Blog #1: I am the Ethereal Environmentalist
If you’re reading this, I thank you.
Thank you for simply being and sharing this moment with me.
This blog has been a seedling in my mind ever since I discovered my mom’s own self-help blog from 2011 and was inspired to speak my own truth. I’ve adored writing ever since I was young. I’ve filled journals upon journals, google docs and stray sheets of paper -- but it was all just for me. I’ve always wanted a space to express myself freely outside of the solitude of my self-talk. A place where I could combine all my interests into one composition. A platform to build community around some of the most important topics of our current day.
And could you believe it? We’re actually, finally here. So thank you for joining me, from the bottom of my heart. The journey starts today…
If you’ve never met me before, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Elvia Maya. Most of my friends and family know me as “Maya” which is interesting because I never chose to go by my middle name, yet everyone prefers it that way. Don’t get me wrong, I think that Maya is a beautiful name and I’m proud of all that it symbolizes. In sanskrit, maya means “illusion” or “magic.” Maya is also the former national bird of the Philippines, named for the red patch on its lower back which is only visible when it flies. It’s the name my dad gave me at birth.
Elvia was my mother’s choice at birth. I don’t know what the name translates to, all I know is that Elvia was a very special person in my mom’s life -- Elvia Marta, that is. Elvia was my mother’s dance teacher from high school. She taught my mom some of the most fundamental elements of dance, a practice that my mom nurtured over time because it truly set her soul on fire. Dance was my mom’s form of self expression and personal freedom, and Elvia was a pivotal figure in that development. Elvia represents determination, growth and passion. Knowing that history, it’s a shame that I wouldn’t look up if you called me by my first name. But that changes today.
I want to reclaim my first name while paying respect to the identity that “Maya” has given me all these years. My name is Elvia Maya.
I am a spiritual being living a human experience.
I am a fierce environmental advocate.
I am the Ethereal Environmentalist.
I’ve always been in touch with the natural environment. From a young age, I understood nature as rejuvenating, humbling and worth protecting. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was lucky to have such easy access to nature. I belong to a place of scenic views, beautiful coastlines, historical monuments, old-growth redwoods, rolling hills, teeming wetlands, even inactive volcanoes… the list goes on, and I never take that for granted.
I found my calling for environmental work when I was just a junior in high school taking an AP Environmental Sciences class. For the first time, I learned about human-caused climate change and how we are facilitating our own demise. I learned about our hurting planet, hurting wildlife, hurting people. As a naturally empathetic person, I too, hurt. From that point on, I knew if there was anything worth doing in life, it was saving our planet from (and for) ourselves.
As a recent graduate from USC with a degree in Environmental Studies, I can tell you that learning about our climate crisis throughout college was just as depressing as you could’ve imagined. Now in my day job, I’m constantly considering climate-related tragedies around the world and the limited time we have to reverse the effects before it’s too late. I know these catastrophes are bigger than me, yet I still feel responsible. There are many days when the weight of the world causes me to fall to my knees.
But you know what I learned after a pandemic year, frequently considering the fragility of life and hitting my all-time personal lows? That the temporary nature of our lives is what makes it so beautiful, and as humans, it’s our personal choice to make meaning out of our short time here.
The human experience is something to behold. If we are so lucky, we may get to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows. Our capacity for joy would be taken for granted if we did not know pain. Our perception of love would be minimized if we never felt the absence of love. But most of the time, we do feel the whole range of emotions. We know what feels good and what feels bad. We know what empowers us and what breaks us down. Sometimes we give up, and sometimes we fight on, but through it all, we are all simply being. That is the essence of life -- our resilience in times of great adversity and willingness to search for something better.
That sentiment is how I choose to view our climate crisis and our human experience at large. The world won’t be saved if there aren’t empowered individuals actively working towards solutions. We cannot afford to be debilitated by our grief and miss the chance to seize this moment. It’s okay to celebrate the wins and mourn the losses as we navigate the uncertainties of reality. Our cautiously optimistic outlook is what makes us human. What matters throughout the journey is that we continue searching for something better, and never settle for less. We must create systems for people and the planet to thrive by tapping into our empathy for others and love for ourselves. I am dedicated to this work because I long for better times, but I know I can’t heal the world until my own heart is healed. I know it’s a long road ahead and I am empowered to walk the divine path until I get there.
I am the Ethereal Environmentalist.
