| Description |
Colonization and colonialism in the United States (U.S.) create flawed social constructions of race and gender that perpetuate a hierarchical dominance of power based on one's identity. This hierarchy of power overwhelmingly marginalizes communities of color, especially womxn1 of color, while uplifting other privileged communities. In many ways, an individual's social and political power influence how they take up space, or do not take up space, in ecosystems2. In this paper, I will deconstruct how an individual's gender and racial identity impact how they find power and place in ecosystems. This research will center how marginalized communities, particularly young womxn from low-income families in Salt Lake City, Utah, conceptualize their personal power and place in ecosystems. With a broader social and hxstorical3 context of environmentalism and social justice in the U.S., I will deconstruct the complex intersections between the environment and systems of oppression that understand the environment as something that is spiritually and physically far away and separate from our everyday lives. Using critical pedagogy and queer ecology, I will conduct two community-based workshops for young womxn in 7th-12th grade in Salt Lake City, Utah. This analysis will explain why certain social, institutional, and systemic inequities perpetuate environmental injustices, and why centering the lived experiences of those most marginalized is essential to achieve justice. |
