I grew up on a sailboat in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Life there is constantly connected to the environment and full of astonishing natural beauty. Since I was young, I had an innate appreciation and curiosity for the natural world. Sandy beaches, coconut trees, and the ocean were my playground. It was a marvelous freedom and unique childhood that shapes much of the way I interact with my environment. Over the years I watched as the state of the island began to change before my eyes. Experiences with hurricanes and disappearing fish and coral reefs were personally devastating.

When I left home for college, I was eager to learn anything and everything I could to protect what I love. By stepping foot into the continental U.S., I came to realize that what I had once believed was straightforward was anything but. We live in a polarized world where the art of compromise and the ability to agree to disagree is becoming more difficult. No solution is simple or direct. I was alarmed by how hard it was to decipher what the important information was and what to trust. It takes a massive amount of effort to keep up with all of the information. I found it immensely difficult to navigate this world in an academic and philosophical context.

As I learn about the true state of our world and of science, I realize I have a lot of questions. As I tried to steer my way through and develop an understanding of these complex and occasionally existential concepts, I found that there was a wonderful opportunity to share my journey with others trying to do the same. I want to use my conservation biology degree and passion for writing to create discussion, make understanding of our natural and physical world accessible, and inspire thought. My hope is that through my writing, maybe someone will feel a little less lost and confused on this big blue marble we call home.

~Katie Russell