The world my generation inherits is a world ravaged by violence against land and people, a world in which all that we love has an expiration date. Thus, like many people my age, I've been concerned about climate change and the environment for most of my life. But I have other concerns as well, things that I don't want to leave behind for climate activism--what about racism? Sexism? Transphobia? And all the other ways people are oppressed and dehumanized? In the past couple of years, as I became more involved in environmental activism, I discovered the term "environmental justice." The EPA defines environmental justice as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." After learning about the term, I enrolled in an English elective called Nature Writing and Environmental Justice, where we discussed how we view and how we'd like to view the environment and the larger world around us. Inspired by my learning, I began to understand that I didn't have to choose between social justice and environmentalism. In fact, the two were deeply interconnected, and needed to be addressed as such.
"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.
With the understanding that I did not have to fragment myself or my interests, I began to create a capstone project that encompassed all of them. In a series of essays, I plan to reflect on the environment, while at the same time reflect on an important part of my identity--my Asian American heritage. Although Asian American history is not included in the national narrative, Asian Americans do indeed have a history of interacting with the American environment. As we relearn how to value land and become rooted in place, we must also understand and reckon with our historical relationship with the land. For Asian Americans, that history has been dismissed. This project, then, takes a stand to affirm, We belong here. In addition, I will also include reflections on how I value the environment and what it means for me, particularly focusing on the natural world as being a space where I can be fully myself.