Most Likely To… Tell You Off For Not Recycling

Rachel Tress is our intern here at Dialogue. We invited her to introduce herself.

Most people had some kind of reputation in high school or something they were known for, like the class comedian, the singer, or the kid you ask to copy their math homework.  Somehow, I had gained the reputation of being a person who rambled on about recycling and global warming.  (I was very fun to be around.) 

To better inform my ramblings, I attended summer programs at Georgia Tech that focused on environmental engineering, where I was surrounded by other kids who were also passionate about the environment and sustainability.  I come from a pretty small high school, so it was incredible for me to find other people my age with the same interests.

Rachel, age 15, presented her final project on a recycling app at the end of the summer program.

After graduating, I decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in public health at Georgia State University. This is where I learned the deep connections between the environment and health.

Probably the most important topic I have learned is health equity, which essentially means providing the opportunity to attain full health potential regardless of location, race, religion, and gender. 

With the predicted health impacts that will result from climate change, underserved populations--largely people of color--will be hit the hardest.  I strive to be a part of the efforts to prevent this from happening and to repair the system that has gotten us to this place. 

With all the scary “doomsday” things we hear on the news about climate change, it is important to know that it is not too late for us to do something about it.  This summer internship with Dialogue allows me to apply my background in effective health communication and foundations of public health to topics like climate solutions and clean water.  We live in a time with so much misinformation being thrown at us that it is difficult to know what to accept.  Especially when it comes to our health, accurate and understandable information is essential to making informed decisions.  I was drawn to Dialogue because of the team's passion for providing this information in a compelling manner to client audiences. 

I am thrilled and grateful to be working with Dialogue and its clients this summer.  I know I have a lot to learn from them, and I hope I can bring a new perspective to their work.  My 15-year-old self would be ecstatic to be a part of such an important mission, and even more excited to have something new to ramble about to unsuspecting audiences.