MSR introduces new environmental justice column: According to us, Clean Power

As part of the Science Museum, Urban Heat Island internship, three students — Shiranthi Goonathilaka, Cynthia Harris, and Josh Stewart — will be writing a monthly column, According to us, Clean Power, on the Clean Power Plan.

The MSR introduces this monthly series with their bios and their first column:  Focusing on clean power protects our planet, our health.

Shiranthi Goonathilaka

Shiranthi Goonathilaka is a senior biology major/environmental health minor at Spelman College from St. Paul, Minnesota. From a young age, Goonathilaka has known that her life is not her own, in the sense that she cannot just think of herself, but her mother, people and community in regards to her future aspirations. It is not enough for her to just better herself. She refuses to wait until society sees her as established to start implementing social and environmental change; she is using her skills to implement the change she wants to see in the world.

Cynthia Harris

Cynthia Harris is a senior music major with a concentration in vocal performance at Spelman College from Detroit, Michigan. Harris has been passionate about music, singing, and performing for all of her life. Upon entering college, Harris found an appeal to environmental and social justice. Now she feels compelled to apply her talents and passions to environmental and social justice advocacy.

Josh Stewart

Josh Stewart is marketing and management student at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. He is originally from Chicago, IL and grew up in Minnetonka, MN. He has always had a passion for social justice issues. After his freshmen year of college he and his roommate at the time attended the White Privilege conference and that was when they founded a social justice club at their school called The Black Student Union. As president of The Black Student Union, he and the club of 35 students fundraised, organized events, and attended conferences about social justice issues around the country. As he finishes up his last year of his undergraduate degree, he plans to attend law school, as he has a strong passion for law.