Project Clearinghouse

People of Color Sustainability Collective AAPIRC Intern

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Engagement of POC, specifically AAPI is perceived to be low in environmental spaces, when in fact there are many cultural and historical examples of AAPI stewardship for the environment. As an intern, in addition to facilitating events and focus groups with POCSC, the event Rooted in History was meant as a celebration of AAPI accomplishments within environmentalism, raising awareness of AAPI representation and involvement while giving examples of how to get our voices heard in these spaces.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Funding Sources | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Awareness, Education & Engagement
Social Justice
Project Status: 
Completed
Project End Date: 
06/09/2017
(estimated)
Campus Organization: 
People of Color Sustainability Collective
Provost's Sustainability Internship Program
Sustainability Office
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Colleges 9/10
Project Location: 
On campus

Ethnic Resource Center, Baytree Building, 3rd floor


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact Number
Ashoka Alvarez
ashoka.alvarez@gmail.com
(415) 378-0362
Adriana Renteria
arenter1@ucsc.edu
Shauna Casey
scasey@ucsc.edu
Funding Sources: 
Ethnic Resource Centers
Provost's Sustainability Internship
Sustainability Office

Project Description: 

As an intern I worked 250 hours over the course of the year with the Ethnic resource Centers and specifically POCSC. In the spring quarter, we hosted the event Rooted in History: Asian American/Pacific Islander Sustainability and Resilience Through Art. The event was a celebration of Asian American involvement in sustainability in an effort to showcase and celebrate marginalized voices, movements, and people that have made significant impacts and whose work shaped and influences AAPI history as we know it today. The purpose of this event was to educate and empower Asian Americans and all other marginalized people who wish to see that they are some of the most important stakeholders in the fight for climate justice. This aligns with the mission of PoCSC, which is to “make UCSC a leader not just in mainstream sustainability, but also environmental justice, in recognition of our changing demographics and pressing ecological challenges."

Metrics for Success: 

Goal: Help to organize PoCSC events and workshops
Metrics: Number of events with PoCSC, number of times tabling, number of people reached, number of total hours

Goal: Develop leadership skills and connect with like minded students and faculty
Metrics: Number of conferences and retreats attended, number of connections at events, number of interns with whom we collaborated with, number of organizations we collaborated with.

Goal: Research Asian American involvement in Sustainability
Metrics: Number of hours spent researching, number of sources, number of people who see it (outreach on social media and website)

Goal: Create a spring event regarding AAPI environmentalism
Metrics: Number of people who attend, number of people who volunteer/collaborate, exit evaluations indicating satisfaction with event

Result Categories: 
Education/Outreach
Data Collection & Analysis
Results: 

This internship was successfully finished after I completed 250 hours over the course of three quarters, as well as the associated PSI classes. In addition, by the end of the internship I successfully executed numerous events in partnership with other PSI, PoCSC, and AAPIRC interns. In addition, these goals were met:

Goal: Help to organize PoCSC events and workshops
Results: Over 300 hours completed, one event in partnership with PoCSC and AAPIRC, over 5 times tabling with PoCSC and AAPIRC, on one committee for AAPIRC event.

Goal: Develop leadership skills and connect with like minded students and faculty
Results: 4 retreats with AAPIRC, 2 retreats with PoCSC, 4 conferences with both AAPIRC and PoCSC, collaboration with 9 colleges.

Goal: Research Asian American involvement in Sustainability
Results: 11 sources found and uploaded to PoCSC website.

Goal: Create a spring event regarding AAPI environmentalism
Results: 29 sign-ins to Rooted in History Event, 66.7% signed up for PoCSC newsletter.

Resources
AttachmentSize
PDF icon pecha kucha psi .pdf3.07 MB
PDF icon Rooted inhistory (5).pdf1.11 MB
Image icon Rooted inhistory (1).jpg1.97 MB
PDF icon Rooted in History.pdf1.72 MB
File CopyofAshokaAlvarezPSIFinalPaper.docx3.03 MB
Related Websites: 
POCSC Facebook Page
POCSC Website
POCSC Blog