Hailey's Summer in LA: Supporting the Angeles Chapter

Coming to the West Coast for the first time, knowing I was going to be staying for only two months, I was eager to get involved in an organization that makes a difference. I am happy to say I found that fulfillment working with the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter over the summer.

 

I come from the East Coast, North Carolina specifically, and coming to Los Angeles is the farthest I have ever traveled. Before this, the furthest west I had gone was a brief visit to Tennessee to see a friend. Coming here has been a wonderful experience. Los Angeles has so many different kinds of plant life and different species of birds, which I found very interesting. Beyond that, coming into a big city was definitely a big change for me, but I found that I quite like Los Angeles, and it’s possible I’ll be back here at some point in the future.

 

This summer, I worked alongside Megan Spatz as the Creative Communications Assistant, helping produce social media posts for the Sierra Club Instagram page and assisting in shooting event coverage. Some of the events I covered included the Signal Hill project and the Activist Academy Graduation event.

 

The Signal Hill project was an eye opening experience for me. While I knew that Big Oil was an issue, this was the first time I got up close and personal with the effects it had on people, and what it really looked like. Seeing all the oil wells in the neighborhood was a very disturbing sight to see, especially since I was informed beforehand what harm it was doing to the community there. It felt like everywhere I turned there was yet another oil well! I was so glad to hear about our Big Oil win a few weeks after. There was also a certain relief I felt when I heard how many people joined in on the efforts to spread the word once they knew more about it.

 

One of the Instagram series I worked closely on was the "Pawparazzi" series, which followed different animals within the city of Los Angeles. It discussed their behaviors and stories, as well as how to interact with them. This was a fascinating project that allowed me to learn a lot about the urban wildlife that can be found in this city, as well as familiarize myself with local animal celebrities that Angelenos already knew about, like the late P-22.

 

Another series I contributed to was my own project, "Seeding New Knowledge: Native Plants with Hailey." This project focused on the various plants native to the Southern California region. My interest in this topic stems from a class I took at my university called Wild Food and Medicine, which discussed different types of weeds in our area, their uses in indigenous cultures, and their benefits to biodiversity and human health.

 

Coming into Los Angeles, I noticed many different and beautiful plants I had never seen before and was immediately interested in learning more about them. There are so many cacti and succulents that you don’t see by the East Coast, as well as very exotic looking plants. Having just completed that course, plants were still very fresh in my mind, and I wanted to incorporate some of these wonderful plants into my work with the Sierra Club.

 

My time in Los Angeles with the Sierra Club has been an incredible journey of learning and growth. The experiences I’ve had, from exploring urban wildlife to delving deep into native plant species, have enriched my understanding of environmental conservation. Learning more about culturally significant spaces, plant life, and animals has been not only interesting, but feels to me as an important appreciation to have gained. As I prepare to leave, I continue to carry with me a deeper appreciation for the natural world and a desire to continue making a positive impact, wherever my path may lead.