Jared Muscat, Convergence Director
To me the idea of environmental and social activism, seems to not be a choice or a question or an alternative style of life. That is to say, it is not some radical attempt at life, rather it is how life works-in order for those younger than me to enjoy Mother Gaia, I need to tend to her. My favorite thing I have done at UCSD is working with The Sustainable Food Project over the last two years bringing an Urban Farm to campus! I am a writer and a surfer and my legends are other writers and surfers, but also musicians because they always seem to have an element of caring that might either be on the surface, John Lennon, or hidden beneath some aura, Dane Reynolds. One of my favorite writers, Allen Ginsberg, in a poem of his, “The Sunflower Sutra” wrote: Poor dead flower? when did you forget you were a flower? when did you look at your skin and decide you were an impotent dirty old locomotive? the ghost of a locomotive? the specter and shade of a once powerful mad American locomotive? You were never no locomotive, Sunflower, you were a sunflower! Which, to me screams: Poor sad humans? when did you forget you were an animal? when did you look at your skin and decide you were an impotent dirty old jerk? the ghost of a jerk? the slap and scowl of a once monarchical angry American jerk? You were never no jerk, Human, you were an animal! So, lettuce start caring again, show some love for Mother Gaia, and show some love for your fellow, as Buddha said: “Your work is to discover your world and then with all you heart give yourself to it.”
Lizzie Caldwell
When I first came to the SSC, I never thought of adding social and human rights to the definition of sustainability; I was a little confused, but decided to keep my mind open and see how it all fits. Now, I can’t talk about sustainability without bringing up indigenous rights, labor rights, and other social justice topics. One of my proudest moments at UCSD was bringing the idea of a “Green Recruitment” to my sorority, which consists of using simple changes to the formal recruitment process that reduced our waste. We were able to save 11 full trashcans, and are now working with other Recruitment Chairs to implement similar changes to the process. I’m also in the middle of trying to create a laboratory sustainability program at UCSD. In my free time (whenever that comes up), I enjoy swapping amazingly weird youtube videos with my roommates and complaining about my landlord.
Cindy Yeh
Hello, my name is Cindy Yeh and i am the design and media intern for the Student Sustainability Collective! I am based in the Bay Area, and am full Taiwanese. Other orgs I am involved in on campus include, KSDT, Tzu Ching, and I now also work at the University Gallery in Mandeville. In the past I have worked with mainly children with special needs, art shows, a planetarium, as well as my high school newspaper, El Estoque as the Entertainment Editor. I enjoy a nice cup of tea, laying on the grass, surrounded by the beautiful voice of Zach Condon (Beirut) and reading the words of Sylvia Plath. I currently enjoy writing poetry and short stories about my life, and my dream is to find a cure for the pollution that is killing the population of Taiwan. My proudest achievement is having the ability to capture the universe into a recycled jam jar, stars milky way and all.
Elizabeth Elman
In addition to her role at the SSC, Elizabeth is involved with the Foundation for International Medical Relief for Children (fimrc.ucsd.edu) and the UCSD Food Coop. She enjoys strong fair trade coffee, cycling, making pottery, and eating delicious vegetarian food. Her favorite quote, by Lilla Watson, reads “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Rose Eveleth
Rose Eveleth spends her free time looking for bugs, climbing trees, riding bikes and thinking about fish. At UCSD she’s an Ecology Behavior and Evolution major and a writing minor. In her spare time she’s the editor in chief of Mania Magazine, assistant manager of the UCSD Pepband, AS Director of media relations, a tutor for the Literature department, and an intern at a handful of blogs. After UCSD, Rose hopes to find a place in the ever turbulent world of journalism where she can write about looking for bugs, climbing trees, riding bikes and thinking about fish.
