EJJI Environmental Science Program Manager Named Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
EJJI Environmental Science Program Manager Named Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
By Jessica Diaz
As EJJI’s environmental science program manager, my days vary. On an early morning, I might watch the herons stealthily catch fish around the floating wetlands while I survey the biohabitat experiments for any needed maintenance. I work at the Middle Branch Marina in Cherry Hill most days, a place where wildlife and industry have co-existed for decades. The marina has been an introduction to marine life in Baltimore, and a constant in my short time in Charm City. I am privileged to witness and take part in the transformations taking place there.
I began my tenure at EJJI shortly after meeting the founders, Donzell and Rona, on a boat tour of the Baltimore Harbor just a few weeks into my graduate program at UMBC. I was in awe of the diversity of marine life just below the surface. It reminded me of Houston, where the waters and people are also undervalued and neglected. EJJI’s motto, “our community, our story,” resonated with me. I believe our stories are intertwined with the stories of the fish, the birds, the plants, the land. I try to bring this perspective to my scientific research.
Now, my story is connected to EJJI’s just as the organization first connected me to the Middle Branch Marina, the South Baltimore community, and other researchers and organizations which all helped make my master’s thesis a success. In my current role at EJJI, I have enjoyed expanding our science branch through research, programming, and content. I am always excited for my work days at the marina, but organizing our event for Latino Conservation Week and presenting to La Academia of Defensores de La Cuenca have been some of my favorite activities. EJJI plans to make Latino Conservation Week a regular event, with bird walks at the marina and food trucks and other activities celebrating the Latinx community.
My journey in the Chesapeake Bay is not ending, but it’s taking a turn south. I am heading to Washington D.C. as part of the 2024 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. This program pairs early career scientists and professionals like me with policy offices throughout the federal government and Congress. During our year, we learn how agencies help shape policies that protect the oceans, reduce climate change, preserve biodiversity, and curb pollution. Many Knauss fellows go on to careers in policy and public administration; some will continue in the sciences.
Over the next year, I am looking forward to expanding my skills in public policy and leaning on both my lived experiences growing up in an environmental justice community in Houston and my work experiences at the marina with EJJI. Wherever I go next, I know I will always have a home on the Middle Branch.
