills, we wanted to introduce our current spring interns to all of you. 

We'd also like to send a big heartfelt hug and thanks to some of our previous interns from last fall and early winter: Molly Garritson, Monica Boardman, Germaine Lau and Bess Zewdie.

SOPHIE SPARKSWORTHY – General Intern

1. Tell us about yourself! What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA?  Born and raised in Lake Tahoe, I have always had a deep connection with nature.  Ever since I was little I felt very lucky to be blessed with the wilderness as my playground.  My connection with the wild inspired me to want to protect the bounty and beauty our planet has to offer.  Despite my love for the outdoors, growing up in a small town drove me to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University to graduate with a Degree in International Relations, and a minor in Russian.

In my five and half years in the Bay Area, I have come to appreciate the vibrancy and vitality that comes from thriving urban communities.  I began to see disparities between communities and individuals more clearly than ever, and decided it would be one of my missions in life to help make positive changes.  After volunteering for community organizations, I realized my passions were focused around global injustices particular to the environment (water especially).  Seeing the work WEA did, I was able to see my two passions linked together to help communities thrive through supporting women.

2. What do you do at WEA?  My role at WEA involves supporting the general operations of the organization, like administrative assistance, and helping to maintain donor relations.  I am also working to support the Advocacy Network, which allows me a wonderful opportunity to research potential and current Indigenous environmental movements and efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.  Part of this role includes blogging about these significant efforts made by Indigenous communities and organizations.

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know.  Two unique things my co-workers might not know are that I have been belly dancing since I was 13 years old, and am currently teaching myself how to costume design.  Rather than keep pets, I raise carnivorous plans as well.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment?  The biggest challenge I see globally for the intersection of women and the environment is access.  Access to the resources, training, and participation in the decision-making process necessary to have more power in maintaining our ecosystems, and having a role in protecting the future of this planet.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why.  One woman who I find to be extremely inspirational for her strength to resist the USSR and create change for so many is Maria Cherkasova.  As a Russian journalist and ecologist during Soviet rule, she forced the government to adopt an environmental program, and address some of the severe ecological issues of the time.  Since then, she has run the largest environmental NGO in the former Soviet Republic.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA.  I was surprised by the amount that play and work are incorporated together.  I was even more surprised to see the results of this combination with an incredible amount being accomplished.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA?  From my time at WEA, I hope to gain a strong understanding of the issues women face globally, and the surrounding climate change.  More importantly, I hope to gain a meaningful understanding for what people are doing to solve these problems, and what those efforts take logistically, financially, and personally.  I hope to gain the hands-on experience and skills that can be utilized for any cause I may involve myself in.

Meet the rest of the talented interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Meet our Summer Interns!

How is it nearly August already? It seems like the summer has just flown by as we've been preparing for our annual Gala taking place on September 19th in San Francisco. None of what we've accomplished these last months would have been possible without our team of talented interns! These ladies have been an absolute joy to work with, and have contributed in so many ways to WEA's success! Here are our summer interns:

CELIA GREENE – General Intern

1. Tell us about yourself! What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA? I'm a student at George Washington University in Washington DC, heading into my second year. I just declared an international affairs major—woo!—and am hoping to concentrate in international development as well as anthropology. I came into WEA more focused on the women's and community rights side, but became super interested in and intrigued by the connection between women's rights and environmental justice, which I think WEA does a fantastic job of exploring.

2. What do you do at WEA? I am the general intern at WEA! I help out Kahea with things like processing donations and working in the donor database, and also do bits of super interesting research for the North America Program. I also got to work with Angela, the Director of Development, for a little bit, and everyone in the office has been pitching in with the Gala planning, including me!

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know. There is always the small possibility of me quitting everything and becoming a full-time interior designer. I am also super interested in clothes and style and runway design.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? The biggest struggle in the intersection of women and the environment is, I think, the layers of structural violence inflicted upon the local and indigenous communities that bear the brunt of environmental degradation. Women face discrimination as members of groups that face further discrimination, but what I find so inspiring is that in spite of this they are often the ones raising their voices loudest in struggle, protest, and attempts to change the system.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. I had a professor in my intro to sociocultural anthropology course who had been a part of many mainstream, large scale development projects, the kinds of things that are well intentioned but often massive and prone to failure. She noticed the recurring failures that massive organizations faced in their inability to understand and respect community wishes, traditions, and specific issues. She left the development world and is now writing and studying anthropology in an attempt to resolve some of these issues. I don't agree with all of anthropology, but admire her for sticking to her guns and doing what she felt was right.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. WEA is such a close-knit group of amazing and inspiring women that forms what truly is a family and I am so grateful that I am able to be a part of this family!

