An Unconventional Love Story into the World of Climate

My journey from self-doubt to empowerment and the power of community

By Safiyya Devraj

This is a love story - not your typical love story, though, so please keep reading! It’s a story about me (and maybe about you too).

Chapter 1: The struggle

I landed a climate change job. I moved to DC. I was overwhelmed - by the city, the people, the energy. Everyone seemed to know what they were talking about and why they were here. I was an imposter. There was no doubt in my mind. I did not have the facts, the words, or the confidence. I did not belong. I felt stuck.

I knew I needed to find my people - those  who could hear me, really understand my struggle. On the best of days, finding a community was hard. I was super down on myself, confused about what I was doing and how I was going to make it. And how I could consider taking climate action.

Chapter 2: The decision

Negative self-talk never really worked, though, did it? And with my climate anxiety on the rise, I was not doing myself any favors. Surely I was not the only one struggling. I needed to snap out of it, but I knew I needed help. 

Yoga always used to help, so I joined my local studio and found a beautiful community, and some great instructors and kindred spirits. At least I had people I could talk to. This was good and I felt better, but I still needed to reconcile with my job and my lack of confidence when talking about climate change - I was running out of time because the world was…is on fire!

Sooner than anyone could have anticipated the pandemic brought the world to a halt. Everyone moved to Zoom - for work, for play, for learning, for connection. Moving virtual was, in some ways, a blessing. It leveled the playing field and I somehow felt not so different from others. By now, work had motivated me to try and do some self-study on climate change, at least on the kinds of things I could do on a daily basis to feel like I was contributing to making the world a better place. Cliche, I know, but I was ready.

Chapter 3: The solution

A friend, who also happened to be one of the yoga instructors, invited me to participate in Eco.Crews, a community of eco-conscious individuals. The other participants were not necessarily experts, but had the same sense of care for the world and desire to take action, but needed some help to get there. As we each began sharing our stories and motivations, I realized that I was not alone. Everyone had something they were struggling with and even though we were not necessarily going to solve each other's problems, talking helped relieve a pressure that had been building inside me, while also offering different perspectives for me to consider.

I loved the structure of Eco.Crews, with suggested pre-reading and pre-viewing materials, short presentations and activities on key themes during the sessions, tangible suggestions on taking action, as well as a chance to share collectively and reflect individually.

Chapter 4: The lesson

On such a dynamic and vibrant planet, can we ever be alone? What I realized is that there is always a community waiting to be found, a tribe of like-minded individuals who share your passions, fears, and dreams. I found my tribe in the most unexpected place – across a Zoom screen. 

Today, I no longer feel like an imposter in the world of climate advocacy. I don’t claim to have the knowledge that I lacked when I started this journey. But what I gained was the confidence to be okay not knowing what I didn’t know, asking questions, learning new things, and sharing my perspectives where I found a point of entry.

Chapter 5: The transformation

Since joining my first crew during the pandemic, I have also participated in an in-person crew, met more people, and decided to channel my skills into a form of climate action that works for me. I joined Eco.Logic as a volunteer staff and now serve as the Head of Strategy. This was not the plan, but it is part of my love story - for loving myself, a climate community, and the planet.

My journey from self-doubt to empowerment is a testament to the power of community, which I found through Eco.Crews. If any of this resonates with you, give yourself a chance and join a crew! There is really nothing to lose and everything to gain - the world needs people like you!

Learn more about Eco.Crews here: https://www.ecologicprograms.org/eco-crews