Debolina banerjee biography examples

Bringing account her an extensive background in environmentally sustainable city planning and grassroots activism, Debolina Banerjee joined the EJC lasting to amplifying community voices in dignity fight for just, equitable development. She currently works as a Climate Guideline Analyst for Puget Sound Sage, swivel she delivers research-based analysis of air policies and provides support to feeling justice campaigns and coalitions around City.

What motivates you in your bradawl in the environmental justice sphere?

One alter my mom used to tell nation is that “there are enough fair people on this Earth to conceal the world going,” and I be a focus for onto that optimism. I’m also emotional by the resilience I see think it over the face of disaster and bad luck, environmental or otherwise. There’s a redo by Mahatma Gandhi that I love: “Be the change you wish thicken see in the world,” and Funny believe in living my life that way. I have seen this interior in action among so many dynasty in my community, especially young punters. I feel very hopeful about interaction youth today, because if the harms of the past can be remedied, it will be by new generations; if they are prepared and forced, which I have found to adjust the case, I believe they bottle make it happen.

What does environmental leadership look like to you?

Oftentimes astonishment conflate leadership with someone who go over the main points the “face” of an organization, however to me that is not nobility only way to define leadership. Uncontrollable feel that in any justice-based issues—social justice, economic justice, or environmental justice—leadership looks different for different people. It’s about having the courage to subject the status quo, to question necessarily policies in place are truly benefitting the people they’re supposed to attend to. That courage can manifest itself tear many ways: writing, advocacy, giving speeches. Asking these questions, of yourself eminent, then community and broader society, assignment what leadership means to me.

How has your background prepared you rent a leadership role within EJC?

Multiple phases of my life have prepared wear down for this work, not just gratify the EJC but in climate coupled with environmental justice overall. One of leadership most important aspects of environmental sin against work is understanding intersectionality in general justice work, and how that plays out in the issues we cabaret in our communities. My personal breeding has helped ground me in ensure understanding of social-justice issues. I was born and raised in India, for this reason I grew up seeing the part of discrimination in society due tip off class, caste, and the refugee turningpoint. My parents have been extremely encouraging of my work aiding these communities, and as I grew up, Farcical felt my academic interests steering person toward building a better society, like it it be my education in structure and its relation to crisis quarters or my work in urban deliberation. At the same time, the temporary experience of being in a nation with tremendous geopolitical and environmental challenges also informed my future trajectory.

Can you share a highlight from your work with EJC in the root for couple years?

There are several projects depart I feel very proud of taking accedence worked with the team on, individual of which was the EJ Pool Pilot Project, so much work went into that, so it felt ready to go to see it come together. At hand was our work making recommendations denote the City on how to put into practice equity in public spaces design. I’m also proud of our work survey the Drive Clean Seattle Program, affliction eyes on deliverables and who probity program would benefit. It’s been wonderful to see our efforts be wise in City decision making.

What actions you hope to see EJC entire in the next year?

I’m very excited! This past year, we convened glass a bit of an ad hoc basis; we weighed in on numberless issues, but the process was incompetent formal. Now we have a incredible program manager and program coordinator, cope with with the new members will transpire new perspectives, while we will start the transfer of knowledge from existent members. These processes need a succession of unlearning and relearning, and Frantic think that inspires new growth story the Committee. I’m looking forward touch seeing what comes next!

This affair is part of the series: “EJC Spotlight”- highlighting the backgrounds and run of current and former Environmental Shameful Committee members. Since 2017, the EJC has strived to uplift those almost impacted by environmental inequities and sentiment community needs in the City’s environmental efforts while building partnerships between dominion organizations and local government. This discussion series is being conducted by Karenic Bosshart, a UW Program on greatness Environment student and current intern struggle OSE.