Favorite quotes:
“Let’s think the unthinkable, let’s do the undoable, let’s prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.” – Douglas Adams
“Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are there.” Richard Feynman
Erin Brodwin
In working on social and environmental justice at UCSD and within the greater community, I helped to found the first Student Lobby Corps at UCSD, re-establish the Student Worker Collective, work on Fair Trade and give it the potential to become a UC-wide policy, and helped to make March 4th an amazing collaboration between environmental and social justice endeavors to reclaim the University. My development has depended upon the help and support I have received from amazing people and communities on campus, including professor K. Wayne Yang, advisor Yolanda Escamilla, advisor Traci Voyles, and my friends and family at the Cross Cultural Center, the Women’s Center, and within the Ethnic Studies community. In the past, I worked as an intern at the AS External Affairs office and the Associate Vice President of Local Affairs. I am currently the Vice President of Students for Justice in Palestine, the co-founder of the Student Worker Collective, a member of One Earth One Justice, and the student representative on the University of California Student Association Sustainability Steering Committee. I enjoy swimming, reading, editing, cooking, writing, traveling, and photographing!
Noor El-Annan
Please excuse Noor’s lack of skill in describing herself in the first person seriously. Noor is involved in the Arab Student Union, Students for Justice in Palestine, Muslim Students Association, Junior Youth Empowerment, I-Cares, various CCC activities, amongst other student orgs. Her hobbies include knitting, writing, working out, bonding with others, and picking up other nifty pastimes. Role models are many for Noor, but number one is her mother. Favorite quote would have to be “i saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”(Michelangelo). Right now, her proudest accomplishment is making it through the intense circuit-training class at her gym back home especially after dorm food. Her experience with social and environmental justice has been born during her freshman year. It has included, but is not limited to, her tenure at the SSC, involvement in various BSU and March 4th protests, and spreading the word of injustice (in order to combat it, not encourage it). She hopes to become increasingly involved in such movements. Noor is relieved to have finished this bio; third person is surprisingly difficult.
Annie Le
As a first-year at UCSD, I have been lucky to find myself in the fold with the good folks of the Student Sustainability Collective as the Grassroots Marketing Assistant Director. I’ve gained a great deal from this gathering of passionate people, among them delicious recipes, ample reasons to avoid apathy, and a growing commitment to joining the movers and shakers who strive for a cleaner, kinder world. In the past, I have been involved with Model United Nations and the Justice and Service Committee of Good Shepherd Parish’s Core Team, with which I organized the first of a now annual reforestation effort at a local campsite affected by the 2003 Cedar Fire, and a benefit concert for St. Kizito Children Foundation of Northern Uganda. I’m currently working with UCSD Invisible Children Schools for Schools and the Haiti Emergence Action Team. I enjoy listening to the wind whistle on leisurely bike rides, making handmade crafts, tracking down excellent sushi establishments, documenting all sorts of things via camera, blog and journal, identifying birds, and pretending that NBC Thursday night comedies are created for my sole entertainment. One of my favorite quotes is by Susan Sontag: “Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”
Dana Roth
Dana Roth is a second year Urban Studies and Planning major, Environmental Studies minor. She is the water intern in the Student Sustainability Collective. She has been involved in the SSC, Muir Environmental Corps, Aquaholics Anonymous, Habitat for Humanity, Love the Homeless, and the community garden as well as extensive involvement in John Muir College at UCSD. She is on the UCSD Ski and Snowboard team and also enjoys hiking, camping, swimming, slacklining, and adventures with friends. Her proudest accomplishment was hiking Half Dome in Yosemite. Her greatest role model is John Muir and her favorite quote is also from him: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Tarangini Saxena
Tarangini Saxena is a second year Environmental Systems student at UCSD. She tries to lead a sustainable life and aims to further environmental consciousness on campus through the Student Sustainability Collective. She is proud to have been a vegetarian for approximately three years. Her influences include Marilyn Waring, and Jorge Luis Borges. Roger Ebert once said, “to make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try.” Tarangini tries to live by this maxim. She is also involved with MUN and the Sai Youth Organization. She enjoys hikes, gardening, cultural immersion and spirituality.
