I delight in answering this question because the natural world is something that I am so passionate about. It is more than a passion; it is such a part of me and my identity that what I do in life is dictated by my desire to protect it. One specific memory I have in the outdoors that exemplifies how healing I find nature to be occurred two months after I was hit by a car. For context, I am a marathon runner and a hiker, and I find myself moving all the time in the outdoors. I grew up in Atlanta visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains and came to college in Maine to be close to the White Mountains. I was training for a marathon when I was struck by a car in a crosswalk and received pretty severe injuries—a concussion, a dislocated knee, and a scar that extends down the back of my thigh. In the moments after getting hit by a car, I thought I was going to die. But I focused all my energy into healing so I could be outside again. I remember when my knee was stable enough to walk about a half mile on flat ground, I went to Wolfe’s Neck in Freeport, Maine. As someone who loves spending time above alpine on mountains, or running far into middle of nowhere Maine, I was so humbled by the struggle to get to the water. When I stepped off the semi-frozen trail onto the rocks lapped by water, I felt a calm rush over me, and a sadness as well. I had never appreciate until that moment after being inside for weeks how healing nature can be. I think the water is a healing sight for many people, and the coastlines are some of the most intricate and fragile ecosystems. I want to protect the water because it is so vulnerable as I was in that moment.   

I think under capitalism, it is extremely difficult to fully bring about sustainability goals because of the extractive framework under which it functions. My personal sustainability pledge is to fight for anti-capitalism and to amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples and environmental stewards who protected the land long before the settler-colonialism framework began destroying our precious ecosystems. As an individual, I try to be as sustainable as possible by being vegan and composting, etc., but real change comes from the government and imperial powers, and so I believe the best use of my voice is to protest and amplify marginalized voices in this fight. 

Currently, I am working on a novel told in short stories about a girl named Eleanor. Eleanor is from Atlanta, and the novel is a commentary on class in Georgia. At the same time, it explores the complicated and complex nature of human emotion and connection to place. Eleanor’s body as well as Atlanta are sites of exploration in my novel. Aside from my thesis, I have previously worked on autofiction short stories, poetry, and other novels. My plans for the future are to continue writing and engaging in creative projects, and eventually after gaining some lived experience go on to get an MFA or go into publishing. 

Storytelling is intimate knowledge passed from one generation to the next. It is a gift; a warning; generational love. It is the individual tapping into their own experiences and reaching the collective by the threads of humanity that connect us. It is normalizing things that are difficult to talk about. Storytelling is healing from trauma and giving others a permission to heal from trauma. I hope to engage in the web of human stories. My passion is listening and reading to stories, and then talking about and understanding them. I love finding inspiration in others. Ultimately, those who have a love of stories and sharing information expand their capacity for empathy and love. I can learn about the lived experiences in countries far away without leaving my room.

I am learning more about other authors’ creative roots and how they write character and voice. I believe I am good at asking questions and connecting with others about their work because I respect the creative process greatly. And as someone who considers herself an author, I understand what is at stake in writing. What is at stake is the author’s whole life. I also hope to make genuine connections with others and form community with those who care about passing on our tender knowledges and stories to the world. I like to understand the social and cultural context, and why certain stories are emerging, and trends in storytelling and art.