by Solange Fortenbach
Last Thursday, October 20th, actress and activist, Shailene Woodley and other pipeline protesters came to NYU for an impromptu panel. The event was announced with short notice, but recognizing Woodley’s name, I automatically RSVP’d. My expectations of this talk could be summed up into a semantic, if not generic, conversation about what I could do to be more like other environmental activists, like Shailene. This, however, was not how the panel went.
To start, the actress welcomed and thanked everyone in the audience for coming out. She came off as sweet, down to earth, and honestly as someone I could walk out of the room and go to class with. While Shailene was one, if not the spotlight of the panel, she brought other activists to speak more in depth on various pipelines in the region, including singer Bethany Yarrow; journalist and attorney, Karenna Gore; grassroots activist Jessica Roff; Campaign Advocacy Coordinator for Riverkeeper, Jeremy Cherson; photojournalist and Native American educator, Cliff Matias; and professor Jessica Green of the Environmental Studies department. The panel was moderated by professor David Kanter of the Environmental Studies department. Shailene and her fellow activists were coming to us for help. They told us of the AIM pipeline. AIM is going to run through New York and New Jersey, under the Hudson, through indigenous lands, a failing nuclear power plant (Indian Point), and through two pipelines. Now call me crazy, but this freaked me out. Indian Point is 30 miles away from New York City. This means that if something were to go wrong with either the pipeline or the nuclear plant at that site, I and the rest of Manhattan, would be in the immediate impact area, which constitutes the 50 mile radius surrounding Indian Point. This pipeline is set to begin operating November 1st and nobody knows about it. Shailene and her fellow activists protested at 9am this morning at Senator Chuck Schumer’s office.
With audience members debating their participation in the rally, questions were raised regarding the correct way to be an environmental activist. Shailene answered that there is no right way. You figure out through experience what you’re comfortable doing. This can range from laying down in a pipeline construction zone, reaching out to your representatives through social media, or participating in a rally. She emphasized that before anyone can be an activist, everyone must realize their own potential and power. She acknowledged that one of the reasons younger generations have trouble with this realization is because of ageism. Young people are often undermined by the idea that ignorance and age are correlated. She, as a member of our same generation, challenged this and told us to challenge it too. Realize your power. Realize your potential. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t be afraid to have the door shut on you. I acknowledge my fears about this pipeline and my desire to become an activist. While the pipeline’s construction may not be stopped, I see this moment as an opportunity to speak my mind, stand up for my beliefs, and defend the human communities threatened by this pipeline.
Solange Fortenbach is from the Bay Area in California. She is double majoring in Environmental Studies and Politics and minoring in Computer Science. She is a Student Engagement Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, Research Assistant at Return Recycling, and a member of the Mock Trial team. She hopes to hike up Half Dome in Yosemite with her Dad one day.