I served as a California College Corps Fellow with the Sustainability Planning Division of Planning & Development Services. As a Political Science and Sociology double major, I viewed this experience as a learning opportunity to enhance my professional development and learn about the internal processes of local government. This fellowship has provided me with precious insight into the execution of long-term projects, such as the 2024 Climate Action Plan. The team that I worked with welcomed me warmly, allowing me to observe team meetings, all-hands meetings, and more. I got to know each one of them individually and learned about the projects that they are working on to improve San Diego County.

I assisted in developing social media content, writing newsletter articles on sustainability topics, and developing outreach materials such as flyers, one-pagers, postcards, and brochures to educate broad audiences about sustainability actions. Specifically, my fellowship focused on community outreach and tabling efforts for the Do-It-Yourself Sustainability Toolkit Program. Everyone was so friendly during tabling events and was eager to know what else the County was working on. Working on this project was so special because I got to see how a County program was directly helping unincorporated residents of San Diego County.

During my time at the County, I have been able to blend soft and hard skills, gaining familiarity with Microsoft Office, Canva, and County archives. Specifically, I have been able to hone my communication skills by producing media for different projects, requiring me to communicate effectively with the project manager to ensure I captured their vision. My biggest takeaway from this role is an increased interest in civic engagement. I want to know what local cities and counties are working on and how I can get involved. Ultimately, I have a sense of how a government entity implements change and can balance supporting its residents and the environment.

The 2025-26 school year was my first year in San Diego and my first year at college. Working at the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice (OSEJ) as a College Corps Fellow helped make this unfamiliar environment feel not just more familiar but also opened my eyes to the best parts of California culture.

My work this year primarily focused on supporting the Food Justice Community Action Plan (FJCAP) where I researched current models of food justice actions and helped organize and sort interested stakeholders. Researching policy models from around the world helped me realize how necessary this action plan is to meet local food security needs and understand the structure of the County. Knowing that the research I was doing might eventually be used to guide ordinance or model policy was an empowering feeling. I also learned how many organizations and individuals it takes to drive change, and how many people in the region were truly passionate about food justice.

Attending an in-person FJCAP gathering where we listened to interested holders greatly changed my perspective. I got to experience and connect with many like-minded people across the region who were passionate about addressing food insecurity. Additionally, I learned the importance of listening. Hearing new approaches to issues I had been working on put into perspective how beneficial collaboration could be; it is necessary to listen to community perspectives rather than imposing your own in order to find effective solutions.

My time with OSEJ has shown me that environmental justice is about the people who show up every day to drive change on a local level. I’m walking away from this year with a deeper understanding of food systems and the confidence that even in a world that feels uncertain, our individual contributions and our willingness to listen to one another are exactly what drive lasting change. I am grateful to have had this opportunity, helping to protect a land that I now feel a part of.