EJ Changemakers recognize oppressive social forces shaping society and are moved to take action against them.

EJ Changemakers must know how to use their voices to convince others to adopt sustainable, just, equitable, and collective behavior.

EJ Changemakers must work with a community coalition to transform institutional and political policies to restore environmental justice. 

I participated in weekly collaborative discussions with my peers about Leah Thomas' book The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet with the goal of educating myself further on how I can contribute to restoring equity and justice in my communities in regard to the environment. Not only did this experience provide me with valuable insight into the intrinsically wrong and oppressive systems in our society, but it also gave me the capacity to make well-informed choices in the future about how I wish to lead my life.

Early in the semester, I wrote a poem advocating for further care and respect towards Mother Earth. I compared the treatment of the world and nature to the treatment of women, in hopes of spreading more awareness of both women's rights and environmental rights. 

Throughout the EJ Semester, I and three other students partnered with CCOAL (Collective Coalition Organized Against Lead), a grassroots Cleveland-based organization advocating for lead poisoning awareness. Our main goal was to spread CCOAL's message and mission to a larger audience with the hopes of educating more people and supporting communities affected by lead. In the end, we helped founder Robin Brown and employee Karyn Alexis create a logo, launch a website, and build an Instagram page.

My personal praxis essay showcases my overall progress as an environmental justice advocate, student, and changemaker. It highlights my individual beliefs on how positive change should be created, along with my daily practices on how I aim to reflect these beliefs consistently. Additionally, it advocates for the recognition of the need for global transformation within our economy, educational system, and culture. 

Inspired by the Fridays for the Future international climate moment, we organized a school protest to advocate for an end to fossil fuels. I delivered a short speech to peers, teachers, and school faculty, and we collectively designed posters.

In the fall of 2025, several Environmental Justice Semester graduates, including myself, traveled to Columbus to collectively advocate for House Bill 197, a piece of legislative that if passed, would make community solar power more accessible to Ohio citizens. Not only would this