Say hello to our fall interns: Hi Jade!
Each semester WEA has the privilege of working with a cohort of brilliant and passionate young environmental leaders who lend support, share perspectives, and bring energy to the office. This is no exception! Meet Jade, a junior at UC Berkeley and WEA’s new Programs + Operations intern. Jade brings so much dedication, skill, and kindness to her work and we are so happy to have her on our team!
Name: Jade Phoenix Miller
Role at WEA: Programs + Operations Intern
Hometown: Davis, California
Fun Fact: I share a birthday with Harry Potter!
Why did you want to intern with WEA?
WEA perfectly combines my passions for female empowerment, the environment, and community building. This organization has had my interest since my first year of community college three years ago, and it feels so great to be able to apply any skills and passions I have to bettering the WEA space.
What’s your go-to strategy for lessening your environmental/climate footprint?
Definitely limiting my single-use product consumption as much as possible! Using reusable utensils, jars and other containers for food and drink is to me a simple way to create a little bit less of a footprint. Another of my go-to’s would be biking, walking, or taking public transportation whenever possible. There are boundless small ways you can lessen your environmental footprint by just slightly altering aspects of your daily routine, like using different products or being aware and conscious of where your food comes from.
Tell us about a woman who inspires you.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez!! She is extremely driven, smart, thoughtful, and cares deeply for the public good. I have loved watching her voice evolve through rally speeches and committee hearings and even her social media. While there are many amazing women I look up to greatly and for a variety of reasons, she is one that especially inspires me often to read, learn, work hard, and use my voice!
What’s your favorite thing to do in the Bay Area?
I love hiking in the Tilden and Marin area, and eating at some of my favorite restaurants like Souvla, Sol Food, and Mount Everest with my friends. I try and visit new beaches, hiking trails, or food spots whenever I can afford to! Oh, and it’s so fun to check out all the different live music venues in town!
Any community events coming up you’re excited about (bonus points if it’s women-led/organized!)?
The climate strike happening on December 6th on the UC Berkeley campus has me really stoked! I love being able to attend and participate in such things and feel really passionate about climate justice as well as land and wildlife conservation.
What are you currently reading / watching / listening to?
I’m currently listening to the “G” series on the podcast radiolab, which explores the concept of intelligence – my favorite so far being the one about animal intelligence. I love science, and learning about it through podcasts is a great way to do so while I walk around town. As for music, I’ve had The Feeling by Sammy Rae running through my head all week! I’m reading the book Bel Canto by Ann Patchett at the moment, a book my mom highly recommended to me. So far, I love it! As for watching – I know I’m late, but I’m on season 6 of Game of Thrones, and all I can say is…woah.