Makayla Marquez

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and my passion for sustainability and environmental justice started when I was young and has driven me ever since. An early example being in elementary school when a friend and I created and ran a school-wide recycling program. Since then, I have continued to find ways to contribute to environmental solutions and my experiences have led me to pursue a career in the environmental sector. After graduating high school I moved to Bellingham, Washington to attend Western Washington University where I graduated with my BA in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Justice and Community Resilience. During my time at Western, I worked on projects related to disaster risk reduction, city planning and hosted a teach-in to educate community members about the environmental impacts a proposed metal shredder would have on the surrounding community.

As part of my degree coursework, I was a marine biology educator at the Community Boating Center. I enjoyed creating place-based curriculum, teaching people about bioluminescence, current environmental challenges and leading kayak tours! Using my Spanish skills gained from attending bilingual schools k-12 I created a bilingual curriculum and taught local students in Spanish.

Growing up witnessing environmental injustices affecting people I was close to has fortified my path for pursuing a career in the environmental sector. Just sustainability is the idea that everyone should be included in a green future. It brings to light the inequity between race, socioeconomic status and environmental hazards. I am eager to find my path in becoming part of the move towards an environmentally just future. A long-term goal of mine is to be an advocate for solutions to climate challenges, using science as a basis for the development of climate justice laws that benefit historically marginalized groups.