After graduating in 2006, Emily moved to Vancouver, Canada. She now teaches English and History to Korean high school students, volunteers as a literacy tutor at the Carnegie Centre, and writes poetry supported by a group of women writers.

She writes: I came to the course with a question: is poetry/creativity a valid form of activism (is it enough?) in the face of the ecological and social crisis we face? The answer I came to was a resounding yes, and so I graduated with a renewed commitment to writing and creative expression as a tool of political and spiritual resistance.

My volunteer work at the Carnegie Centre is with residents of the Downtown Eastside Community, which is renowned for being one of the most impoverished communities in North America. I have been encouraged by the supervisor of the learning centre to run a poetry group with members of the community. If I hadn't had the opportunity to explore the power of poetry and writing in my Masters thesis with a group of fellow CHE students, I'm not sure I would have the courage to pursue this.

Human Ecology grounded me in the world. It showed me that I am intrinsically connected to everything that is, that I belong here, and that I am a child of the earth no less than the trees and the stars. This has nurtured a deeper desire for awareness in me, to pay attention to the moment, to what is happening now. It bridged the split I felt in myself between feeling I had to choose between being an environmentalist or fighting for social justice.

I strive to bring this awareness of humanity's interconnectedness with the earth to all aspects of my life, especially my teaching, as my students come from families who have wholeheartedly embraced capitalism and the "American Dream."

To contact Emily, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it