The term environmentalism, in the mainstream sense, evokes images of marooned polar bears on melting glaciers and masses of plastic washing up on ocean shores. These global issues can seem insurmountable—leaving us feeling helpless and despairing. But environmentalism as a movement and area of study, covers so much more than these prominent global issues. In fact, wherever we live in the world, the natural world is there for us to acknowledge, appreciate and attend to. If we live in a city, for instance, that might take the form of urban farming, protecting animal habitats, or combating food deserts. For this month’s Environmental Writing Competition, we’re asking you to expand your perceptions of “nature” and to write a piece about planet Earth—anywhere on planet Earth.
To help lead the way, we’re excited to have Environmentalist Rasheena Fountain as our competition guest judge. In our recent interview with Rasheena she talks about how to appreciate, and write about, nature no matter where you are in the world.
Can you tell us about your path to becoming a writer/environmentalist/social justice advocate? Did the place where you grew up influence your journey? Did you always want to be a writer?
Since I was a child, I expressed myself in writing. I was shy and putting thoughts on paper helped me make sense of the world. Writing helped me explore complex issues in creative ways. My upbringing played a huge role in me becoming a writer and what I chose to write about. I’ve lived in some pretty diverse landscapes and communities. In each place, I noticed a lot of socio-economic factors that contributed to how people lived.I wondered why schools in inner city Chicago had fewer resources than suburban schools I attended. I wondered why drugs and litter were more concentrated in my inner-city community. I wondered why there were so many opportunity gaps for people of color and people in lower income communities. Writing helped me deal with and explore these issues.
My father is a writer, and writing was encouraged in my family when I was growing up. I watched my father write about different societal issues in his articles, and he was and still is one of my biggest influences as a writer. When I told him that I wanted to be a writer, he challenged me to have purpose in my writing deeper than seeing my name in print. I was taught that it wasn’t enough to write pretty words, but that those words should have meaning.
The transition to go into the environmental field was like an epiphany for me. It wasn’t until college that I understood environmental science or nature writing as fields. And as I learned more about different environmental issues and environmentalists in an environmental literature class, I saw opportunity for the field to become more inclusive. I didn’t feel that a lot of the writers were speaking to my experience, the Black experience, and I wanted to become a part of helping to address this.
You’ve written about “demystifying the outdoors” and the falsehood that kids and teenagers who live in inner-city areas have no exposure to nature. Many of our young writers live in bustling (or not so bustling) cities around the world. What would you say to Write the World members who want to feel more connected to the natural world around them?
I am from the belief that there is not one “nature”, as one of my favorite theorists, Bruno Latour, suggests. Often, a pristine image of the natural world is shown to be the only representation of nature. Nature is often political, and filled with so many underlying systems. However, when we acknowledge that nature can have multiple meanings, we allow for the inclusivity needed in helping others who don’t have access to these pristine experiences feel included in the narrative about nature.
My advice would be:
Think about some of the activities that you do with your family outside. What are some of the family gatherings or even activities you do with your friends? What are some of those natural aspects that add to the experience: the wind blowing, the fireflies, the birds, the flowers, and so on. Although it is wonderful to be able to visit wild spaces, urban nature is thriving all around us every day. As we become more industrialized, it will be vital to make these connections with urban wildlife and plants, as humans will play a role in providing habitat to help these plants and wildlife survive. Ultimately, feeling more connected is taking the time to notice the nature as you go about your daily routine.
What are some of your favorite ways to connect with the natural world?
Some of my favorite ways to feel connected to the natural world are through gardening, walking on trails in local parks, and walking along beaches. Also, taking the time to identify different plants and animals around my neighborhood helps me feel more connected to the natural world. Going outside to free write about the nature I see is also a really fun exercise.
For the Environmental Writing Competition, our young writers are encouraged to write a poem or short reflection about planet Earth. What tips do you have for writers who are having trouble zeroing in on a topic that matters to them?
I would encourage writers to think about what role the planet plays in their daily lives. What are some vital resources, that if were no longer around, would affect your way of being? Write down what planet Earth means to you. When writers have an understanding of Earth as it relates to them personally, coming up with a topic may become clearer. It isn’t necessarily about what Earth means to everyone else. Identifying what Earth means on a personal level is really what can create impact on a larger scale. Tell YOUR story!
What, in your opinion, are some of the most urgent environmental issues we face today? Which movements, and/organizations give you hope for a brighter future here on Earth?
There are so many environmental threats. Depending on various factors like race, geographic location, and socio-economic, these threats can be more imminent. Climate change is one issue. It’s not only about the weather, but there are so many other effects of climate change that can even influence wars and cause displacement.
Zero Hour, a youth-led organization, started by Jamie Margolin, has inspired me. I am most inspired by the youth. I feel both pride in what youth are accomplishing, and also shame for the predicaments we have put youth in.
I also think pollution continues to affect people’s health worldwide. Whether it is water pollution as seen in Flint, Michigan, lead poisoning in Chicago, or air pollution as we have seen in China, pollution continues to shorten lifespans.
Who are some environmentalists that inspire you and your work? What are some of your favorite texts, articles or publications dedicated to environmentalism?
As a black woman, I am happy that there are so many women who have been doing this work. Dr. Dorceta Taylor, author and Director of Diversity Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Michigan is someone I look up to in the field. She has done an incredible amount of work toward preparing the next generation of environmental leaders through her work. Professor and author Dr. Carolyn Finney is also someone I admire.
Glenn Nelson, Founder of Trail Posse, is doing an incredible amount of writing about the intersection of race and the outdoors. He has also made it a point to invest in the next generation of environmental leaders, including me.
Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday, Tracy Chapman and other black creatives are not often put into the environmental category, but a lot of their work explored the black experience as it relates to nature and the environment.
Also, my friends and colleagues inspire me. People like my good friend Tiffany Adams, artist, educator, and scientist, from New York City. She found nature in an urban center through the birds she saw at her window as a child. She now helps children see their environments in new ways through identifying birds and other natural aspects in their urban environments.
We heard that you’re working on your first book! Can you tell us a bit about what we have to look forward to?
My book, Remembering Outside is a creative nonfiction narrative about nature through my eyes. The chapters are named for items found in nature, like soil, water, minerals, and land. I explore these in narratives about my family and through describing different environments I have inhabited. The book explores the concept that while I once thought my journey to being more environmentally aware was about finding nature, I discovered nature was all around me growing up. It explores racial identity, social and environmental justice, poverty, and gender. It will come out either late this year or early next year.
About Rasheena
Rasheena Fountain is a writer, educator, and social justice advocate. She is a Chicago native, who grew up on both sides of the tracks, having lived in the inner city and upper middle class regions of the United States. Fountain has a BA in Rhetoric from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts in Education from Antioch University Seattle in Partnership with IslandWood. Her graduate work involved researching community food justice and creating community assessments related to cultural heritage and food. She has been writing since she was a child. For over a decade, Rasheena has used the power of ink on a page to raise awareness on an array of topics, whether it’s inner city gun violence, women’s rights, environmental injustice, music or parenthood. Her work has appeared in Mountaineer Magazine, Austin Talks, Austin Weekly News, Embrace Race, HuffPost, Thrive Global, South Seattle Emerald, and other environmental organizations’ blogs. She is the winner of an Illinois City College Journalism Award, an Outstanding Civil Service Staff Award from the University of Illinois, and a Walker Communications Fellowship with the National Audubon Society. She has appeared on iHeartRadio with Reverend Jesse Jackson and on BBC News Radio to discuss pressing issues in society. She currently lives in Seattle Washington, working in Communications at Seattle Audubon Society and raising her 11-year old daughter Faith.
