On Earth Day, Kingswood Oxford School hosted an environmental and social justice activist who shared her experiences with students and faculty. The event was made possible by the Conrad family, who sponsored the Speaker Series that brought Elana Sulakshana to KO from Seattle, Wash. The focus of her visit was on becoming an activist, and some of the projects, protests, and work she has been a part of.
Seventh-grader Luna Hansen introduced the speaker in the all-school assembly on April 22. As an environmentalist who was raised in a family that loves and encourages nature, she was the perfect student for this introduction. “Both of my parents are really passionate about the environment,” she said. “We try to be as sustainable as possible.”
Everyone was able to learn something new from the speaker’s visit. Sulakshana encouraged students to take action to save our planet. “You are not too young,” she said. “You are not too small. You are not alone.” One major protest Sulakshana was involved in was a protest in regards to the reconstruction of a pipeline carrying oil through Indigenous land in Minnesota. The problem with this pipeline is that it has been leaking oil to many places, making the problem of some small leaks even bigger with the proposed wider and longer pipe. At the end of Sulakshana’s presentation, anyone was welcome to ask her questions in an open Q&A session.
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Rich Mutts emphasized the importance of speakers like Sulakshana coming to KO. “The main thing I learned from her visit was that this work is not singular; it’s from all of us,” he said. Working to save the environment as a community is much easier than by yourself, and there can be better outcomes, a theme seen throughout the presentation.
In speaking with Sulakshana, Luna noted that she was passionate about the work she does for climate action and social justice. “We talked about KO and trying to integrate more climate sustainability actions into the school,” Luna shared. “She talked about how, in high school, she started her own climate club.”
Looking to future Conrad Series speakers, Luna is hoping to hear from more guests who can inspire the students and community at KO. “I really want to see someone who’s passionate about what they do and who finds ways to make change,” Luna said.
Similarly, Mr. Mutts hopes to bring someone who can inspire and connect with all members of the KO community. “I want students and faculty to have somebody who is going to not only motivate the community, but somebody who can meet students where they are,” he said. “I want students to resonate with whatever the topic is going to be. I want the students to feel as though it was meant for them.”
Overall, Sulakshana’s presentation was phenomenal and shared some great insight on the current state of the environment.
Environmental activist visits KO, spreads awareness
