Introducing UUMFE Intern Maya Goss

Hello, I’m Maya Goss! I’m so excited to be interning with the UUMFE. I’m from Long Island, New York, where I just graduated high school, and I attend the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock (UUCSR). I’ve been a UU for over ten years, and it’s been an enormous part of my life. I have been a member of the New York Metro District’s Youth Adult Committee (YAC) for the past few years, holding various leadership positions, most notably worship coordinator. I have also taken two separate service trips with my youth group at UUCSR: one to West Virginia, and one to the Pine Ridge Native American Reservation. Both were incredibly valuable experiences that really broadened my perspective.

I am passionate about a great deal of issues, but climate justice is at the forefront for a myriad of reasons. One is that there is a time limit on climate action, and as a young adult, my future depends the success of this movement, sooner rather than later. Another is the intersectionality of the climate crisis. Climate justice is social justice, so my desire for equity and fairness in society only increases my desire for a sustainable future. This passion led me to join the UUMFE as an intern, and I hope that through this organization I will be able to help enact change. I intend to learn all I can about the issues we are facing and the ways that we can solve them, including building partnerships and following Indigenous leadership.

This fall, I will be studying Physics at McGill University in Montreal. Though my major is not environmentally related, I do intend to seek a minor in Environmental Studies, and I will participate as much as possible in local climate activism. This summer, I hope to work with the UUMFE to create a plan for the future and to cultivate relationships across all different levels of activist leadership, connecting with many different organizations. I believe my internship here will allow me to cultivate real change, and provide me with knowledge and resources to continue in the fight for climate justice as long as it is necessary. I can’t wait to get started!