Emma DeAbreu

Since I joined the Environmental Leadership Internship program in June of 2022, I have garnered an understanding of what it means to be a leader in the climate movement. I now feel confident in my role as climate leader- someone who engages others to be a part of climate solutions. 

Prior to joining the program, I had a very scientific and logical perspective on climate advocacy and solutions. I quickly learned after looking at the AWFC projects that the logos approach is not always the most effective method. The AWFC process- learning to see, learning to solve, and finding a place in the environmental movement- taught me that art and visual pieces can inspire people to act, gain a new perspective, and feel engrossed and welcomed in the climate movement.

I started to see things differently, see art and facts differently, and see how art can move someone to genuinely want to become involved in climate solutions.

I then reviewed climate solutions, from larger changes in infrastructure to policies and lobbying. At this point, I saw how art can be used to get those not already involved, to be interested in climate solutions. 

Understanding the AWFC process helped me find my place in the movement and realize that I had a climate story all along. I felt confident that I could make a difference in the climate movement and investigated different proven paths that could work for me. I devised how to visualize the impact of the climate and solutions and ways to communicate them to my community. I started to develop a creative activism experience to stimulate action for climate change in my local community, and in the process employed my newly developed activism skills to advocate with a creative perspective. This eventually led me to become more involved in politics and even engage with my government officials and discuss local environmental issues and injustices. I have even begun to utilize my skills and new mindset to inspire others to create sustainable art. My journey took many turns and took me to new places, shaping me into a better climate leader with a larger tool kit to employ in my everyday life as an activist. 

Through my internship, I followed the AWFC process myself. I learned to see things differently, I learned how to solve, and found my place in the environmental movement. I now have numerous communities to work with, activism skills, and mindsets. I can securely say that the program has helped me become a confident climate leader.