Emma Clopton || The Southside Permaculture Park 

1) Give three examples of something very interesting you learned from a friend that was a completely alien concept to you

• Loving and Caring For Your Internal Ecosystem:  

My sister, Nadine, is someone who continuously inspires me everyday. She has taught me everything about connecting with nature and how to heal your body through natural routes. Her interests in homeopathic medicine has led her down a journey of healing through food and old traditional practices that have been overtaken by westernized medicine. Nadine has taught me that you have to be more intentional about what you feed your internal ecosystem. She has helped me develop a passion for nutrition and supporting microbiome health through organic foods. This concept of caring for your internal ecosystem has made me realize the importance of reciprocating that love and attention to the environment. Rather than treating the planet as a dumping ground and forgetting to recognize our ecosystems as our homes, we should hone in on the way our bodies feel after we provide it the care it needs and deserves. 

• “We Are The Architects of Our Lives” : 

Last year I took a trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. During the trip, I came across an artist’s gallery, Topher Straus, an impressionistic landscape artist. I was completely awestruck by the art he produced and had the opportunity to connect with him as he was sitting at a desk creating new content. He taught me how he creates his art and while interacting, I got to learn his story. I asked him if he had any piece of advice to share and he simply said that “we are the architects of our lives”. Whatever we wanna do in the future, to be change agents, to inspire and create impact whether it’s through an artistic outlet, political, or anything in between. 

• “How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything”: 

In my 6th grade, my teacher, Frank Murphy, was a huge advocate for teaching leadership lessons. His lessons would be interwoven with English lessons, learning the importance of being change agents through literature. One of the most valuable lessons I still hold myself to today is the idea of “how you do anything is how you do everything”. This quote by Martha Beck, emphasizes habits of handling certain situations. The way you manage challenges and experiences are most likely reciprocated in most other aspects of life. For example, if you find it challenging to make your bed in the morning, the attitude surrounding this self-care habit is most likely to be reciprocated in other self-care routine habits. By learning this quote at a young age, I continue to challenge myself and strive to improve the way I go about daily habits and experiences.

 2) List ten things that make you feel human

There are so many aspects to daily life that make me aware and appreciative of being human and present in this world. However, rarely do I ever reflect on the moments, especially the small ones, that make me abundantly grateful for being alive. Below is a list of the small and big moments that make me feel present, connected, and grounded:

1. Emotions… the good, the bad, & the ugly: I firmly believe that emotions are the #1 thing that makes you feel human. Being able to express and feel emotions allows you to create sincere connections with others. Feelings, whether happy or sad, draw people together to support and care for one another. Without emotions, I feel as though it would be near impossible to build impactful relationships with others, as well as for your planet. 
2.  Waking up energized: This is a very small part of the day that I rarely consider, but as I reflect on what makes me feel connected, this is one of the most important parts of my day. Waking up energized allows me to take on the day heads-on with confidence and filled with positive energy. 
3. Helping others: This may be cliche, but the overwhelming sense of gratification that overcomes you when you help someone is one of the most rewarding feelings. Knowing you can impact a person’s life for the better fuels me to continue to want to make a difference. 
4. Cooking: I use cooking as a meditative practice. Cooking is incredibly gratifying, knowing that I am providing myself nourishment through a creative outlet. With my interests in eating to support my gut health, I have loved finding ways to create and share colorful dishes that are packed with gut healthy foods and nutrients. Lastly, cooking is a way of expressing my appreciation for someone.
5. Creating & listening to music: Music has always been a creative outlet and an escape for me. I have been involved in vocal ensembles for over 10 years and have developed the most sincere connections with people. Music is expressive and a way to learn and appreciate different cultures. It also enriches our history, for music is our ancestor. Music is also a way to feel emotions and be moved/inspired. For me, I have always experienced musical frisson (when music is so impactful and melodic that my body physically reacts through chills/tears). Music lives within me and lives amongst us in all aspects of life. 
6. Being in nature: Every time I reconnect with mother nature, I tend to reflect on how the world has evolved to where I am grounded today. Seeing how different systems function harmoniously in nature makes me appreciate and remember how interconnected we all are.
7. Being with friends & family: Being surrounded by loved ones always makes me feel abundantly appreciative of being human. Even in the bad moments, I am still grateful that I am able to care deeply for others and experience the emotions of connection with others.
8. Traveling: I have always loved getting the opportunities to see and explore the world. Traveling for me is heavily routed around seeing nature and getting to learn about new cultures and traditions, whether it be through food, music, language, infrastructure, etc. Seeing the world also makes me so appreciative of life and how unique humans are.
9. Food: Food is one of the best ways to appreciate different cultures and to connect with others. Food is also a great way to connect with the past in addition to the present. Food is filled with memories, our favorite dishes are filled with feelings of nostalgia and will always have a way of bringing people together.
10. Work: As much as I oftentimes dread doing work, it is constantly a great reminder to be grateful for the opportunity to learn and study about different functions of society and of the world. Work is a way to dive into interests (or not) and become a more holistically-minded individual. I will always be thankful to have the opportunity to constantly learn and grow.

