INTERVIEW WITH NAYELI LARA
Why do you choose to support Charleston Waterkeeper? How did you get started with us?
I volunteered with prairie conservation in my hometown in the Chicago suburbs, so I was looking for something similar when I moved here. Charleston Waterkeeper does a great job planning so many volunteer events throughout the year. With so much going on, it’s easy for anyone to find something they will find fulfilling and fun.
What is your favorite way to enjoy clean water?
Paddle boarding on Shem Creek is a great way to spend a day!
Do you have a favorite waterway in Charleston or a memorable experience on the water?
For the last five years, I’ve worked in the Cooper River. Literally in the river on a decommissioned submarine. Walking down the pier every day has always been a moment of peace before going underwater and I’ve encountered so much wildlife looking out across the brow. My favorite was after a night shift, seeing a river otter for the first time gracefully gliding across a perfectly smooth river at sunrise. That experience reminds me how integral nature is to my line of work and how important it is to safeguard our waterways.
Why is environmental stewardship important to you and why should others become a waterway steward like you?
So much of our lives are tied to the resources we get from nature, yet it seems like more of our world is negatively impacted by pollution and habitat loss every year. In his book A Sand County Almanac (my favorite book), Aldo Leopold discusses the land ethic – an idea that humanity has a moral responsibility to care for our natural world. Even though his book was published in 1949, not much has changed in the way of stewardship. I hope that more people get to experience clean waterways in Charleston for years to come, but that means people need to be aware of the challenges our land faces and how to protect it.
Tell us about a volunteer opportunity or event that you participated in with Charleston Waterkeeper that was impactful to you and why.
Excavating a tidal creek in Maryville by hand was an unforgettable volunteer project. Getting covered head to toe in mud is always fun, especially doing it with other people who are so passionate about making a place better. This project also introduced me to Maryville, a primarily Black town that is often overlooked when people think of Charleston. Years of volunteering have made me more knowledgeable about the Gullah Geechee people and Native Americans whose way of life revolved around these waterways. As Charleston continues to grow, I think the environmental conservation goes alongside historical conservation.
Tell us something interesting about yourself that we might not know!
I’m (unfortunately) leaving Charleston after six amazing years, but I will always look back fondly on my time in the Lowcountry. Next, I’ll pursue my master’s degree in nuclear engineering at MIT. I’m a huge proponent for nuclear power as a clean carbon-free energy source that is essential for our country’s growing energy needs. I’m hoping to use my experience with Charleston Waterkeeper for perspective on how nuclear power and our environment can work together.
Give to support clean water and have your gift matched up to $10,000 by Nayeli: charlestonwaterkeeper.org/give