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? I'm young and early on in my career and unsure where exactly it will lead me but WEA has shown me a model of working in the environment in a way that recognizes, supports, and lifts up local solutions rather than employing a top-down, one-size-fits-all model. This collaboration and exploration can be applied to a range of different areas of human, women's, and community rights and I hope to continue learning about WEA’s unique model through my time here.

EMILY ESPINOSA – Development Intern

1. Tell us about yourself! What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA? I am originally from Santa Barbara, CA and got my undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University in the South Bay where I studied English and Spanish. I just completed my graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Oregon and moved to San Francisco this summer. My areas of interest are the environment, international development, and women's issues - so WEA was the perfect fit!

2. What do you do at WEA? I am the Development Intern for the summer so, I'm assisting Angela Mason, WEA's amazing new Director of Development, in everything fundraising-related. This includes lots of interesting research, working on mailings and communications, donor relations, and supporting the rest of the staff as the organization prepares for the WEA Gala in September.

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know. I love to hike and go backpacking! I am crazy about cooking (and eating) and worked in a kitchen supply store during grad school.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? I think that once women are empowered to address environmental issues in their communities it is extremely clear that they can make a major impact. I believe the biggest challenge is making this potential known, especially in different cultures around the world in which women play different roles.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. I have always been inspired by Jane Goodall because she has been able to create such a widespread impact in her animal welfare and conservation advocacy. This has especially impressed me since she began her work in Africa on ambition alone, without a formal education in science.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. How close the staff is to one another! This family-like environment creates a very collaborative and creative space that is exciting to see.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? Along with the more specific goal of gaining more fundraising experience, I hope to learn how the WEA staff has been so successful in making a major global impact as a relatively small organization. I am also eager to learn about the journey of each amazing individual in WEA's staff and their roles in creating social change.


 SERENA YUKO MALKANI – Event Intern

1. Tell us about yourself! What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA? My dream to work for women’s rights started when I was eight years old. After being discriminated against because of my confusing English-Japanese speaking tongue, Indian face, and Japanese identity, my desire to work for social justice flourished. After I graduated from college, I took a leap of faith into my dreamscape and ventured to Washington D.C. where I drowned in a reality that without a graduate degree, I wasn’t experienced enough to work in the field of human rights. As I was mentally preparing to leave the United States for my home in Japan, I mystically stumbled on WEA. The more I read about the organization’s work, I saw my own values for an anti-racist and anti-colonial women’s movement reflected back at me, and without hesitation moved my life to the Bay Area to work alongside great women leaders. My journey to WEA was quite an internal battle and will always remind me to never turn my back on my dreams.

2. What do you do at WEA? I am the event intern, supporting logistics for WEA’s upcoming Gala on September 19th.

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know. I share so much with them already! One thing that they may not know is that I love to sing and am secretly ecstatic to be part of such a musical team. I’m also a complete nerd and am constantly reading about topics that are brought up in the WEA office—I have bought more books on indigenous rights as a WEA intern than I ever did as a student!

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? I think one of the biggest challenges is recognizing the interconnectedness of all issues and people globally to women and the environment. It is definitely easy to ignore issues that don't directly effect us and I think the challenge lies in broadening our scope of what it means to be human—not only that we create and effect the limited environment around us in this present moment, but that our actions and values also effect people distant from us into the future. It will become increasingly more crucial that more people around the world examine their relationship to the issue of women and the environment. Although there is a lot of amazing work being done towards women’s rights and environmental justice, I think this wave of transformation will only be sustainable when individuals around the world, working in various sectors of society, also realize the role they play in this crucial intersection.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. Ever since I learned about the Greenbelt Movement in Kenya, I have been inspired by Wangari Maathai. At a young age she made me see that true transformative and resilient power emerged from courage to take action for other people. As I became more intrigued with the feminist movement, her presence continually reminded me that women, regardless of race or class, are never victims. I am currently reading her biography “Unbowed” every morning on my way to the WEA office. In a dialogue she states, the future does not exist in some far off distance, but exists in the present, and therefore, anything to be realized in the future must be rooted in one’s present actions.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. The work environment, definitely! Everyone is incredibly compassionate and is always willing to share their lives with each other, which makes WEA a genuinely exciting and inspiring place to be. But what has surprised—no, inspired me most, is the conversations on what change means and what WEA’s role is in the process. In no attempt to “save” women, WEA recognizes grassroots women leaders as allies-- not only through language-- but also through the organization’s design, and actions.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? I hope to get amazing training, learning from each one of the staff members about their work and personal journeys in this field, and gaining the confidence to continue trailblazing my own.


