Meet Cieara West | Co-founder of Environmental Queers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cieara West and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cieara, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Environmental Queers’ mission is to provide a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to do environmental work and meet other like-minded folk. A happy, healthy community and environment go hand in hand. Environmental Queers provides the space and time for queer folk to get out in nature, knowing that when they step into a space they are amongst friends. Many of our volunteers have found community and friendship through attending our events. I’ve talked to several people who told me they needed a new way to feel a part of the LGBTQIA+ community without having to go to bars or big parties, and I am proud that we have been able to foster a sense of community in positive ways. Environmental Queers is focused on the LGBTQIA+ community of Los Angeles with a greater goal of reaching other cities in the US and perhaps beyond where LGBTQIA+ folk can make friends and find a community through caring for the environment.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We now are officially a California nonprofit! Our success with beach and trail cleanups and volunteering with local organizations, such as TreePeople, has created a community of folks in L.A. who enjoy making a positive change. These positive actions create a chain reaction that we hope gets bigger and bigger. Environmental Queers has co-hosted events with other queer communities, such as Queers on Gears in Long beach. We would love to continue collaborating with more queer organizations and events to show that environmental work is not just limited to picking up trash but to living a sustainable (as possible) lifestyle that bleeds over into all parts of our lives. Please reach out if you want to work together! Coming up, we are releasing a collection of recycled Environmental Queers merch that we sourced here in L.A.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This summer, friends of mine from Atlanta visited, here is a bit of our itinerary. A hike around Lake Hollywood Park for the perfect photo with the Hollywood sign. If you continue along the walking trail, you’ll take a step into the quiet of nature while getting a glimpse of the city below. Don’t forget to pick up any trash you see along the way – little works go a long way. Drive through the dizzy Hollywood hills to Mulholland Drive for more breath-taking views (especially at sunset) and witness million dollar mansions hanging off the hillside. Grab lunch outside at Loupiotte Kitchen in Los Feliz and order the Croque Monsieur and a Ricard to drink to get a taste of Paris or walk down the street to Tacos Tu Madre for their Bánh Mi burrito and an aqua fresca. Even if there’s traffic (of course there’s traffic), venture out to Venice Beach to rent a Metro bike and ride along the coast. Afterwards, grab a sandwich and a sparkling ginger lemonade at Gjusta. If the timing is right, Environmental Queers will be hosting a beach cleanup that you can join. Make sure to catch the famous west coast sunset for those essential beach pics for the gram.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Claire Grellier: she is both my partner in the organization and in life. We founded Environmental Queers together nearly a year ago when I had the idea to host a beach cleanup with the LGBTQIA+ community. Her entrepreneurial skills and eye for business has guided my more creative mind to take Environmental Queers further than just a beach cleanup. She sees a bright future for Environmental Queers and the possibilities that lie in the nonprofit. So thank you, Claire for always encouraging me to put in more than just the bare minimum and see what the future can hold if we create it ourselves.

Website: www.environmentalqueers.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/environmentalqueers/