We’re thrilled to have five youths join GSA for eight weeks over the summertime. Having this additional capacity means that GSA can be present in more communities, listening, learning and amplifying the concerns, and also the solutions, that emerge from within the diverse communities connected to the wondrous Salish Sea.
Byron Lee, Megan Raitt, Shubhdeep Gill, and Yasser Sanobar are working alongside GSA’s Community Organizers, Dana and Gil, in developing and executing engagement activities and building connections with communities across the Lower Mainland. They’ll be visiting neighbourhoods, community hubs, public spaces and events, having conversations with residents about extreme weather and the impacts of climate change on communities.
Zoe Taylor is working with recreational boaters on the Lower Mainland as a Dock Walker, supporting GSA’s Clean Marine BC Coordinator Jacob, sharing the latest marine mammal regulations and measures related to Southern Resident orcas; ways to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species; and sharing tips with boaters to prevent small marine spills.
Byron Lee, Assistant Community Organizer
Recently graduated from UBC with a degree in political science, Byron brings his skills in outreach, communication, and research to GSA. Byron, who was born and raised on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) people, has a fervor for combatting social and climate issues affecting the local communities. Understanding that grassroots organizing and outreach lay the seeds for community mobilization, they’re committed to advocating for the health and wellbeing of the Salish Sea and the communities which live there. When not reading or chatting with good friends, Byron can be found in the kitchen making delicious classics and terrible concoctions.
Megan Raitt, Assistant Community Organizer
Megan is a first-year International Relations student at UBC, who lives on the unceded and traditional territory of the Musqueam, Coast Salish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. As a lifelong activist, her passion for social justice and decolonization have motivated her to get involved in environmentalism and to publish research on post-colonial workers’ rights in Asia. Megan brings experience working with and organizing a variety of youth-led environmental groups in the Lower Mainland where she focused on mobilizing, educating and empowering the youth of her community. She was born and raised on the West Coast, so to her, the biodiversity of the Georgia Strait directly reflects her own intersectional identity and the community and land that raised her. In her spare time, Megan enjoys painting and spending time in nature.
Shubhdeep Gill, Assistant Community Organizer
Shubhdeep is a first year student at UBC, born and raised on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo, and Tsawwassen First Nations. Passionate about social justice, Shubhdeep has been outspoken online about issues surrounding race, gender, and sexuality – especially advocating and raising awareness for her community during India’s Farmers’ Protests of 2020/21. That same passion translates into her work with GSA, where she is dedicated to listening and uplifting marginalized voices in the environmental justice community. In her free time, Shubhdeep likes to paint landscapes, write stories, and play guitar.
Yasser Sanobar, Assistant Community Organizer
Yasser Sanobar, Assistant Community OrganizerYasser is an enthusiastic 4th-year computer science student who emigrated from Damascus, Syria. His passion lies in using technology to solve practical problems, and to share with younger generations this love for technology. As an immigrant who now calls the Salish Sea area home, Yasser understands the importance of preserving its ecological integrity and ensuring its long-term sustainability as a way to give back to the community that has embraced him. In his free time, you’ll find Yasser on the football (soccer) field, the tennis court, or playing video games on a rainy day.
Zoe Taylor, Clean Marine BC Dock Walker
Zoe is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology at UBC. She has a deep love for the outdoors and expertise in paddle sports, combined with a strong foundation in biology and a genuine curiosity about ecosystems When she isn’t in school or working, you’ll find Zoe exploring the outdoors through trail running and mountain biking. Zoe lives on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.