**Lauren Bellenie (not pictured here), one of our impactful Spring interns, stayed with us through the summer and offered us her incredible research talent and calming presence. Read more about here here.

Meet the rest of the talented interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Meet our Spring Interns!

Spring is a busy time of year here at Team WEA as we plan for events and shift our programs into high gear.  None of this would be possible without our stellar group of interns who help us keep things running smoothly.  We are so grateful that these wonderful ladies have chosen to share their time and skills with WEA.  So without further ado, here they are!

KELLY YU – General Intern

1. Tell us about yourself!  What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA? I'm a third year undergraduate studying Biology and Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. I stumbled upon WEA while browsing Idealist and once I learned about all the amazing things that the organization does on behalf of women and communities all over the world, I knew that this was the organization I had to be a part of!

2. What do you do at WEA? I’m a General Intern so my role in the office varies each day, but I generally provide support to the WEA team, especially during their fundraising events and through managing donations.

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know. I'm a dual citizen as of April 2012! Though I was born in California, the majority of my family is Canadian, including my parents, so I felt it was necessary for me to also have Canadian citizenship because it was such a key part of my identity. I also have no tolerance for spicy food, but I'm trying to work on it.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? The biggest challenge would be for societies around the world to realize that women matter. More often than not, women are often neglected by the decision-makers of society. Yet, it is important to realize that women are not only the most unnoticed but also the most important stakeholders in society. Women are the ones raising families and taking care of the household, and in order for society to flourish and be able to tackle big issues such as population size and environmental degradation, women must be empowered and their opinions must be taken seriously.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. As cliche as this may sound, my mother inspires me the most. I'm fortunate to have such a close mother-daughter relationship with her and be able to call her my best friend. Some people hide things from their parents, but I basically tell my mom everything going on in my life. She and my dad are my rock and support, and I have learned a lot about myself by hearing stories from them.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. Everyone is so nice! I was so nervous on my first day and I did not know what to expect, but WEA is such a welcoming environment and the WEA family readily took me in with open arms. They are the best.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? I hope to learn more about the non-profit world and how organizations function as well as more about the interconnected relationship between women and the environment, as these lessons will definitely help me in the future.


LAUREN BELLENIE – General Intern
1. Tell us about yourself!  What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA? I am a Senior Environmental Science major at the University of San Francisco. I became fascinated with the idea of women's empowerment as the route to improving quality of life through an internship I did in rural Rajasthan, India. In summer of 2012, I spent ten weeks with a grassroots NGO helping them start a women's empowerment group. I learned so much about the beauty and pain of being a woman. When I found WEA, I realized it was the perfect way for me to continue learning about and contributing to groups of women similar to those with whom I had worked all summer.

2. What do you do at WEA? I am a General Intern and have only been with WEA for a very short time, so have not gotten too involved yet. Thus far I have been doing organizational tasks and helping tie up the loose ends for the End of the Year Fundraising by completing thank you cards and documenting donations.

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know. I love to dance (anywhere, all the time!), and I wish I had been able to meet and talk with Karl Marx and Erich Fromm.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? One of the biggest challenges in the intersection of women and the environment is building the confidence in women and other community members that women have a unique intelligence and role in society that allows them to nurture people and the earth in a beautiful and effective way. Continuing to create that shift in consciousness, through organizations like WEA and its grassroots colleagues, will pave the way for women to hold power within the community that is recognized rather than overlooked.

