Meet the Interns: Hey, Laura!

July 26, 2017

We are so excited to welcome another incredible young women to our WEA internship team this Summer! Meet Laura, who is poised to make a significant impact on the world. Laura will be supporting our Programs + Operations this month. We can’t wait to learn from her and weave her into WEA’s fabric. Please help us give her a warm welcome!

Name: Laura Lira

Hometown: Hayward, CA

If you had a superpower, what would it would be (and why)?: The ability to shapeshift! I could turn into whichever animal I want and be big or small, fly or swim.

How did you find WEA? I found WEA through a dear mentor and teacher who thought that this organization was doing great things! She really wanted me to learn about WEA and the work they do to support powerful women and a protected environment. My teacher knew I was passionate about both of these two fundamental issues (critical to improving our communities), so I was really fortunate she made that connection for me.

Why did you want to intern with WEA? I wanted to intern at WEA because I became so on-board with the idea of creating opportunities for women to thrive and protect the environment. It is important to provide women with the tools they need so they are capable of creating strong communities. WEA’s work tackles more than one problem.

Tell us about a woman who inspires you. It is hard to name one person as I draw inspirations from multiple women in my life. My mom, my look-alike aunt, and one of my former English teachers all have qualities (independence, strength, love, and simplicity towards life) that I admire and want to integrate in myself.
Why women and why the environment? Women are a powerful force. We live in a world that has forced women to be dependent, and held back, so giving them the resources they need to rise is very necessary. The disregard to the environment has also gone on way longer than it should have, and continuing that will bring about terrible ends. Throughout trips I have taken I have held all my encounters with nature close to me. It’s important that we stop delaying change and instead create a more conscious and healthy relationship with the earth and all that it provides us.

What does your life outside WEA look like? Outside of WEA, I spend my time teaching martial arts, volunteering at the zoo, and rooting for the San Francisco Giants! I also really like drawing and learning about animals. Raising awareness to the public about the ways human activities affect wildlife and their environment has grown to be a part of my life. As I spread the word, I also work to eliminate the things I know I’m doing that negatively affect the environment.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the Bay Area? My favorite thing to do in the Bay Area is to explore new places. I’ve lived here all my life and I still have so many places to see, hike, and just adventure through with friends.

What are you currently reading / watching / listening to? I’m currently reading State of Wonder and trying to catch up on The Flash.
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