Chelsey Bryant, Associate

What makes you hopeful about the environmental justice movement?

Conversations at the intersections of social and environmental issues to create a cross-movement approach for bold policies. I’m hopeful that climate and immigration activists will seek collaboration as we face internal migration of Black, Indigenous and people of color within the US and people migrating from their countries because of the climate crisis. 

What makes you excited about working at BWG?

I get excited about the opportunities to meaningfully engage and center the work of community leaders and organizations, to guide the development of polices through life experiences and improve outcomes for communities.

Who are the environmental justice leaders you follow?

I’m inspired by the work of Corina Newsome and the Black Feminist Project which aims to empower women and youth through food justice programming.

What are your predictions about the environmental justice movement for the next year?

As we continue to confront the looming threat of climate change, I expect further resources distributed to communities of color who have endured historical injustices and environmental degradation.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Hiking is one of my favorite outdoor activities because there are so many trails to explore, and at the end of each journey I look forward to seeing the most scenic views.

Irene Takako Farr, Associate

What makes you hopeful about the environmental justice movement

Advancing environmental justice means increasing visibility to historically underrepresented voices, building resilience, and creating opportunities for communities to hold joy. I am hopeful about the environmental justice movement because we have no choice but to be.

What makes you excited about working at BWG?

BWG is a firm dedicated to its mission and title. We are tenaciously committed to creating a healthy, just, and inclusive future, and that cohesion harbors opportunities to exchange knowledge and dream big. What’s better than that?

Who are the environmental justice leaders you follow?

The environmental leaders I follow are my peers. I’ve learned the most about what it means to be a good human and create a better world from my family, friends and colleagues. They are my sources of inspiration; our discussions and dialogues fuel my momentum.

What are your predictions about the environmental justice movement for the next year?

Environmental justice is much more than a concept we can hold onto, it is a daily practice and outcome of thoughtful, intentional design. Over the next year, I hope to see more agencies and organizations commit to institutionalizing the principles of environmental justice. The only way we can advance good policy is by holding a firm commitment to addressing historical injustices and the impacts they have on our health, homes, and lands. 

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

My favorite outdoor outing is to Angeles Crest National Forest, which is about 25 minutes away from home. The elusive proximity we Angelenos have to big trees, dark skies, and snow is a good reminder that our wildlands and urban spaces are more interconnected than our day-to-day experiences inform us.

Kimberly Guo, Associate

What makes you hopeful about the environmental justice movement?

I find hope in how environmental justice is intersectional. The climate crisis resulted from systems of oppression, like white supremacy, colonization, and capitalism, which facilitated the willful destruction of people and the planet for a profit. To address the climate crisis, we must therefore dismantle these systems of oppression while collectively manifesting a world in which everyone – human and not – has safe and clean air, water, and soil to call home.

What makes you excited about working at BWG?

At BWG, I am excited to learn a wide array of environmental topics and skills, which I hope will enhance my understanding of how I envision the rest of my career as an environmental professional. I am also excited to feel a greater sense of place in my hometown of Los Angeles, and to see the city and state through clients’ eyes.

Who are the environmental leaders you follow?

A few of the environmental leaders that I follow on Instagram include:

• Tori Tsui (@toritsui_)

• Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (@ayanaeliza)

• José González (@josebilingue)

What are your predictions about the environmental justice movement for the next year?

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of having access to greenspace for both physical and mental health. In this past year, there has been a significant push for increasing access to the outdoors; in the upcoming new year, I expect that the environmental justice movement will continue this momentum.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Debs Regional Park, which I live close to, holds a special place in my heart. When I explore the park and its miles of trails, I feel grounded as I look at the nature around me, and I feel like I am part of a larger community when I share the view with friends, family, and neighbors.

Madeline Oliver, Associate

What makes you hopeful about the environmental justice movement?

I am working in it! I’m so grateful to, be able to meet and work with amazing people who are fighting for environmental justice. I also feel hopeful when I see how much power the movement has gained that environmental justice is now a conversation that has spread beyond activist spaces. 

What makes you excited about working at BWG?

I get to do what I love (help advocate for environmental justice and climate policy/programs) with an amazing group of extremely supportive and intelligent people. I’ve always wanted to understand what goes on behind the scenes to lead to the policy outcomes we get, and at BWG I am able to both understand and influence that process.

Who are the environmental justice leaders you follow?

I have honestly unfollowed many environmental influencers on social media because I get frustrated when I see content that is either misleading or sponsored by industries that encourage consumerism. I feel bummed when I’m constantly seeing content about how I should buy some (often very expensive) product because they are “environmentally friendly.” I’m trying to get more into Twitter where I can follow environmental leaders without all that noise.

What are your predictions about the environmental justice movement for the next year?

I think that it will just continue to grow and gain more attention, understanding and funding.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Walking on the beach. Being by the ocean has always been the most grounding and euphoric experience for me. I spent the first 12 years of my life living by the ocean and I’m so grateful to have returned to it thanks to my master’s program that brought me to Santa Barbara and also thanks to BWG for allowing me to stay and work remotely!