Alexandra Villegas
My name is Alexandra Villegas and I am currently attending Grossmont College. I plan to transfer to UC Davis in the fall of 2010 as an International Agriculture Development Major. Prior to attending Grossmont, I attended the University of San Francisco as a Fine Art Major. It was in the Bay Area where I became greatly influenced by the organic farm to table movement. It wasn’t long before I felt that pursing a major in the arts was no longer my calling. I began immersing myself in literature about locally grown organic food, and found myself spending more time at the farmers market than any place else. My proudest moment thus far has been when I realized the need for sustainability in our world, and that I wanted to pursue a path of advocacy and dedication towards creating more sustainable and environmentally conscious food systems for our future. I began working for Joe Rodriguez of J.R. Organics at a local farmers market, and also became involved with San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project in January of 2010. I’ve also recently been invited to work alongside the driven group of students of the CSSC at UCSD.
In my spare time I enjoy cooking, gardening, photography, hiking, cycling, running, and spending time with family and friends.
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
Jessica Baltmanas
Jessica Baltmanas is a first-year at UCSD. In addition to working with the Convergence Team, she is involved with Alpha Epsilon Phi, Association of Environmental Professionals, Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Club, Neighborhood CommunityGarden, Sustainable Food Project, Tritons for Israel, Union of Jewish Students, and Warren Association of Volunteer Enthusiasts. Her proudest accomplishment has been growing her own garden. In her free time, Jessica enjoys reading, gardening, dancing with joy, creating and resting. Her role model is Matisyahu. “Peace will come to those who love.”
Jack Korpob
Hello there! My name is Jack Korpob and I’m a 4th Year graduating Senior. I began my experience with social and environmental justice through my involvement for the past 3 years in the organization Alternative Breaks@UCSD. I have been able to lead groups of students to locations in the U.S. and other countries to volunteer and experience social, environmental, and economic problems first hand. My proudest moments so far was watching my peers and myself play the Cherokee “Fish Game” barefoot while sweater/coat-less in 40 degree weather while it was snowing. My other student org involvement includes raising money for student scholarships through the UCSD Student Foundation, where I am a trustee and the current Treasurer. I live by the quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” by Mahatma Gandhi. One of my role models is Martin Luther King Jr. for fighting his entire life for civil rights and social justice. Because of this, I live my life in service to others, and therefore, after graduation, will serve one or two years in City Year Boston, an AmeriCorps program. In my free time, I really enjoy traveling and volunteering (both at the same time if possible), watching movies and collecting DVDs, and watching reality television (I’m a hug fan of American Idol).
Elizabeth Reed-Wainscoat
My name is Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat and I am a freshman at Thurgood Marshall College. One of my proudest accomplishments would be the year long monitoring project in which two fellow students and I measured the water quality of our local river in two sites and conducted a correlation study to prove that our town’s sewage system was affecting our ecosystem. Our study led to a re-evaluation of our waste management system and better containment of runoff. My experience with social and environmental justice movements can be derived from my involvement with my high school’s recycling program and my participation with Congresswomen Anna Eshoo’s Fourteenth Congressional Student Advisory Board. As for my college experience, I am part of the SFP and SSC and have actively campaigned for a more sustainable and just future through participating in many events and protests. Some of the other organizations that I am involved with are ACT, the Human Rights Club, EBE Major club, and the DOCENT program organized by the UCSD Natural Reserve System. One of my favorite quotes is by Eleanor Roosevelt which states that “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” Jane Goodall (the biologist who lived with the chimpanzees out in the wild) is a role model for me because of her bravery and dedication to protecting our world’s natural diversity. Her work has helped the world understand the importance of habitat protection and animal rights. My personal hobbies include reading, music, and backpacking as well as many other sports and outdoor activities!
