Date of Award

2020

Abstract

This capstone project allowed me to better understand the challenges and struggles in the creation of equitable, relevant, and inclusive learning opportunities for youth within the field of environmental education in Maine. My work centered on exploring ways to work towards dismantling systems of oppression within the field of environmental education by focusing on connecting providers and by laying a foundation that could bring people together in order to design curriculum that is representative and responsive to the cultures and communities in which it is being taught. Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift in some of the processes and practices of my project, the core question remained: What work needs to be done in order to build compassionate and sustainable communities where all life has the ability to thrive? The pandemic allowed me to more fully integrating the personal and internal work into this process, by incorporating methods and processes that allowed me to analyze and research how I show up in communities, how I embody my learning, and how I root, anchor, and find balance in my values, methods, and relations during times of uncertainty and grief all while engaging with projects aimed at systemic change.

Program Director

Matt Kolan, Ph.D

Professional Affiliate Coach

Britt Yamamoto, Ph.D

Document Type

Project

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