Projects and Communications Assistant, Southeast Asia

Background

I am on a journey of building a career in justice-based work, particularly in the intersections between climate change and marginal identities of gender, race, class and sexuality. I’m passionate about exploring how intra-regional and global solidarity can be practiced as we collectively fight against the climate crisis.

In my Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale-NUS College, I majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Arts and Humanities. My specification was in environmental justice theory and policy making, and this helped me understand environmental issues not just as an isolated way of changemaking in the world, but as something deeply interconnected to everything else in our lives. My Arts and Humanities minor was integral in helping me understand how to communicate these justice issues to a variety of audiences – being a strong communicator and storyteller is central to my work of changemaking.

Outside of this, my work has focused on environmental and social issues within the Southeast Asian region and beyond. On a programme that spanned 4 months in San Francisco (U.S.), Morocco, Nepal and Ecuador, I had the chance to engage with small-scale communities and co-opts in the context of a joint, global struggle for environmental justice, while also locating these experiences within the systems uniquely situated in different regions. In Singapore, I have worked on tackling the transboundary haze crisis through collaborative solutions with communities in neighbouring countries to make strides in regional climate mitigation. I also had the chance to work on innovative solutions for ocean conservation, through co-creating change with a variety of stakeholders – NGOs, governments, scientists and creatives.

The skills I’ve gained through these experiences have also been the foundation of my further ventures, such as founding an NGO to bridge gaps in access to menstrual healthcare for low-income communities in Singapore, called Go With the Flow. Through this, I developed the skills of problem-solving, adapting and communicating well about a justice-cause that I really care about. 

In my role at Forum for the Future, I am excited to explore groundbreaking collaboration and co-creation towards an environmentally just and regenerative future. I strive to meaningfully support Forum’s projects for systemic change, for the better climate futures we are all working towards.

My dream project

My dream project would be to explore an ecofeminist approach to a just and regenerative future. The work that excites me most engages in a hopeful reimagining of the current power dynamics in our world systems, towards a climactic future of equality and justice.

What floats my boat outside work?

Working on initiatives for menstrual healthcare accessibility with my friends has been an extremely fulfilling part of my life outside of my regular commitments – it has been a great way to meet new people, and imagine n new worlds together. Other than that, you can find me in bookclubs, museums, or an art market!

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