Joanna Cao

General Science Major

When did you join as a volunteer at Embark and what have you done here?

I joined Embark in September 2017 and was part of the climate action team. Throughout my time at Embark, I have helped with promoting the Monday Veggie challenge, participated in various community cohort, and arranging the Fast Fashion and Upcycling Workshop that recently happened.

Why were you interested in volunteering at Embark?

I wanted to volunteer at Embark because I want to be part of a group that is trying to do good to the society. I had paid a lot of attention to climate change these years and wanted to be involved in it. I first began by figuring out ways that I can be more environmentally friendly in my daily life by purchasing less packaged food, more organic food, and becoming a vegetarian. However, I want to be more involved and learn from people who have the same vision and value as me.

What are the benefits of volunteering at Embark?

There are a lot of benefits of volunteering at Embark! I was able to meet many great and kind people, be inspired by their stories and obtain a lot of valuable knowledge. I was also able to find my strength and purpose by being part of an organization that is trying to make a change to the community! By being a volunteer, I am able to understand what selflessly is and truly devote myself to something without expecting any return. The value of volunteering is that you will understand the joy of doing something without expecting anything in return. Moreover, it has helped me to raise awareness of the world around us, especially with issues around Kinder Morgan pipeline projects and the reconciliation with indigenous people. By realizing these issues, I realize how imperfect our world is and how much I should help.

What’s your favourite thing about Embark?

My favourite thing about Embark is that the people are all super friendly and positive. Everybody is very understanding and trying to help each other. It is a great environment to volunteer. Also, you will learn a lot from the experience and meet many great people.

What are your main takeaways from volunteering?

My main takeaway from this volunteering experience is that by contributing to something you value without expecting anything in return, you will always feel a sense of confidence, purpose, and happiness.