After earning a BA in philosophy and psychology from the University of Maryland, Japjyot Singh (ਜਪਜੋਤ ਸਿੰਘ) (MS ’24) found himself working in a direct-service role at an intimate partner violence shelter. The experience sparked a passion for community engagement and direct-service work. Singh realized he wanted to become a stronger leader in direct-service work and began exploring graduate school. Upon this reflection, they started to think of ”leadership” beyond a professional role, and as an expertise to build. “I began to question what I actually wanted to become an ‘expert’ in, so I started looking at social justice-oriented programs,” Singh said.

Singh chose SEAS because he could see the efforts the school was putting forth in growing its Environmental Justice specialization and with faculty like Kyle Whyte and Tony Reames. Singh “was very much drawn by the work they were doing and wanted to be a part of that as much as possible.” 

Pursuing environmental justice

Singh recognizes the robustness, reliability and consistency of climate change research. However, environmental work also “requires people who can ensure that this information and knowledge reaches the most disempowered and vulnerable communities.” He observed that when discussions around climate change shift towards BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) communities, “they’re not respected or heard in the same way.” 

Singh became inspired to pursue the Environmental Justice track because “environmental justice seems to be the only way forward. It’s acknowledging feelings of fear and urgency, but knowing that nothing gets better until we actually realize we need to learn how to listen first, and if we don’t have these important conversations, these communities will continue to bear the most climate burdens.”

SEAS experience

Reflecting on their time at SEAS as a whole, Singh couldn’t help but emphasize his surprise at how engaging the program is. “Master’s programs typically are very difficult for students to engage in. However, I felt that the environmental justice community that I was able to connect to and learn from helped ground my coursework, political engagements and other life considerations,” he said.

During their time at SEAS, Singh was appointed a Climate Justice Movement Catalyst Fellow at the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment, where he had the opportunity to work with a cohort of fellows to address environmental justice issues through community partnerships and community-building efforts. Singh reflects on how there was constant dialogue between folks on how to show up better for the communities they are serving and will serve in the future. The experience was exemplified by the Tishman Center’s Inaugural Director Michelle Martinez (MS ’08) and Faculty Director Whyte, alongside Project Coordinator Paula Astudillo and Community Research Coordinator Malu Castro, who emphasized the need to be intentional with all community relationships. 

 “The Tishman Center truly became a safe space for environmental justice conversations to be dreamt, considered and implemented,” Singh said.

While pursuing his thesis, “Considering Indigenous and Sikh Solidarities Through Understanding ‘Memory,’” advised by Whyte and Arvindpal Mandair, Singh noted that the process of taking the time to absorb essential materials suggested from mentors along with the breadth of information provided from coursework felt overwhelming at times. However, as his thesis wraps up, Singh reflected on how they’re grateful to have been given the opportunity to develop a project that is engaging in a “philosophical approach to talking about land relationships, justice and identity and bringing in ‘praxis’ as it relates to this.”

Looking ahead

After graduating from SEAS, Singh plans to pursue a PhD in Fall 2025. He aims to work in an environment that will “allow me to hone my technical skills, alongside an environmental justice lens, to better create sustainability opportunities to be shared with BIPOC communities in the Midwest.”

His advice for future environmental justice students is to embrace the SEAS program’s process of self-learning, community dialectics and historical analysis, and if any parts of that process begin to feel overwhelming, “communicate to your professors to get their feedback and support in your growing process.”