Kassidy Jacobs: Building a career as an environmental justice champion

Are you interested in what an education and justice focused climate career looks like? Look no further than Kassidy Jacobs of Baltimore, Maryland who has built an admirable career in grassroots environmental justice work.

Education

• First generation graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a Dual Degree in Government and Politics and Criminology and Criminal Justice.
• honors thesis that explored the connection between lead exposure and educational outcomes in Baltimore City to strengthen the case between environmental justice and racial injustice.

Career background

• First internship at Environmental Protection Agency focused on environmental education for elementary students
• Interned at the National Geographic Society and completed a research project about environmental justice efforts in the Chesapeake Bay with a focus on BIPOC, grassroots organizations

She currently works full time at the Greater Baybrook Alliance (GBA) as the Development and Communications Coordinator, focusing on grant management and communication strategies for GBA’s wide portfolio of projects. She works on issues of environmental justice, park improvements, youth leadership and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Her story

Her interest in environmental justice is a personal one.

“Before I could label the things that I was experiencing, I lost my grandfather at a young age. He had worked in construction environments for years and was exposed to asbestos, developing mesothelioma and eventually cancers. At the time, I did not understand the larger societal forces of greed, lack of regulation and disinvestment in working class communities that created the conditions that caused premature death for my grandfather and many others in environmentally distressed communities and careers.”

Education became a form of empowerment as she was able to learn about the underpinnings behind how environmental injustice was created. In college she began with broader legislative and policy work in the local government, focusing on issues of education and neighborhood revitalization. Her passion for education blossomed through internships for different government agencies and developed an interest in environmental education and using research to advocate for environmental improvements.?

Kassidy focused on creating an intersectional approach to her activism, emphasizing that social issues impacting marginalized communities create multiple layers of disadvantage. She’s worked her way to where she is now by being willing to explore different aspects of her interests, from doing legal intake interviews to ArcGIS to tutoring bilingual students!

Advice

• important to not replicate the career paths of others
• focusing on trying to mimic an internship someone pursued or the classes they took will not allow you to genuinely explore your own interests
• be willing to experiment and learn the types of work environments or fields that don’t fit you
• Think about the issues that are most salient to you and the things that keep you motivated to do environmental work
• Developing research skills should be in tandem with community engagement and truly understanding the people you want to impact with your career
• focus on developing core competencies in research, analysis, writing and communication, but “soft skills” in community engagement, outreach and connecting to people should not be understated!
• Be willing to apply to multiple positions across a wide time period. Please personalize your cover letter and application materials!
• Don’t shy away from smaller, local, nonprofits and environmental organizations.
• talk to current employees at potential organizations on LinkedIn to get a sense of the work culture and the daily life in that workplace
• Don’t shy away from writing about personal connections you have to an environmental area of interest

The skills that you build and the type of person that you are is much more important than the name of the organization you work for. If you’re someone who is dedicated to their community, shows up and does the necessary work, that on the ground impact will make a significant difference to the people you want to serve. In full transparency, rejections will happen to everyone! For those reviewing application materials, they want to ensure that applicants are genuine and committed to the cause, not simply pursuing environmental justice for a resume point.

“Being first generation and low income, I feel a sense of responsibility to do work that is meaningful to people like my family and community. Staying close to my morals, values and mission has made choosing a career that I feel good about that much more impactful, knowing that I am working towards a better future for the next generation of my community. ”

On selling?out

“I combatted pressure to sell out by thinking about what I wanted the purpose of my work to be and the people I hope to serve. I think of people like my family, my grandfather and my community who receive a lower quality of life because they were born in an underserved zip code.”

“This is a growing space with multiple avenues and opportunities to get involved. We are the ones who are inheriting an unjust world and we have a part to play in creating more equitable conditions. When we stick to the status quo and contribute to environmental injustice, the military industrial complex and other unjust systems, we are denying ourselves a fulfilling career in the climate space that will create meaningful changes for marginalized people.”

Contact Kassidy

I am happy to provide mentorship, support or advice to anyone who’s interested in exploring this space! I tend to give a lot of information because I know from personal experience how hard it can be to navigate college and non-profit careers when your family does not have access to these kinds of opportunities or education.?

My email is [email protected] and my phone number is 443–817–3174. I am also happy to connect on Linkedin at https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/kassidyjacobs/

This is the third of many stories that will be shared in my new climate career stories project. Subscribe and follow for more underrated climate career success stories across diverse sectors.