I live my life following one motto: thinking globally and acting locally. Through my extracurricular, educational or professional experiences, I aim to inflict positive, global change in any community I am a part of. I have been able to do this through environmental activism, fundraising, cultural immersion, and mentorship. Despite this, I still have much to explore in the world of sustainability. I would love to learn more about concepts such as environmental justice and healthy cities. Some of my other passions include music (I host an Afrobeats music Radio Show on FM94.9!) and following all Toronto sports teams. 

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

For me, sustainability means preserving the health and future of our world. Living sustainably ensures an economically, socially and environmentally healthy world. More specifically, living sustainably will contribute towards a future where essential resources aren’t overly scarce, where society has fair access to the resources and where all forms of life can coexist. Living in such a manner will ensure the world is a place future generations can enjoy for years to come. 

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

I see sustainability being at the forefront of my entire professional journey. In the beginning, when I hold roles such as intern or associate, I aim to join diversity and environment-centric Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). This will allow me to understand my organization’s stance on sustainability and I will see what work can be done to further it. Given that sustainability is a continuously expanding space, there is always room for organizations to do more. Because of this, my perspective on sustainability is very different from someone 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Therefore, I aim to coffee-chat senior employees at my firm, understand common practices in the organization and make recommendations on implementing simple, day-to-day, sustainable ways to enhance these practices. This can be as simple as preventing implicit biases in the workplace or reducing energy usage. I aim to continue this mindset as I grow in my professional journey. As I develop more influence within an organization, I will be able to implement top-down approaches that ensure any firm I am a part of, practices sustainability. Whether it be through hiring processes, day-to-day operations, or company-wide initiatives. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

My program pre-Ivey was Politics, Philosophy and Economics. While this interdisciplinary program was a great segway into Ivey, it also broadened my view on the world. I researched how concepts like income inequality, supply shortages and the “social minimum” are prominent in the three aforementioned fields. The program changed the way I look at sustainability. In addition to acting “green”, living sustainably means pushing for fair opportunity and access to the world's resources. In my second-year Geography course “Healthy Cities”, I also conducted a project on increasing active transportation in London, Ontario. A project which, if implemented, would mean better infrastructure, lower emissions and a happier population. 

Outside of school, I have led sustainability projects with WaterAid Canada, pushing for fair access to water, hygiene and sanitation around the world and leading a social media campaign against environmental racism. I also served as a Western Charity Orientation Leader (“Soph”) where I led a group of first-years in planting a garden at a home for people with intellectual disabilities. At my 2022 Summer Internship with the procurement division in the City of Toronto, I practiced social and sustainable procurement, where we used the City’s buying power to generate positive social value.