FEATURE STORIES
CLIMATE & JUSTICE
CONSERVATION
OCEANS
ISLAND LIVING
My name is Julia, & I am a surfer, ocean lifeguard, dive master, and U.C. Santa Barbara Environmental Studies alumni, with a tremendous enthusiasm for our oceans & planet. My dreams led me to a simple, remote life on a tiny, world-heritage island with my partner in the Tasman Sea.
Groundswell began with a striking realization in my college education: that while everyday, I was empowered to think critically about the climate crisis, environmental justice, and just, equitable development, these deeper, critical imaginings remained strikingly absent in mainstream media. Ecology, environmental justice, regenerative development, interconnection & intersectionality, systems thinking — it felt like revolutionary ideas had been shed upon me, & I was filled with understanding & hope. Groundswell seeks to deepen conversations about the relationships we have to the planet, ourselves, & each other, telling critical, solutions-based stories about the planet, health, justice, security, & building healthy, resilient communities.
Post graduation, my desire for a simpler, more connected way of living brought me to a tiny island in the Tasman Sea that is famous for its biodiversity, conservation, & natural heritage. As I have evolved, Groundswell has evolved with me, as living a remote, isolated life close to nature teaches me more about healing our fractured relationships with the planet & each other.
I’ve been privileged to learn, travel overseas, and navigate the tumultuous path that is redefining our relationship to this planet and each other — this is my attempt to share it all.