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. A woman who inspires me is my best friend, Gina Fountain. She inspires me because she embodies a slew of feminine characteristics and not only holds them proudly, but uses them to her advantage. She is empathetic, forgiving, and exceptionally intelligent and uses these qualities in all areas of her life. She always seeks to support and protect the vulnerable, forgotten, and voiceless. She approaches everything with love AND knows how to have a good time. She is a beautiful human being.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. I'm sure I have many more surprises to come in my time with WEA, but one thing that particularly stood out to me was in reading the employee manual. There was an explicit emphasis of being 'real' in the workplace. WEA strives not only to do positive things in the world, but to accept the realities of us being flawed humans. In my time here, I'm very excited to work hard support all of the ongoing projects at WEA in any way I can, but it makes me feel more confident knowing that I'm expected to be human, not Superwoman.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? During my time at WEA, I hope I gain a greater understanding of how non-profits like WEA function. I greatly admire WEA's emphasis on the idea that we are a network of women around the world, working as a team, not as a first-third world hierarchy. As such, I'd like to learn more about how WEA has created and maintained this network. I'm also looking forward to getting to know my co-workers as they all seem like really amazing women.

TORRIN MARQUARDT – General/Development Intern

1. Tell us about yourself!  What is your background and what has been your journey to WEA?  My name is Torrin Marquardt and I am in my final semester of undergraduate study at UC Berkeley, with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies with a concentration in Culture and Identity, as well as a minor in French. I grew up in various countries around the world, including France, Germany, Cameroon, Madagascar, and Australia. During my time on the African continent I developed an interest in women's rights advocacy. This interest was then strengthened when I studied abroad in Morocco and interned at a women's shelter called Au Grain de Sesame. This shelter took impoverished, uneducated women from the medina streets and taught them how to create art out of recycled materials, which was then sold in the shelter’s literary cafe. I was inspired by the organization’s emphasis on training local women and environmental sustainability, and am therefore incredibly excited to be working with WEA to assist other community-based organizations driven by strong women.

2. What do you do at WEA? I'm a General/Development Intern

3. Share 2 unique things about you that your co-workers do not know! 1. The scariest experience of my life was bungee jumping off a 134-meter (440-foot) suspended platform in the Nevis River Valley in New Zealand. 2. I've had my pants pulled down to my ankles by a Patas monkey in Cameroon.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the intersection of women and the environment? I believe a major challenge is installing long-term change, rather than simply implementing immediate yet unsustainable solutions. Often aid is provided in monetary forms, which can help in the short run, but does not benefit communities for their futures. Therefore, efforts must be made through training and capacity-building. It's like that famous proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

5. Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why. I know it's the most cliche answer out there, but my mother is a major inspiration for me. She was very active in supporting women's rights in our various overseas homes, and this attitude definitely rubbed off on me and is a huge part of why I'm currently interning with WEA. When I think of her work, what immediately comes to mind is the memory of her walking hand-in-hand with Cameroonian women at the front of the Women's Day Parade. She is one of the most selfless and committed individuals I know.

6. Tell us one thing that surprised you about being at WEA. I was surprised by how loving and welcoming the WEA community was, from the minute I walked in the door for my initial interview. It's refreshing to be in such a friendly and warm office setting, and I think this attitude definitely translates into how everyone at WEA communicates and interacts with the public.

7. What do you hope to get out of your time at WEA? The kind of work that WEA does is something I want to pursue in the future, so I hope to gain an overall deeper understanding of how a smaller grassroots organization functions. Women and the environment are two areas that I care deeply about, yet are often neglected, and I see WEA as a great starting point for learning how to target these issues.

**Jami Fogelhut (not pictured here) was one of our amazing Fall/Winter General Interns.  We'd like to thank her for all of the hard work she's done for WEA over the course of her internship!

Meet the rest of the amazing interns that have worked with WEA throughout the years here!

Land is Life

By Nancy Djembe | Intern, Sub-Saharan Africa Program | Women's Earth Alliance


Last Thursday, May 3rd, I came home so angry and frustrated about what I had just learned from Anuradha Mittal's lecture on land grabs in Africa. Anuradha is the founder and director of the Oakland Institute, a think-tank that works to "increase public participation and promote fair debate on critical social, economic and environmental issues in both national and international forums."


I was angry because thousands of Africans are being displaced as western corporations and institutions continue to benefit from unfair land deals. For example, AgroSol, a US based corporation has access to thousands of hectares of land in Tanzania at the expense of local communities for whom land is a source of livelihood. My anger also stems from the fact that African governments fail to uphold the interests of its own people, especially women, who are disproportionately impacted by these land-grabs.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, women make up 70% of smallholder farmers, producing about 80% of food. The direct connection of women to land as natural resource managers undermines their ability to sustain their livelihoods. 

