A UNM student has been busy this weekend contacting New Mexico politicians while working with 100 other students in Washington, D.C., to better protect the nation's wildlands.
Willa Hafich, a freshman studying within University College, began attending the Public Lands Action summit in Washington, D.C., Friday.
"We plan to lobby our state's reps and senators to make sure they know where we stand on issues," Hafich said.
The summit is organized by the Sierra Student Coalition, the student-run arm of the Sierra Club.
Hafich will be joined by her sister Katya, a student at Albuquerque Academy, and 100 other students from across the country to learn more about America's national treasures. The sisters will also get an opportunity to discuss those issues with their state's elected officials.
Hafich said she would be visiting the offices of Sens. Pete Dominici, R-N.M., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M, and Reps. Tom Udall, D-N.M, and Heather Wilson, R-N.M.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
She said that the goal of the Public Lands Action Summit is for students from around the country to get together and learn about activism, lobbying and what their sister groups are doing on other campuses.
As well as being a member of the Sierra Student Coalition, Hafich is also a member of Albuquerque Students Taking Action for Progress, a local organization that has worked on many issues that affect students, the most recent being Wednesday's anti-war protest.
The Sierra Student Coalition, with 24,000 members, 200 high school and college environmental groups and more than 40 student leaders, helps young people take effective action for the environment.
"Every year that the students come to D.C. for the weekend we are one step closer to protecting America's public lands," said Mike Bybee, the Sierra Student Club's national director. "Willa and Katya are playing a critical role in making that happen."
Hafich said she planned on using this learning experience as a vehicle for something greater in her life.
"I would love to preserve wildlands and defend them as a job," Hafich said. "I will continue to be involved with these issues throughout my life. There are many organizations out there trying to preserve land and all they need is manpower."
The Public Lands Action Summit, organized by the Sierra Student Coalition, will run through tomorrow.
