In today’s social media world, we often see environmental activism portrayed as a bunch of young college students holding up posters and marching in a protest. The pictures are flashy, the excitement is palpable, and it absolutely does not represent the real work that goes into making true environmental change.

 

Now, I’m not saying that youth engagement and public actions aren’t important, but they are rarely the reason things get done. What about the people behind the scenes? Who organized the protest to begin with? Who goes to city hall meetings to make sure that community concerns are getting addressed? Who works every day in the nitty gritty, often boring, always important details?

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This project is meant to honor the people and organizations that work towards a better, more sustainable future. The people interviewed and depicted here are amazing. They work hard every day to help their communities overcome a variety of challenges and have had a multitude of successes. I hope that as you look at their portraits and read their interviews you come away with a better understanding of the dedication it takes to make a change.

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But perhaps more importantly, I hope that you recognize that all of these activists began just like you: concerned community members who wanted a better future for themselves and their children. All of us have the potential to make a difference, it just takes a bit of courage and determination.