Raksha Vasudevan is currently the Bruce S. Goldberg Postdoctoral Fellow in Youth Wellbeing for the Center for Sustainable Futures at Teachers College. Working at the intersection of youth geography, spatial justice, and sustainability, she examines how young people stake claim to city spaces in the Americas, despite planning and education systems that hinder their opportunity to thrive. In her ongoing ethnographic work in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Raksha explores how the island’s history of colonialism shapes the everyday lived experiences of young people who live in river communities, or informal settlements, particularly as the government begins to prioritize climate change planning.
In New York City, Raksha is beginning to examine how youth and their parents understand, frame, and negotiate climate uncertainties in the midst of other everyday challenges. Raksha utilizes feminist, arts-based, and embodied mapping methods as a means to engage youth and other typically marginalized city stakeholders. In her work, she draws from a range of prior experiences, including her work as an intern Architect and elementary school teacher. She also managed the sustainability program for a membership organization of local elected officials.
Lunch will be provided. The purpose of the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development Speaker Series is to expose students to various topics in the sustainability field and to encourage them to think about their next steps after graduation.