Land-grabs in Africa is a not a new issue. There are several parallels between the land grabs happening today and the scramble and partition of Africa in the 19th century. What is more disturbing is that these land-grabs are being framed as bringing economic growth to the continent, while in reality, land grabs are displacing people, destroying livelihoods and communities, undermining local economies and self-reliance, and fueling foreign dependency. 

Several organizations in Africa and abroad, such as Third World Network (Ghana) and the Oakland Institute, Priority Africa Network are engaged in research and advocacy initiatives to raise awareness on this alarming trend. To effectively address land-grabs, it will require a critical mass of voices to speak out; good governance with accountability and transparency; visionary leadership; advocacy and education. As Anuradha Mittal shared in her lecture, "land is life, and not a luxury or a choice." As such, it is critical to ensure that all people can have access to and enjoy their rights to land. 

UBUNTU

n:  an Nguni word from South Africa that addresses the notion of our interconnectedness as human beings. Sentence: "Umuntu ngumuntu ngamuntu:" “I am a person through other people.”

I have been contemplating the implications of ubuntu in my journey to finding my life’s purpose. One February afternoon, I met with Phil Hutchings, founding member of BAJI (Black Alliance for Just Immigration), to learn how his experience with activism could inform my direction as an emerging activist. During the civil rights movement, Phil played a role in organizing youth to protest racist Jim Crow laws, leading to his involvement in the founding of BAJI.  His work with in the civil rights movement manifested ubuntu in a profound way – it brought attention to our interconnectedness as humans.

I was born in Ghana, but have lived in the United States since I was eight years old. My efforts to embody ubuntu remind me of the privileges I enjoy in a society where I have all the tools to reach my highest potential. Reflecting on the tension between my privilege, and having family members who don’t enjoy the same privileges, influences what I do. Currently, I am a Research Fellow at Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA), an organization that highlights the role of women in the environmental sector. I spend my time with the Sub-Saharan Africa program that supports ongoing efforts of African women to create holistic and women-led solutions to environmental challenges. The recognition of our interconnectedness and interdependence is reflected in WEA’s core belief that “when women thrive, communities, the environment, and future generations thrive.”

 Global Women's Water Initiative East Africa Women and Water Training Program 2011

If the notion of ubuntu is to be manifested in our everyday lives, then we have a responsibility to act when other human beings cannot enjoy their basic rights and live a life of dignity. Ubuntu presents infinite possibilities for us to bring our highest selves, knowing that “when we do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”   

"Umuntu ngumuntu ngamuntu:" “I am a person through other people.”


By Priscilla Ankrah, Research Fellow, Sub-Saharan Africa Program - Women's Eartha Alliance

Meet the Summer Interns!

It's hard to believe it's already the end of August. What a productive summer at Women's Earth Alliance, and what a talented group of Summer Interns. They contributed so much to WEA, and we are grateful for all their hard work. Take a moment to meet them!

KAHEA PACHECO - Legal Research Intern for the North America Program

1. Where are you from? I’m from Honomu, HI – a little plantation village on the rainy, Hamakua coast of the Big Island.

2. What brings you to Berkeley for the summer? I’ve actually been living in Oakland for the past 5 years.  I moved to the Bay for law school in 2006, graduated with my JD in 2009, and have been living and working in the area ever since!

3. What drew you to apply to be an intern at WEA?  I found WEA through a posting on the University of San Francisco School of Law career opportunities board.  I remember thinking that WEA seemed like such a great organization; it would be an opportunity for me to do the type of research I loved with indigenous communities.  So I contacted Caitlin Sislin (North America Program Director) to ask more about the NAP – as I had specialized in Federal Indian law and had focused a lot on environmental law in law school – and here I am now!

4. And what is your role at WEA? I am the summer legal research intern for the North America Program.

5. What do you like most about your work with WEA?  I think there really is something to be said about doing what you love.  And I love doing research on environmental issues and working with (and for) indigenous communities.  Aside from that, however, I think what I love most about being an intern at WEA is the work environment that WEA fosters.  It’s such a positive, supportive place to be, where your health and happiness are just as important as the work you do.

