The Most Awkward Part
As far as introductions go, I have been fussing about this blog intro entry for about a week (Don’t judge. This is my first blog.) and have finally acknowledged some very important things.
1. I am really excited to be blogging.
2. I need to introduce myself for the sake of any readers I may have.
3. I can be extremely awkward online.
So, in light of these three things, I now am ready (I think…) to explain myself or at least attempt an explanation of sorts. Apologies up front for a long blog entry, know that my future blogs will be more succinct (or I shall break them up into smaller bites).
Good Morning World Wide Web
My name is Elizabeth Donahue and I was born in Northern California (Stanford University Hospital!) and then moved down south to San Diego, CA when I was little. I was raised to appreciate the environment and love the outdoors (Thank you parental units!) and have always been rather attracted to outdoor pursuits. I truly believe with every ounce and fiber of my being that in order to be healthy, happy and well balanced, a person needs to have nature around/near them (especially children) and that camping/nature walks/trees/the ocean/whatever tickles your fancy can only heal and strengthen. For me, a lot of my inner strength and balance stems from the good fortune of visiting some magical places. Yellowstone, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Hot Creek and the Grand Tetons are intrinsically linked to my inner place of strength and refuge. These places have marked my heart and will continue to influence me until the day that I die.
Henry's Fork of the Snake River, Idaho
Organizing, What’s That?
College brought me closer to a different type of wilderness, that of the eastern United States. The Appalachian Mountains to be specific. They were totally different than any mountain I had seen before… The Sierra’s and Rockies are definitely something else. Accompanying this sudden understanding of the Blue Ridge Mountains, John Denver Songs and other important east coast things was my discovery that coal was not in fact some foreign, (briefly mentioned in my U.S. History class) thing of the past. In CA we aren’t really told about coal (not that we are innocent energy crimes)… In San Diego at least, coal isn’t something that is as in your face as off-shore drilling. But with the sudden realization of the impact of coal on Virginia/the World, I came to face a thing so terrible that it still nauseates me: Mountain Top Removal.
The awareness of MTR changed my life. I immediately involved myself with nearly every environmental organizing event at UR and finally decided to make the big leap to more radical organizing. I applied and enrolled in the Greenpeace Organizing Term in order to learn how to effectively and efficiently use my time to make the world a better place.
Washington D.C.
Starting February of 2009, I was living in Washington D.C. and embarking on the biggest adventure of my life. In a few short months I managed to run multiple campaigns, learn about GP, grow up, meet my new best friends, challenge myself more than I ever had and have a blast. This taste of activism altered the course of my life completely and I am endlessly grateful for that.
Members of the Spring 2009 D.C. GOT
Recent Shenanigans
Upon graduation from the GOT I found myself with a wealth of knowledge and experience in organizing but also with a yearning for things that I knew the University of Richmond couldn’t give me. I decided to transfer schools and to take a year off in order to properly do so. I spent the summer in Idaho, working for a fly fishing outfitter and enjoying the relaxation. Before long, I discovered I missed activism (no matter how tiring) and decided to jump back in. In September of 2009, I was a part of a banner drop in Pittsburgh and was arrested. Apparently police officers don’t love when you climb off bridges and hang banners while the worlds top financial ministers and leaders meet.
G20 Pittsburgh Banner Hang
Danger: Climate Destruction Ahead
As a result of said arrest, I was required to do community service and I chose to perform said service for the awesome Robin Averbeck of the Indonesian Rainforest Team at RAN (Point of clarification: Aside from an NVDA training given by the indomitable Joshua Kahn Russell (also at RAN), I had no experience with the organization). I was happily surprised when, not after 5 minutes in the office, I developed a love and admiration for both the people and the work of Rainforest Action Network. So in addition to my internship with Greenpeace (which I started shortly after my Pittsburgh adventure), I also worked with RAN. My time management skills were definitely challenged (it is freakin’ hard to run a field organizing campaign for one org on its own, let alone do that AND research for another) but I survived the trial and am now hooked on RAN.
So “Fern Gully” is a Real Place?!
After my internship with GP ended, I decided to stay involved with RAN; Both as a researcher and as a blogger. I am currently living in Blue Ridge, GA and working from afar. I start school again this fall in Bozeman, MT at Montana State University and am endlessly excited (never thought I would be looking forward to homework!).
Even though I am beginning a new chapter in my life, I have given a piece of my heart to Indonesia and am now unable to stay silent on this issue. Deforestation is destructive, deadly and is happening right now in Indonesia. “What for?” you may ask, well, for pulp, for paper, for that book you read once and then forget about, for sugary cereal, for Palm Oil (which isn’t even one of the healthy vegetable oils!), and most obviously, for money.
Personally, there is nothing acceptable about the complete ruination of such a miraculous and special place as the Indonesian rainforest because, to me, it is intrinsically valuable and inherently connected to all other living being/places (basically we are destroying ourselves along with the forest). Toss in species destruction, extinction, loss of some of the worlds most important and abundant biodiversity, human rights violations, indigenous rights violations, cold-blooded murder, financial corruption, government corruption, neocolonialism and outrageous carbon pollution (which significantly contributes to Global Warming) and you have a situation so nightmarish and horrendous that it is completely inadmissible, no matter how profitable it is or how difficult it is to remedy. That is why I continue to fight for justice in Indonesia. I do it for every being within and affected by those forests.
Now that I have told you my (unfinished) story, I will be here blogging for the forest and updating you on the fight. Here’s to an upward climb.
04 Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
For the Rainforests,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is a San Diegan who is currently residing in Georgia and interning for the RAN Old Growth Team.
Want to contribute posts and media to RYSE? We're always welcoming applicants to be a part of this project: please click the icon
RYSE is the youth branch of RAN, Rainforest Action Network, which works to protect the Earth and support human rights through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action.
Powered by Wordpress | Now let's get off the internet and get busy!
Welcome to the blog, Elizabeth! I look forward to reading more.
Elizabeth,
Wow! I can’t wait to hear more about the campaigns you’ve worked on… Greenpeace campaigns, Indonesia, MTR, G20, etc. I’d also love to hear about the places you’ve lived and how they’ve affected your views on activism, since it sounds like you have been all over the country. You’re writing isn’t awkward at all… can’t wait to read more!
Awesome intro, Elizabeth – welcome to the RYSE Blog! We are so glad to have you blogging, and I can’t wait to hear more from you about your passions, actions, and ideas.
Fancy seeing you here, Elizabeth! I’m glad to hear that you’re continuing to fight the good fight post-Greenpeace Organizing Term. How about that Vermont Yankee vote last week?
I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Elizabeth. You are such an inspirational young woman, and it is an honor to have you working with us at RAN! I can’t wait for our work together to come.
‘Sup! Just wanted to say good web site. Keep up the good job you’re doing!