COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS
Colorado is a state known for its breathtaking landscapes. Incomprehensibly, a state that attracts people from around the world into the great outdoors, sometimes has trouble getting native Coloradoan’s immersed in the natural beauty that defines this state. Growing up in Colorado myself, I was surprised to hear that communities right here in the Denver Metro Area lack a relationship with the nature that surrounds them. These communities all face different specific barriers that complicate their ability to take advantage of our natural resources. These specific barriers include, financial hardships, transportation to the outdoors, and lack of safe outdoor spaces. All these barriers combine to diminish the opportunities all Coloradoan’s should have to explore their backyard. The mission of Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) is to remove these barriers in order to re-create an equity of opportunity for all Coloradoan’s.
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My work with this organization allowed me to work first hand with individuals experiencing the benefits of GOCO's work. Working with these individuals and learning about the positive impact increased time in nature has had on them was empowering. Providing awareness on this issue to other local Coloradans helped me bridge the gap between these local initiatives and their pursuit to outdoor activities in the beautiful Colorado environment.
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PDF of Rhetorical Poster
PDF of Rhetorical Analysis
This community project allowed me to challenge the food waste habits of my fellow colleagues dining across the University of Denver. This project opened my eyes to the severity of food that has gone to waste on one university campus alone. This excessive food waste creates an unfortunate contradiction in our society where roughly 1/3 of food produced goes to waste yearly, while simultaneously millions of people live in a constant state of food insecurity.
Participating in this initiative allowed me to challenge my community towards small waste changes by informing them on the benefits of being more mindful about food consumption and food waste. I along with a group of my fellow classmates created a poster (featured to the left) that balanced rhetorical strategies with a clear understanding of our audience and their motives. In doing this we were able to help bridge the gap between our fellow students food waste and the potential good that could be achieved by more mindful food choices. This poster was used throughout campus during earth week in 2016.
PDF of my complete rhetorical analysis to explain the decisions made in the poster
As a second year student at DU I had the opportunity to take a writing course that focused on the non-profit genre. As a class we partnered with a local volunteer fire department. The Indian Hills Fire Department is made up of a committed staff of volunteers who were in need of extra financial assistance to keep up with the rising demand of their community. Pairing with this organization allowed my class to bridge the gap between this organizations financial need and available grants that could help them achieve their goals.
Throughout the course, we had the chance to meet with the organization, discuss their needs, and compile grant materials together to help fund their current needs. As a class, we were able to go out to the fire station and really get a feel for the values of this organization. This allowed us to best represent their needs and values in the grants we drafted on their behalf. This process taught me about the importance of precise dialogue, the necessity of strong team collaboration, and the complexity of the grant writing process.
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