6. Has anything surprised you about your internship?  I came from a work environment that was very different from WEA’s, so I think what pleasantly surprised me most was that supportive aspect I spoke of before.  I think I’m also just learning so much more about the environmental issues facing indigenous communities, things I didn’t think of before, and that’s been surprising and rewarding.

7. What do you do in the Bay Area when you aren’t in the office?  I like to have BBQ’s with friends, get out of the city into wide open spaces, take day trips to places I’ve never been before, go on hikes with my dog…

8. Any advice for future WEA interns?  Really take advantage of this opportunity to work with amazing women, in an amazing office, doing really meaningful work.  Try to be a sponge – just take in as much as you can at all times, because every second is a chance to learn more about the issues WEA works on, your coworkers, or the kind of career that celebrates the work/life balance.

9. What is one thing your WEA coworkers don’t know about you?  I have a crazy addiction to Diet Coke that I’ve been trying to kick for months now.  Some months are better than others. 

SOPHIE FRIED - North America Program Intern

1. Where are you from? Washington DC.

2. How did you end up over here on the best coast? I graduated from Pitzer College in May 2010, and moved up to San Francisco shortly thereafter. I have been working at WEA since last November. I'm currently studying for the LSAT,and hope to be going to law school or continuing to work on issues of environmental justice in the next couple of years.

3. Sounds like you have it all planned out! What drew you to apply to be an intern in the first place? I heard about WEA through a former professor. My values align so closely with WEA's mission and development model that I knew I had to be involved in this work in any capacity.

4. What is your role at WEA? I am a Jane of all Trades! I did social media for a while--managing our Twitter and Facebook accounts, and now I support our North America program director, Caitlin Sislin, in her work on the upcoming Advocacy Training this November.

5. What is your favorite thing about being an intern at WEA? I feel like I am doing good work. This is the way development should be done--WEA takes a holistic approach and invests not only in projects, but in the lives of women. We are continuously building a web of powerful relationships the world over in an effort to uplift women and in turn, protect the earth. So, yea, I guess you could say I enjoy being a part of that ;)

6. Has anything surprised you about your internship? I could not have anticipated how I would grow to love the people I work with at WEA. It is not fair to call them "co-workers" They are friends, allies, mentors, and sisters. I am constantly inspired by the spirits of my sisters. 

7. That is amazing. So when you aren’t in the office, what do you do with your spare time? The Bay Area has a rich and vibrant culture which I try to enjoy as much as I can. I attend lots of art walks, festivals, concerts and the like. I also love being outdoors, and I live right next to Tilden Park, so I feel very blessed!

8. Advice for future WEA interns? You should feel encouraged to bring your unique gifts to WEA's work. Share your ideas and voice your opinions, you will be heard!

9. What is one thing your WEA coworkers don’t know about you? I share so much with them! But I bet they don't know that I'm terrified of clowns. Really, really not amused by them at all.

KAITLIN SWARTS - Research and Social Media Intern

1. Where are you from? Austin, Texas.

2. How did you make it all the way to Berkeley for the summer? I graduated from Pomona College in southern California two years ago.  A lot of Pomona alumni end up in the Bay Area, so it was only natural for me to migrate back to the west coast eventually. 

3. How did you hear about WEA? I was living in Peru and knew I wanted to move to the Bay Area when I got back to the states.  While searching for sustainable development organizations, I came across WEA.  I couldn’t believe how my beliefs were completely aligned with WEA’s mission and methodology.  The more I read about WEA, the more I knew I wanted to work for an organization that goes about sustainable development in the right way: by listening to communities and empowering local women leaders.  Even though I was still going to be in Peru for another several months, I felt immediately compelled to write WEA a love letter.  

4. And what do you do at WEA? I am the Research and Social Media Intern, but as the other interns have expressed, I feel very lucky that I get to touch projects in lots of different areas.  Every day is different.  It ranges from sending out weekly news briefs to our three programs, to doing preliminary research for future projects, to managing the WEA blog and working on WEA’s social media outreach.  

5. What is your favorite thing about being a WEA intern? I love getting to come to work and feel good about the work I am doing—I leave the office in an even better mood than I come in with!  As an intern, you tend to get handed a random assortment of tasks, but at WEA, I have never felt disconnected from our mission.  Every day, I know that the work I am doing is in some way helping to empower women to unlock their own solutions to food, land, and water issues around the world.  What could be better than that? 

