March Newsletter
Alexia cofounded Start Empowerment, a social-environmental justice education nonprofit, working with schools to implement an interactive justice-focused curriculum. In addition, she works as an organizer and research analyst for PODER, a woman and Indigenous-led grassroots environmental justice organization founded in 1991 to combat environmental racism in East Austin.
Alexia is determined to address the need for political education & organizing as the solution to climate injustice. Read more about the leading work she is accomplishing in our EMA exclusive interview.
What led to your passion for environmental justice work starting from the beginning?
I'm from Austin, Texas. I became interested to see the pollution problem in various settings, experiencing that myself when I was very little. When in Taipei, my mom said, "don't play in the rain; it's acid!" We lived in Singapore, where the country would be shut down due to pollution for weeks in the summer despite its cleanliness. Even in the French alps, where there are beautiful ecosystems, truck traffic from tunnels going to Italy and Switzerland causes air pollution that gets trapped on top of the villages because of the topography.
Like many cities in the U.S, Austin is segregated and is a classic example of environmental racism. For example, the East, where all of the industry is, is where communities of color live. During high school, I became involved with this work, inspiring me to develop my major in college, politics and economics of inequality.
How did that passion develop into developing an environmental justice curriculum? Was it an "Aha" moment or an eventual build-up?
I wanted to learn how things work and how to create change. I started in the mainstream climate movement. I then shifted to environmental justice after attending a conference in D.C., where an ecological law firm dismissed questions about environmental justice. This response made me realize there's more work to do.
So, I started in the EJ space with PODER, then eventually cofounded Start Empowerment in 2019. I kept noticing a gap in EJ education, yet a lot for environmental sciences.
The expansion of Start Empowerment into other initiatives, such as Renewable Riker, is impressive. Why do you believe your organization has gained the momentum it has in a short amount of time?
Our curriculum is accessible and integrative in mainstream education. We collaborate with many grassroots organizations in major cities, such as New York City. They lack certain resources, which Start Empowerment aims to provide through collaboration. This includes everything from social media literacy, research, and education. In addition, our curriculum is effective because we make sure it aligns with state standards and various lesson plans. Examples of issues presented are locally based as well so students can resonate greater. Other curriculums don't seem to focus on justice and the social-political aspect of environmental problems.
While the list of environmental issues is long, people's attention spans continue to get shorter and shorter. For example, what used to take a 120-minute long documentary is now condensed into a 60-second vertical video. But here at EMA, we've always kept our core focus on storytelling while adapting to the latest mediums and trends.
So, inspired by the groundbreaking eco-influencers and activists on TikTok and Instagram (check out EcoTok), EMA is getting into the vertical video game. We've started releasing weekly vertical video content focused on green issues and solutions, thanks to our very talented interns.
Watch, like, and share our latest Instagram reels and stay tuned for the launch of our TikTok, IG Live interviews, and more in April.
If you have a story EMA should be talking about; please email our Marketing team at jay@ema-online.org.
We are excited to reveal the Global Change Award winners of 2022! The response from applicants was overwhelming, but the expert panel, which included EMA CEO Debbie Levin and Board Member Malin Akerman, selected five brilliant winners that contribute to a planet-positive fashion industry. Congratulations to all the winning teams!
Learn more about these incredible innovators at the upcoming EMA IMPACT Summit.
Read more at www.globalchangeaward.com.
With most shopping done online throughout the pandemic, AmazonSmile is tremendously helpful in funding EMA.
Click here for AmazonSmile and then search Environmental Media Association from its list of organizations. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate to EMA, which will help fund our ongoing programs.