By Ella Hubbard
As a little kid I told stories, drew worlds. Poetry notebook in hand, I would sit under the cherry tree in the backyard near the garden, and write down words that almost went together, form figures that were almost proportional. Through trial and error, I learned to form ideas into stories. Art taught me how to pay attention. I didn’t know what it meant to be an artist, but I knew I wanted creativity to be central to my life.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest taught me to love the climate I come from, and the animals, plants, and people that I lived with. It also taught me about the environmental and social challenges that threaten both people and the environment. From forest fires, to social inequalities, to the homelessness crisis facing my hometown of Olympia, Washington, these threats were personal and motivated me to seek a career protecting my community.
At Tufts University in Boston, I found an outlet for my growing sense of responsibility in the field of community health. Community health, while similar to public health, centers around community engagement and action, addressing inequalities, and empowering people to take charge of their lives, health, and environments. As I learned more about community action, organizing, and support systems, I began to understand the strong connections between human health and the environment. You can’t protect public health without addressing environmental health. In response, I added a concentration in Environmental Justice and Sustainability to my studies.
My parents met working in Alaska in the ‘90s. I was raised on stories about their adventures, the friends they made, and how much Alaskans care about each other. When offered the opportunity to work for Cook Inletkeeper, I jumped at the chance to become the Summer 2025 Clean Water and Climate Intern. At Inletkeeper, I look forward to bringing my passions for environmental and human health together to support advocacy projects. My work will focus on clean energy solutions, salmon conservation, community education, and awareness and advocacy around the proposed Johnson Tract mine. From block printing at Homer Pride this past weekend to a zine that is in the works, I will bring my artistic skills to Inletkeeper’s community education endeavours. There are stories here waiting to be told. I am honored to have the opportunity to help tell them, and to learn from all of you. Here’s to Homer; thank you for having me.