Check out this exclusive interview with former AWE Fellow, Tykee James!
- How did you first hear about the program?
- I first learned about the program through a phone call with George Ambrose (of Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center). He described a new Alliance for Watershed Education that would hire fellows to support education, engagement, and enjoyment of the Delaware River Watershed and its tributaries. The initiative would unite familiar organizations in Philadelphia while extending to New Jersey and Delaware. It is a phone call I think about fondly.
- Where were you in terms of environmental activism/your career before joining the Fellowship program?
- When I joined the fellowship in 2017, I was working as an environmental policy advisor for State Representative Donna Bullock. Before that, I had served as an environmental educator at the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center, where I first sparked my passion for the beauty of birds and how they bring people together. I was well-versed in Philadelphia’s environmental scene and eager to broaden my perspective on the great work happening in the Delaware region.
- How did the Fellowship program help you to advance in terms of your environmental activism/career?
- In 2018, I returned to support Suran (former AWE Fellow) as the assistant to the director of the Fellowship program. This management and program experience was incredibly rewarding. I learned a lot about the importance of resource allocation, the value of transparent communication, and the power of expressing empathy and vulnerability. These lessons have all contributed to making me a stronger advocate for the environment.
- What about the Fellowship program made it an appealing step for you to take in your journey?
- This was an opportunity to advance environmental education in a way that was bigger than the neighborhood where I lived in and served. Additionally, I was excited about the scope of launching not only the fellowship, but the environmental community center that would become the Discovery Center in North Philly. I was also attracted to the idea of forming an alumni association of fellows, to make the most of the program and really root connections with each other in our career.
- Can you speak a bit about your career trajectory since your Fellowship season ended in 2017?
- The following year, I returned to the fellowship to support Suran as his program assistant. I was proud to serve in this role as the Fellowship program grew, and I especially loved how the capstone activities became so meaningful to their communities. In 2018, I moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an environmental advocate, focusing on wildlife conservation, outdoor access, and environmental justice. In 2024, I relocated to Colorado to return to my passion for environmental education. Now, I’m transitioning back into advocacy as a statewide environmental justice campaign manager.
- To what extent and how do you think the Fellowship helped you in your success?
- The Fellowship gave me a meaningful foundation to my understanding of the benefits of nature. It was clear how important the purpose of environmental education is to secure those benefits, especially for the people who need it most. I can also understand those benefits as open-ended but limited by intentional and historic barriers that represent a legacy of decision-making that has been misappropriated in a way that negatively impacts people who are already marginalized and traditionally excluded from the consideration of these benefits. Because of the Fellowship I got to make clear what the benefits of nature bring to my community. In my year, it was a community environmental center.
- Is there anything else you would like to share?
- I encourage everyone to find their path in environmental advocacy. My experience as an environmental educator has deeply enriched my work as an advocate and there’s so many to get started! Act local and think global!