Hi there!
I’m Kristie Okimoto, a recently graduated senior from University of California Berkeley. At Berkeley, I studied Conservation and Resource Studies with concentrations in Anti-Oppression, Decolonial Thought and Oceanography.
I applied to MATE Summer because I’m possibly interested in pursuing oceanography in graduate school. I’m also interested in doing culturally appropriate marine conservation, that is community based and better implements traditional knowledge, rather than using the western colonial conservation model. I’m also very interested in climate justice work, as low income communities and communities of color will be among those most affected by climate change.
When applying, I thought we’d probably be doing a cruise off of California, or possibly the South Pacific if I was lucky. When I was offered a cruise position to the Arctic, it was an unexpected surprise! The Arctic was not somewhere I’d think to visit, or do research in by myself, so I am very glad for the opportunity to go do work there.
At the moment, I am wrapping up my time at home, and trying to pack for the Bay Area, the Arctic and South America all in one. I’ll be visiting friends in the Bay Area and wrapping up ends there before my internship, and traveling with a friend around South America for a bit after the internship. Needless to say, the clothing in my bag is super varied, haha!
Well, off to go pack more. Tchau for now!