August 1, 2024
Former PLAN interns Alex Gordon and Sofia Mesa were led to careers with Break Free From Plastic. Follow along on how they've drawn on their experiences with PLAN to organize for a global movement.
Alex: I've been really proud of doing the little things — like helping streamline some of our systems to make things easier for BFFP members — I think it's been really rewarding.
Sofia: BFFP had a regional Convening in January that was co-hosted by PLAN. We wanted to really prioritize resue solutions and centering youth in the movement. [At the convening], we figured out how we can best be a community, learn from one another, get outside, and strengthening the existing bonds that we have.
“Everyone at PLAN has had a really critical role in shaping my Theory of Change and teaching me different ways of organizing and making a difference in the community.” - Alex
During her internship at PLAN, Alex helped initiate the Students Taking On Oil & Petrochemicals (S.T.O.P) Fellowship, a program designed to empower and support student-led campaigns addressing plastic waste. Alex was instrumental in organizing and curating resources for fellows, including workshops and training sessions focused on effective plastic reduction strategies and advocacy.
“Something that was really exciting for me though was figuring out the solutions. I try to be very positive focused — especially in environmental spaces — the doom and gloom of it all can take a toll. So for me, my main project was creating the Pouring Rights Manual." - Sofia
In their role with PLAN, Sofia played a pivotal part in the creation and publication of the groundbreaking Pouring Rights Manual. They recognized a need for transparency and actionable strategies in the fight against single-use plastics and Big Soda on their college campus. Sofia’s expertise was instrumental in crafting the first-ever comprehensive guide to understand on-campus contracts with industry polluters.
