"Green Crew Has Been a Life-Changing Experience"

Jordan is a member of our Green Crew, a workforce development program supported by San Francisco Public Works that provides paid urban forestry jobs for young adults. Tell us about yourself. What were you doing before you joined Green Crew? I consider myself an environmentalist. Before I started working at Friends of the Urban Forest, I got a degree in environmental studies from San Francisco State University. I've always been interested in plants and nature. In my senior year, I completed projects related to urban greening and environmental restoration. Searching for a job after college can be difficult. I'd already been aware of Friends of the Urban Forest from living in San Francisco and seeing their work in the community. My role on Green Crew was a perfect fit for my interests. What are one or two things you've learned working with Green Crew that stand out to you? One thing I've learned is that you need to start small in order to make a big difference. You also need to begin in the community around you. A simple act like planting a tree can add up to a big impact. We can only do so much working alone. Getting to know your neighbors enables local change that can be scaled to larger levels of impact. What's different for you today than when you started working with Green Crew? First, I'm a happier person. I love my job and my co-workers. I'm really proud of the work that we do, which is a special and rare thing. I'm also more confident in my skills and abilities across the board. Seeing the tangible results of my work has boosted my confidence. Finally, I have a clearer direction of where I want to take my career, and I'd love to continue working in urban forestry or a related field. What are your goals? Where do you see yourself in a few years? I would like to establish a career in the environmental sector here in the San Francisco Bay Area, my home. It would be great to work at an organization like Friends of the Urban Forest that is aligned with that mission and works with plants in an urban setting. I'd also like to go back to school to get my master's degree in ecology or environmental management. Green Crew has been a life-changing experience. It has opened doors and provided valuable job experience, including traditional office skills as well as more physical, hands-on work. I've also gained a ton of knowledge about trees and plants in our city environment. I feel like I have more opportunities in the field I'm interested in. It's also just been a lot of fun! I really love the people I get to work with.