6. Has anything surprised you about your internship or WEA in general? Before WEA, I worked for a year in the corporate world, so where do I even start? Hugs on my first day of work, coworkers asking me how my weekend was and genuinely being interested in my answer, it being ok to take off my shoes in the office, 2pm stretch breaks, getting to interact with the Co-Directors on a daily basis…the list goes on. 

7. When you aren’t at WEA, where can we find you? I am new to the Bay Area, so I am still busy exploring my new home. The Bay is truly a hub of dynamic people and places—I am constantly amazed by what this area has to offer. So if you are looking for me, I’m probably either trying to figure out MUNI in the city or hiking in the East Bay. I am always open to suggestions for new things to try! Oh, and I attempt to maintain my soccer skills by playing in an adult league.  

8. Do you have any advice for future WEA interns? Rather than trying to formulate expectations for what your internship will be, remain open to supporting the WEA team on a wide range of projects. You will be surprised by what you will learn.  Before my internship, I had never even been on Twitter. Now I spend my free time reading up on social media strategy and looking for interesting things to retweet.

9. What is one thing your WEA coworkers don’t know about you? I've sang and played piano my whole life, so I was so excited to learn on my first day that my new coworkers like to celebrate and sing at events, at work—really, any time! I am very shy at first, but hopefully one day I will be able to bust out into song with everyone! 

CODY DUNITZ - General Intern

1. Where are you from? Santa Monica, California.

2. What brings you to Berkeley for the summer? I’m a third year undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, and have been working and taking classes over the summer.

3. What drew you to apply to be an intern at WEA? I heard about WEA from Ariana Katovich, one of the directors at Earth Island.  I took a tour of the Brower Center with her, and when I saw WEA and heard about the awesome things the organization was doing and what it stood for, I knew right away I wanted to get involved somehow!

4. And what exactly do you do as an intern? I do social media, Salesforce (donor tracking), school outreach, and any other projects or tasks the WEA team needs help with.

5. What is your favorite thing about interning at WEA? I have learned so much over the course of the last few months working at WEA, it’s hard to narrow it down.  One thing I have really enjoyed is that I have felt such an awesome sense of community and love both in the office and in every project that WEA takes on outside the office.  I have also enjoyed the various projects I've done, and getting to collaborate with others on some of them.

6. Has anything surprised you about WEA? The first thing that comes to mind is how much emphasis WEA places on personal relationship and individual care--in every aspect that I've experienced while working here, whether it's with fellow WEA team members or anyone outside the office, the WEA team demonstrates diligence and care.  This is not surprising given how WEA is as an organization, but rather because I've never worked with an organization that placed such importance on this aspect before.

7. What do you do in the Bay Area when you aren’t interning? Spend time with friends and family, hike and spend time outdoors, play guitar and sing, read, check out fun restaurants and cook.

8. Any advice for future WEA interns? Ask for support when you need it (because you will get it!) but don’t be afraid to take on challenges head first and make projects your own. Take time to appreciate the great, personal work environment WEA has created.  One thing that was discussed in the 2011 GWWI Uganda pre-departure meeting that really stuck with me was how important it is to work from the heart; service work is only meaningful if you are doing it with honest and loving intentions, and I think what’s so special about the way WEA works.

9. What is one thing your WEA coworkers don’t know about you? I’m a total geography nerd.  

SUSAN MA - Operations Intern, North America Program Intern

1. Where are you from? Los Angeles, CA.

2. What brings you up north? I live and go to school in Oakland, so Berkeley is not too far away.

3. How did you hear about WEA? I heard about WEA through Idealist.org. I looked at their intern openings, red their "about" section, and thought to myself, "who wouldn't want to work with strong, empowered women that are trying to create change in the world?"

4. Agreed. And what do you do at WEA? I mainly work with WEA's finances, but I also support the North America Program.

5. What do you like most about interning at WEA? The work and the environment.

6. Has anything surprised you about your internship or WEA in general? Every time I attend a WEA event or meet a WEA supporter, I get surprised in a good way.

7. What do you do in the Bay Area when you aren't interning? Study...or craft or play a sport, but mostly study.

8. Any advice for future WEA interns? Enjoy the ride, and make sure you really get to know the people around you! They're pretty amazing.

9. What is one thing your WEA coworkers don't know about you? I don't have an answer to that question.

*Emily Robbins, not pictured here, was our Media Production Intern. You can view some of her beautiful work here