Meet the Interns: Hey Abby!
One of our favorite parts about our work here at WEA is that each year we get the opportunity to spend time with passionate, inspiring and hardworking people…like Abby! Every intern who joins the WEA family brings with them an incredible array of talents, fresh ideas, and a new perspective. Their dedicated time and effort make it so that our vision of supporting women leaders around the world can be brought to life.
We’re so lucky to welcome Abby, a rising senior at American University in Washington D.C., to our Programs + Operations team this summer!
Name: Abby Newbold
Hometown: San Francisco, California!
If you had a superpower, it would be (and why): To fly! Ironically, I am terrified of heights but my greatest dream is to skydive out of a plane. If I could fly, I could skydive all the time!
Why did you want to intern with WEA? WEA plays a key role in supporting women and the environment, and very few organizations seem to be at the crossroads of the two; this makes WEA an incredibly unique and exceptional organization. I wanted to expand my own dialogue and interest in the combination of women and environment, because I am already studying environmental policy. WEA was the perfect opportunity to help me gain experience in non-profit environmental organizations while committing my work to the larger purpose of uplifting women!
Tell us about a woman who inspires you. My heroes change frequently and the list is always growing, but the woman who has inspired me most recently (I just read her memoir Unbowed!) is Wangari Maathai. Her peaceful and righteous protest in the face of opposition, her positions in the Kenyan government, founding the Green Belt Movement are such inspirational achievements I can only dream of being half as amazing.
Why women and why the environment? Women are vital to our communities, and the world is always better when we support one another. To uplift women is to uplift the world. My goal in life is to help others, especially women, achieve full recognition and presence as leaders and equal figures in our communities. As the environment becomes the greatest challenge facing our world’s leaders, women have a key role to play in the safety and success of sustainable initiatives, both in and out of government.
What does your life outside WEA look like? Here in the Bay Area, I spend time with my family, listen to NPR podcasts, hang out with friends, and work at a bakery in the city on weekends!
What’s your favorite thing to do in the Bay Area? I love exploring new places to eat. There are so many great restaurants in both the city and across the bay, and I love trying new foods. Send any suggestions my way!
What are you currently reading / watching / listening to? Currently reading SPQR by Mary Beard, watching Jane the Virgin (I haven’t finished Season 1 yet but I’m getting there!), and listening to Planet Money podcasts when I exercise. It’s a great distraction!