Even if you don’t know Mavis Anderson, you may recognize her by her eccentric dress and loud voice on topics of the environment and equality. As a freshman sustainability major with a focus on environmental conservation, she can be seen around campus raising environmental awareness and advocating on behalf of The Green League student organization.
Anderson was president of her high school’s environmental club for three years before attending SU. Swedish environmental activist for climate change Greta Thunberg inspired Anderson to care more about how the Earth is being cared for. Thunberg gained popularity back in 2018, when Anderson was in high school.
She is now an officer for Shippensburg University’s Green League. “That was a big part of me and I didn’t want to leave it,” she explained, talking about her high school involvement. Anderson is currently the Head of Students for Environmental Action and Sustainability and is working to organize events like Stewardship Week and the annual Earth Day event. In her position, Anderson also does monthly environmentally friendly crafts. Last month, she organized an environmentally friendly tie dye event.
Through her projects in the environment during high school, Anderson found a spiritual connection. “Through my environmentalism, I started getting more spiritual — going to crystal shops and meditating and yoga and learning of how to be one with the environment,” Anderson said.
“I wasn’t just caring for the environment; I was being a part of it. I was grounding to the environment, I was meditating in it,” Anderson said. “It wasn’t just what I was walking through, it’s what I live on and it became more of a deeper focus. So now it’s awesome because when I care for the environment, I’m taking care of it but it’s like I’m taking care of our mother, I’m not just taking care of what I step on.”
Her spirituality and care for the environment has played a decent role in her style as well. Through her spirituality, she gained confidence and didn’t care as much about what others thought of her.
Anderson’s spirituality is a part of her expressed style of dress. “I obviously speak a lot, so I may as well look cool while I do it,” she said. With her gained confidence and crystal adorned outfits, Anderson is always there to speak out against hate and speak up for the Earth.
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