Fund Global Sustainability Solutions with GDF

EDITED 6/27/24:

GOAL MET: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am already starting to incur travel fees (Hello, first-time expedited passport application!) so you can help me offset costs without having to wait on reimbursement by donating on PayPal (@CourtneyWooten) or Venmo (@CourtneyLianaWooten).

I can’t believe I’m going to go to the UK to collaborate with the wonderful, innovative folks at GDF on building sustainable, inclusive solutions. I am so so so grateful to be on this journey and to represent our community at this program. I can’t wait to learn, create, and share with everyone!

Introduction:

Beloved Community!

I am so excited to have been nominated and selected for the 8th cohort of the Global Diversity Foundation’s Global Environments Summer Academy (GESA). This program unites 20 people from around the world to work together on strategy and solutions for the environmental crises facing our communities. I’m honored to represent the Pacific Northwest and share my experience as an organizer, educator, and coalition-builder this summer. Our online learning collaborations have already begun, and I am asking for your help in continuing this program and joining my cohort in-person at the Quadrangle in Kent and the Oxford Environmental Change Institute in the UK.

About Me:

I believe strongly that we have to be the change we want to see in the world. Among the many hats I get to wear, including mom, daughter, partner, facilitator, organizational consultant, and volunteer—(whew!)—I am also a student/educator-activist at Prescott College, teaching in the Social Justice & Community Organizing MA program, and studying as a PhD Candidate in the Sustainability Education Program. My academic focus mirrors the grassroots work I do in bringing people together across significant lines of difference (such as age, race, and ability) to create communities of care and belonging. I’ve had the privilege of studying as a Summer Fellow with the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, and I’m now in the early stages of creating a brick-and-mortar site for inclusive, nature-based wellness in the foothills near the Sauk River. We all know that the climate crisis and environmental degradation are urgent concerns, and it is past time for holistic, solution-oriented praxis!

Learn more about me here .

Why GESA?:

The Global Environments Summer Academy is a unique and transformational opportunity to spend a summer learning, working and sharing with folks across the globe. GESA provides hands-on experience, collaborative network-building, and connects environmental conservation to social justice. Additionally, GESA will be my first experience leaving North America! I’m excited to share our local successes and also learn practical skills to bring back to our community.

Please learn more about the organization here: www.global-diversity.org

Why I Need Your Support:

GESA provides an incredible learning opportunity, and the cost of the Academy alone is £2,500. All travel, materials, and other fees are on top of tuition. Times are tight for many right now, and my multi-generational household is no exception. In the past few years, we have experienced layoffs, business clients who have not yet paid for services rendered, and multiple illnesses that have impacted our earnings and budget. A program like GESA is an amazing opportunity, and also a financial stretch, so I am asking for community support!

How You Can Help:

Any and every financial donation to the GDF brings me one step closer to attending the Global Environments Summer Academy. Whether you have $10 or $100, I am deeply appreciative! And if you can’t donate, simply sharing this campaign with your network helps me spread the word and reach more potential supporters.

I am so looking forward to bringing back a new trove of information and inspiration for our communities! I truly believe we can work together to create real change and build a sustainable future where all are welcome—and none of us can do this work alone!

In solidarity,

Courtney