EJ Changemakers know that structural change drives, and will heal, the environmental crisis. They are informed on how government, business, and social structures are the primary drivers of the environmental crisis, and envision how to revise and reimagine them to restore environmental justice. 

EJ Changemakers make informed choices in their day-to-day routines to sustain and regenerate our planet, while also acknowledging that individual-level choices are necessary but insufficient to restore environmental justice. 

EJ Changemakers have strategies and dispositions to healthily manage the complex, challenging work of changemaking.

Several of my classmates and I spent a day at the Ohio State House in Columbus. This was a great way to understand how the Ohio legislature works. We attended to fight for HB197 because we understand that for a sustainable future we need to reach the government level to make change.

As a part of our curriculum, we explore topics of EJ issues through Professional Development. As one of my many PDs, I chose to watch the documentary Seaspiracy. I learned about the fishing industry's contribution to overfishing and their many human rights violations. Watching this made me think about my fish consumption, but I know it's not enough to alter these poor business practices. I'm inspired to learn more and inform the people around me to advocate for legislation.

On May 15 last Spring my classmate Eva and I were highlighted on NPR to give our opinions on EcoAnxiety and how we think it will affect our decisions later in life. I grew up listening to NPR and being on the contributing side was a surreal moment for me.

In September we attended the Environmental Law conference at Case Western Reserve University. I loved attending this conference because I got to understand a lawyer's role in change-making! It was very impactful hearing from people working in various sectors of environmental law spanning from the luxury tax to indigenous sovereignty rights.

At the beginning of the semester, everyone did the Leave No Trace Training. Doing this helped me understand how humans can impact ecosystems. It made me understand that my trace has an impact and I have to be more mindful when I'm in nature. 

Looking to hope and the solutions we have is a way to preserve your well-being. A solution I researched this year was composting. I represented the result of this research as an infographic. You can view the rest of the infographic by clicking the hyperlink title.