Reflection

Reflection

Coordinating the 2023 ReWild Summer Program to Fight Hunger and Climate Change as a student organizer/mentor and leading ReWild’s Social Media Committee as the co-chair have allowed me to watch the magic unfold behind ReWild Long Island, and that magic is only possible because of Raju Rajan, the board president and a co-founder of ReWild. Since I participated in ReWild's 2022 summer program as an intern, Raju’s passion and dedication towards this nonprofit organization have inspired me to join the fight against the climate crises by starting a balcony garden from growing kitchen scraps, engaging in my school’s two environmental clubs, and collaborating with the ReWild Gardens Program to initiate a wildflower garden at my high school. I am immensely grateful for having a local organization like ReWild, which has taught me the importance of sustainable landscaping and native fauna and flora, which are crucial for healthy and biodiverse ecosystems that we and wildlife depend on. I collaborate and meet with Raju every week, discussing upcoming activities and plans to further our mission to raise awareness about sustainability through Long Island’s communities. Through my film, I hope to present Raju’s work and ReWild’s message to more people worldwide. Spreading awareness and inspiration is key to making change locally, thereby leading to change worldwide, as alluded to in the film’s title: “ReWild Your Yard, Revive Our World.” As passionate activists like Raju take initiative in their local communities, it gives me hope that we can protect our planet from future harm.