Monica Wilson: transforming buildings and communities for greater accessibility and inclusivity
Who are you?
I am a biracial first-generation college graduate. My parents had me when they were teenagers and chose to finish high school and work many jobs to raise me as soon as they graduated and got married. You could say that I got to watch my parents grow up and become adults because they had me so young. My mom is white, and my dad is black, so my identity shaped how I understand race and its effect on not only how you see yourself, but how others treat and see you. My parents didn’t raise me to see hierarchies of people based on social constructs. Instead, they gave me a dual experience of what it means to be "both", which a lot of mixed kids miss out on.
I currently work for the United States Green Building Council as an Environmental Scientist where my focus is on wellness, healthy and green buildings, and human health in the built environment, following the standards of the WELL Building Standard created by Delos and what is now the International WELL Building Institute.
What drew you to sustainability?
In 2006, my 9th grade Earth Science teacher made our class watch “An Inconvenient Truth”, which is a documentary about the future of global warming. I was so frightened by the film that from that moment on, I chose a path of math, science, engineering, and ultimately sustainability that has brought me back to the complexities of climate change that I saw in that film.
What was your first job in sustainability and how did you go about finding a job in the field?
I worked in wastewater treatment as a Chemist, Project Engineer, and Pilot Plant Engineer in a research lab, which I applied for online about 7 months after I graduated college. Yes, you read that right, human wastewater! I had the opportunity to analyze water in the lab, order mechanical parts and review drawings for water disinfection systems on the project engineering side, and then actually go test out all the equipment on-site at a major treatment plant.
It was not a glamorous job, nor was it intended to be, however, I worked with a very intelligent international team who gave me sensible advice on working in the industry as a woman. I enjoyed my time there and the constant learning curve I was on. It was a very physically demanding job, and I would work different shifts throughout the day and night when I was in the field on assignment. Water Chemistry is still an important aspect of my role today, which makes me thankful for my first job.
Your current work ties to the built environment and the notion of health and community. Do you see linkages to equity as well?
Yes, there are so many moving parts to the levels of change that are vital to driving equity in a sustainable manner that stretches beyond just listening. Equity is not a one-time conversation, nor is it just about cool green buildings. Sustainable spaces are those that are inclusive and accessible and built on a foundation of community trust. Health equity means providing opportunities for everyone to live the healthiest life possible, no matter who you are, where you live, or how much money you make.
I advocate for building industry leaders and corporations to build environmentally advanced developments where black families can feel safe and can access food, and the sense of community that many privileged cities and communities experience within the green building lifestyle. No one is free until everyone is free. To be in the right relationship with the environment first requires us to be in the right relationship with each other.
Why do you think diversity in sustainability is important?
I think it's important for two reasons. The experience of a minority professional in the field can be isolating and traumatic. Aside from the integrity of my work, my hair texture is being judged when it comes to appearance. When I am being vocal, others are paying close attention to how I speak, whether I “sound black”, aggressive, or shockingly, articulate. There are additional challenges that come with being black in the workplace, and for me being mixed race, having both a white and black experience, these are situations I have dealt with my entire life.
It can be a shock to be the only black employee, even if you are the first to do so. I'm not ashamed to admit that I have been the “first” in multiple jobs because I recognize my importance. I was usually the only black student in my classes in my undergraduate career. That isolating experience in college ironically prepared me for what was ahead. With diversity in the field, we understand that it’s always much deeper than just showing up to work and doing your best. You must find a way to show up as who you are and feel valued by others when everyone is meeting in the same room, and not hesitate to open up about yourself in fear that any information could be used against you or create a racial divide in the workplace.
The second reason is that the sustainability of this earth cannot be managed and achieved by only non-minorities. At times I am deeply frustrated because eco lifestyles are so out of reach and not accessible to minority groups and instead catered to communities with better neighborhoods, better schools, and better grocery stores. These factors can impact the trajectory of one’s life, putting minorities at a huge disadvantage than their white counterparts.