3) Articulate your philosophy of engagement as it pertains to your work with the Impact Fellowship… 

• Why should I engage? 

Being an Environmental Studies major who is heavily passionate about improving community spaces and health, I feel like so much needs to be acted upon within the Bethlehem community. Over the past 8 years, I have watched this community slowly become displaced due to rapid gentrification. Residents of Bethlehem also lack affordable healthy food access; with only one grocery store in town and a seasonal farmer’s market that really does not supply abundant healthy food options, it is difficult for residents of the Southside to make lifestyle changes affordably. Access to grocery stores is a social determinant of health that is a crucial component to the overall web of health. The Permaculture Park is a way for Lehigh University to assist the community by providing affordable access to regeneratively grown, nutrient-rich foods that do not disrupt the local ecosystem. The park also provides an inviting green space for community members to enjoy that removes them from urban chaos. Access to healthy food is a raging pandemic across the globe and it is important to seek out the opportunities to make positive change and improve the livelihoods of local communities to rebuild their health.

• How must I engage? 

There are many ways to engage with the community as an IF. For one, it is important to ensure that the permaculture park is an inviting open space for everyone to enjoy and take reasonably from. Communication, whether it be in-person or online, is essential to working towards the overall goal of providing a healthy food source to the Southside Bethlehem community. I must also engage within the institution, encouraging Lehigh to support projects like the SSPP that serve and give back to the community. Additionally, it is important to always invite and entertain questions about permaculture and continue to learn from one another and the community as to how we can best provide and make impactful change with minimal risk.

• With whom must I engage?

For my Impact Fellowship, I must engage with the Southside Bethlehem/ Lehigh Valley community, Lehigh University community, and with partners whether that may be local or not. I must engage with community members and work amongst them, listen to their stories and get to truly know what it is like growing up in this urban food desert. I must listen to their hopes and visions for the green future of the small city. I must also engage with Lehigh University, pushing the institution to open its arms more for the Bethlehem community. Lehigh is pushing the local community away, gentrifying the area and displacing individuals. A call to action is necessary, there must be internal institutional changes to encourage Lehigh to provide for the community, not extract from it. I firmly believe that the Permaculture Park is an extended arm that Lehigh offers (despite the never-ending conflicts) to the Bethlehem community to serve and improve the area. Lastly, I must engage with local organizations to stimulate the local economy, work with community members, provide education surrounding healthy and sustainable food options and the importance of green space.

• What kinds of challenges, opportunities, and approaches should I care about?

I believe that all challenges I may face over the next year are great opportunities to push for a healthier Southside Bethlehem community. Challenges will include resistance from Lehigh University and its’ lack of interest in getting involved with the local community. Challenges will also include advocating for urban green space, spreading the message and ethics about permaculture practices, encouraging healthy food options especially those that are locally grown. Additionally, challenges will also stem from environmental components, dealing with deer and pest management, uncertainties with weather, growing sufficient yields, etc. I believe that all of these obstacles are opportunities for learning and a way to emotionally connect even closer to the project. Lastly, I believe that no matter what obstacle is being faced, it should be dealt with patiently and proactively. It is important to not give up and to be patient, especially when dealing with trial and error with producing food.

• What might my epitaph read?

“Be Where Your Feet Are”. This means that you should be in the present and enjoy life, especially in the now. Time flies by, it is important to remain grounded in the now, build connections that will last a lifetime, make positive impact, and just simply feel. I myself will oftentimes feel sensations of disconnection from the present, losing myself in thoughts of the past (not necessarily healthy nostalgic memories). Being where your feet are allows you to remain anchored, focused, and appreciative of where you are now. This is a mantra I hold myself accountable to each day and will continue to improve on daily.