Institution: Swarthmore College
Where are you from?
I am from Philadelphia, PA, specifically the Mount Airy neighborhood of Northwest Philly. I was born and raised in Philly, like Will Smith and Saul Perlmutter. Philly is a beautiful, historic city with a unique sense of community and a refreshingly low relative cost of living. While we have faced some serious challenges in the wake of the pandemic I remain inspired by my city, and I aim to enrich Philly through the lessons I will learn during this program.
What are your academic/technical/or energy justice interests?
I attend Swarthmore College, located a short train ride west of Philadelphia on a beautiful, verdant campus, where I am a rising junior majoring in political science and minoring in engineering. The climate crisis is at the root of my academic inspiration as it is the foremost challenge affecting our global society. I aim to develop not only sustainable relationships within and between communities but also to build physical spaces, systems, and structures that uplift humanity. Affordable housing is a specific area of focus for me as I’ve observed Philadelphia’s struggles with underhousing and gentrification. I want to empower communities to become self-sustainable and able to defend against concentrated capital.
Do you have any hobbies?
Cycling is my foremost passion, both as a form of exercise and a means of self-reflection. I worked at a bike shop throughout high school and was struck by cycling’s ability to bring people together and positively contribute to society. I have also gotten into bouldering through my school’s rock climbing club, and I am one of the captains of the Swarthmore club squash team. More broadly, I love spending time outdoors and enjoying the natural environment, and I am a fervent hip-hop head as well.
What are you most excited about for this program?
I’m really enthusiastic to work alongside students and scholars who share my passion for transformative technology and energy justice. This is an amazing opportunity that fits right into my academic and career trajectory and I’m very grateful to be a part of it. I’m also stoked to explore Berkeley a bit and take in the natural beauty of the Bay Area, as well as observe how California communities are handling the various challenges impacting people across the country.