Climate activism has been a big part of my life for the past few years, and I firmly believe that the thing that has kept me so committed has been the people I work with. Fighting climate change is hard, and it's not a 9-5 job. You don't get to switch on and off when you're worrying about climate and when you're not. As a student organizer, much of my work is done in hours outside of "regular work hours", which can also be difficult. Many of the people I work with are in similar situations. The dedication, commitment, and passion with which my friends approach their work is evident in everything they do, from emailing to meeting with volunteers to organizing events. It reflects in the way we treat each other too- it feels uncomfortable to refer to these people as my coworkers because they are so much more. They are the support when I frustrated by not being taken seriously because of my age, the encouragement when I feel as though this fight is too impossible to even start. If any friction appears in a relationship, it is dealt with from the root. They care too deeply about creating a better world to allow differences to block the way. I use the people around me as fuel to do the work I want to do. Sometimes, I am tempted to blow off an evening meeting to go be with my friends, or relax at home, but I try to think of what a friend I admire would do. I worked with many of these people last summer, and now this spring, and they are some of my most influential role models and closest friends.
I have been thinking recently about how difficult situations often bring people together. Taking the T the past few months has been hellish, but I've bonded with more strangers on my buses and trains than ever before. Some studies have suggested that trauma in any sense- be it a bus that should have arrived an hour and a half ago, or a severe natural disaster- makes humans kinder, more social, and more sensitive. It could even have contributed to our survival as a species; we are, after all, stronger together. I think climate activism reflects that. Difficult, upsetting, and sometimes painfully slow work can be it's own form of trauma, and the people I work with reflect that in their kindness, understanding, and supportive ways.
I have been thinking recently about how difficult situations often bring people together. Taking the T the past few months has been hellish, but I've bonded with more strangers on my buses and trains than ever before. Some studies have suggested that trauma in any sense- be it a bus that should have arrived an hour and a half ago, or a severe natural disaster- makes humans kinder, more social, and more sensitive. It could even have contributed to our survival as a species; we are, after all, stronger together. I think climate activism reflects that. Difficult, upsetting, and sometimes painfully slow work can be it's own form of trauma, and the people I work with reflect that in their kindness, understanding, and supportive ways.