Hi! I’m Varsha. My life path has led me on an amazing journey. Born and raised in NYC, I traveled for college to CA (BA in Biology, Scripps College/the Claremont Colleges), MA (Marine Biological Laboratory’s Ecosystems Center’s Semester in Environmental Science program) and PA (Haverford College) and worked in places like Alaska (Toolik Lake Long-Term Ecological Research Field Station) and Kansas (Kansas State University) as a Research Assistant before pursing grad school in MI (MPH in Environmental Health, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor). Eventually, I worked in countries, such as India (Fulbright Scholar and volunteer), Thailand (UNEP intern), Uganda (Peace Corps Volunteer) and China (International Teacher). My passions include nature (hands-on outdoor learning experiences, hiking, biking, organic farming), children (playing and being more open and child-like), traveling (above experiences, including other service ones), yoga and meditation (being), and the arts (photography, calligraphy, origami, beading, jewelry-making). I consider myself a global citizen and am interested in proactive rights-based organizing for social and environmental justice for all life.
As a student of biology, ecology, public health, and environmental science, I can see both the details and the big picture of how issues are interconnected and related. I have worked with underserved communities throughout the world, and within the USA on health issues and environmental justice. I feel all issues are connected to fundamental rights, access, and hence, fairness, with rights to healthy food and a clean environment being key drivers for social change. Too many people lack these, which is an injustice. One solution is growing food locally, as each of us can be a gardener of the soil, planting seeds for local communities. Many solutions-driven people often live far from the status quo. I am completely supportive of right, or meaningful, livelihoods that advocate for a clean and healthy environment to live, work, and play in. I am also interested in conscious, intentional communities working towards individual and social transformation for the better.
I recently returned to New York City, the diverse city where I grew up, to be closer to home and family. For the last year, I have worked in Shanghai, China teaching English to adult students at an international language institute, EducationFirst. I am interested in working with people of different ethnic backgrounds and have experience working with Alaska Natives (Alaska Community Action on Toxics), New York City’s South Asian immigrants (South Asian Council for Social Services), people from Uganda (Peace Corps), India (Fulbright Scholar, volunteer opportunities), Thailand (UNEP), and most recently, China (EducationFirst).
As a student of biology, ecology, public health, and environmental science, I can see both the details and the big picture of how issues are interconnected and related. I have worked with underserved communities throughout the world, and within the USA on health issues and environmental justice. I feel all issues are connected to fundamental rights, access, and hence, fairness, with rights to healthy food and a clean environment being key drivers for social change. Too many people lack these, which is an injustice. One solution is growing food locally, as each of us can be a gardener of the soil, planting seeds for local communities. Many solutions-driven people often live far from the status quo. I am completely supportive of right, or meaningful, livelihoods that advocate for a clean and healthy environment to live, work, and play in. I am also interested in conscious, intentional communities working towards individual and social transformation for the better.
I recently returned to New York City, the diverse city where I grew up, to be closer to home and family. For the last year, I have worked in Shanghai, China teaching English to adult students at an international language institute, EducationFirst. I am interested in working with people of different ethnic backgrounds and have experience working with Alaska Natives (Alaska Community Action on Toxics), New York City’s South Asian immigrants (South Asian Council for Social Services), people from Uganda (Peace Corps), India (Fulbright Scholar, volunteer opportunities), Thailand (UNEP), and most recently, China (EducationFirst).