Well, that went by fast. Although I will be continuing working with IMBY into the fall, the Summer 2016 IMBY Cohort is officially ready to pass the torch forward to the next group of determined environmental stewards. Continue reading
Category: Our Stories
Meeting the Secretary of the Interior!
The sun was out and the temperature was quickly rising. Groups of children in matching green t-shirts squirmed in their seats as camp counselors smeared sunscreen and led games to keep them occupied. Familiar camp songs drifted across Seward Park flooding my mind with memories of my own summer camp experiences in South Carolina. We were all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell. Continue reading
Put Yourself In Their Paws, Hooves, and Claws
Empathy has always come easy to me, for better or for worse. I feel deeply and whole-heartedly. I clearly remember being a very small child, standing pressed up against the glass at the San Diego Zoo. The sun was beating down on my head as I gazed through the tendrils of my matted curly brown hair at creatures with orange hair much like my own. I lost myself in the similarities between them and me. Continue reading
Finding A Place To Belong Is A Lifelong Adventure
I’ve been sitting at my computer for the past ten minutes typing, deleting, re-typing, reliving embarrassing/heartwarming/nerve-wracking memories from my K-12 years, and typing again. I can’t tell if it’s the heat on this Seattle summer day as I’m writing this or the love-hate relationship I have with “belonging” that’s contributing to my writer’s block. My money’s on the latter. Continue reading
Get To Know Megan
When I am in the wilderness, I feel alive. I revel in the simultaneity of being active and empowered yet inevitably vulnerable to the elements. I believe this is what it means to be human. I chose to pursue a career in advocacy because I understand what it is like to feel alone and powerless, and I want to help people discover their own agency and dignity in the way that others have helped me. Through my early life, my family struggled with poverty, substance abuse, depression and homelessness. I spent much of my youth interacting with social workers, service providers and court-appointed counselors. But after being the first person in my family to graduate from high school, I found myself on a different path. Continue reading
Fun Facts About Anna!
My name is Anna Wittow and I am one of the Community Outreach Interns. Here are the top ten fun facts about my history that have interested me in the National Parks Service. Continue reading
Hello, Dana!
Sitting in the back of an SUV listening to a park ranger explain the intricacies of the national park we were exploring, I joyously gazed out the window at the majestic landscape surrounding me. Throughout my life, my family and I have visited many National Parks, whether it was Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Olympic National Park or Hawaii’s Volcano National Park. Continue reading
10 Things You Might Not Know About Our COM, Molly
I am so excited to have joined the IMBY team this season as the first ever Community Outreach Mentor! The opportunity to influence the development of a program is a thrill and has allowed me to put so many of the ethical community engagement practices I’ve spent years studying into action. I thought I would start off the season by giving you a peek into who I am and what has brought me here! So, here are 10 things you might not have known about me (Unless my mom is reading this, in which case, hi Mom!). Continue reading
Meet Amanda!
Hey there! My name is Amanda.
Amanda Hsu (uh-MAN-duh SHOO), noun: prefers she/her pronouns, flannel enthusiast, seeker of neighborhood cats, hobbies include brunching and long walks in the rain Continue reading
Get to Know Emma!
Hi there! My name is Emma and this upcoming autumn I am going to be a senior at the University of Washington. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I have always been exposed to nature and I have always been very fond of trees—I love learning about them, I love learning from them, I love climbing them, I love resting under them to read a book—so naturally I decided to study Environmental Science and Resource Management and now I get to spend a lot of time in the trees. Beyond school, I love to run (when I say run, I actually mean jog) especially trail running (trail jogging). Reading is my favorite thing in the world—historical fiction is my go-to genre. I love days spent fishing with my dad. I love playing piano, even though very poorly. I am an avid collector of heart-shaped rocks, plant specimens, and words (poems, quotes, song lyrics, and such). With that being said, I am so, so crazy happy to be a part of the IMBY team! I hope I can put all my passions to work and make a difference and get more people outdoors and loving on nature.
