Our newest staff organizer, Terilyn Chen, will work across three Northern California Sierra Club chapters — the SF Bay Chapter, the Redwood Chapter, and the Mother Lode Chapter. What do these three chapters all have in common? Among other things, we’re all fighting to shut down existing coal-export terminals or prevent new ones. Terilyn will help to coordinate this work in partnership with our allies to prevent the Bay-Delta region from becoming the West Coast’s largest coal exporter.
Terilyn graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy. She was co-chair of the Harvard Environmental Action Committee and Cultural Criticism Editor for Harvard's feminist publication, Manifesta. Before coming to the Sierra Club, Terilyn served as Policy and Research Fellow at Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), where she worked on a forthcoming whitepaper on community resilience to climate hazards. Check out this Q&A with Terilyn to learn more about her:
What's your favorite place to hike in the Bay Area?
I grew up within walking distance of the San Pablo Bay, and in high school, my friends and I would hang out by the railroad tracks and along the SF Bay Trail. It's still very special to me.
Do you have an environmental/social justice hero?
I recently learned of the amazing work of brontë velez and others at Lead to Life, an organization that works at the intersections of environmental justice, gun violence, restorative justice, and sacred spaces. They have been turning guns into shovels and other tools, which are then used for ceremonial plantings. I'm deeply inspired by this creative and healing work.
What got you interested in this work?
I have always felt a deep connection with plant and animal family, as well as to water and forests. As a kid, I was primarily driven by my desire to protect them, but as I've gotten older, my reasons for doing this work have evolved. Now, I am fueled by a need for environmental justice in all its forms. And I don't want to just fend off "the bad" — I'm serious about contributing to replacing the systems we have now with something new that is healing and dynamic.
If you could have the aid of one superpower to help in your work here at the Sierra Club, what would it be?
Being able to clearly pinpoint the root of a problem or conflict, whether big or small, would probably be super helpful. I'm working on it :) !
If you want to volunteer to stop coal dust from polluting our air, water, and climate, reach out to Terilyn at terilyn.chen@sierraclub.org.