When you are living paycheck to paycheck, how do you have time to reduce harmful toxins in your house? You don’t have the time, nor the mental capacity, because you are in survival mode. I want this harsh reality to be more understood in this industry, and no more turning a blind eye. My parents didn’t have these environmental thoughts while raising me at their young age because they were overcoming racism while becoming functional members of society without access and privilege. I’ve had to educate myself as well as my family on the concept of being well beyond just surviving and paying bills.
Do you have a mentor? How have they helped you in your personal growth?
I currently do not have a mentor and am always open to that experience. In the meantime, I am inspired by women who are navigating their lives and careers in a way that works for them across different industries. I love following stories of female founders and CEO’s who have evolved so much as women where they left jobs, refused to accept the status quo, uprooted their life, welcomed new beginnings, did lots of inner work, went on to start families, and ultimately have everything work out in the end under a successful business and village because they followed their intuition and lived in their truth. There’s a lot of grit, tenacity, loss, and hard times in those stories. Those women keep me going. I see myself in them as I am constantly evolving.
What has been your proudest moment to date?
Personally, I am proud of myself for preferring an outdoor lifestyle in my free time despite the negative stereotypes that exist about people who look like me in the great outdoors, and the lack of black people having outdoor hobbies. During the 2020 part of the pandemic, I went camping without cell service multiple times, completed 30 short distance hikes, and climbed my first 14er (14,000 ft) mountain. I also traded in my comfortable city life and embarked on a van vacation, traveling across 8 states, 3,000 miles, and living out of a camper van for an entire week. While that may not be appealing to others, it was the best experience I have had to date. Being able to only rely on essential items, have an open mind, and the freedom and flexibility to travel is much more important to me than material items and keeping up with a certain lifestyle we are all told to have.
Professionally, passing the WELL AP exam on my first try with a 93% score was a big surprise and accomplishment for me during the pandemic. It's not uncommon to have to retake the exam. There’s a lot of medical scientific data that you must understand, such as Optometry and understanding the endocrine body system. I am not a doctor nor was I a health science major, so studying for the exam took extra time and effort. I studied for 4 months, before and after work, on the weekends, took online classes, 11 practice exams, and did not have much time to be virtually social during 2020. It paid off big time, although it was a challenging season of my life.
What advice/quote do you most live by and why?
I'm living by something so simple yet so deep written by wellness guru Hannah Bronfman. “Do what feels good”. I have been trying to understand what this means for me after once meeting Hannah at a book signing of hers two years ago. To me, that does not always mean slack off and have an easy day or go back to sleep. Rather, it means being real with myself. I do what feels good by being intentional about the outcomes in life I want and the woman I want to be. Like most, the pandemic has forced me to reevaluate connections, friendships, the type of daughter and sister I am and decide to let go of what I have outgrown and what is not a good fit. That's what has felt good right now, although it's tough, deep work that must happen.
What issues in sustainability are you most concerned about?
I'm concerned about buildings and facilities that will have to invest in occupant health by upgrading their building envelope, based on what we have learned about the indoor transmission of COVID 19.
What development(s) have excited you most in the field?
It makes me happy to see the workplace prioritize health and safety for its people without compromising the workplace experience by developing strategies to better prepare organizations for short-, mid-and long-term changes caused by COVID 19.
Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future, and why?
Both. I do not know if I will leave this earth better than I left it, but I will remember that in my lifetime climate events were once predictable, and then started to worsen over time. I’ve lived through bad storms, earthquakes, and wildfires and it is traumatic. I will remember being a little girl and learning about the Civil Rights Movement in textbooks and then being an adult and seeing riots in 2020. It's hard being a human during these times, and so the best I can do is give myself grace and know that my relatives that are long gone overcame so much so that I could simply exist and make a difference in modern-day society.
What’s next for you?
When the world opens back up, most likely I will travel internationally for work, which is very exciting. I will experience what it is like to work globally and remotely. For now, I'm being more strategic this year with my time before I turn 30. My life isn’t going to stop once I turn 30, but I am gearing up for bigger shifts and I am laying the groundwork down now and staying open to what the future holds. I am also reflecting on how much I have evolved and how I created my path to walk down as a trailblazer. Personally, I’d like to climb a couple of mountains this year, do another cross-country van trip, and enjoy life more without the internet taking over every aspect of it.