“Communication is nothing more than the exchange of information. Hence, at its broadest sense, environmental communication is necessary for the survival of every living system, be it an organism, an ecosystem, or a social system.”
-Alexander G. Flo (Environmental Communication, 2004)
The interdisciplinary field of environmental humanities weaves together research from the natural, applied, and social sciences with storytelling, art, creativity, and community building. It values indigenous ways of knowing as well as non-human perspectives.
The House Off Olive Avenue
In fall 2020, the students in English 122 “Nature Writing and the Environment” wrote and performed an original Zoom play, The House Off Olive Avenue: Quarantine Voices in the San Joaquín Valley.
The play was inspired by the themes of activism and environmental justice in Cherríe Moraga’s play Heroes and Saints. After receiving some pro tips from Cherríe herself during a special Zoom guest lecture, the students got to work!
Taking on issues like COVID, distance learning, the California fires, Black Lives Matter, and the election, The House Off Olive Avenue is a true time capsule of 2020!