Today we’d like to introduce you to Ludivine.
Hi Ludivine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always cared about nature, but the turning point came in middle school when I watched Greta Thunberg speak at the UN Climate Change Conference. Seeing someone my age call out world leaders inspired me to act. Not long after, I began making small changes at school, like advocating for better lunch options and reducing single-use plastics.
In high school, my passion for conservation really grew. From sophomore through senior year, I volunteered with Zoo ALIVE at the Saint Louis Zoo, where I got to educate guests about sustainability and be part of campaigns like #ByeToBags that encouraged people to cut down on plastic use. During my junior year, I expanded into fieldwork as a Conservation Intern with the National Audubon Society, where I worked on habitat restoration, bird surveys, and invasive species removal across eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
Then, during my senior year, I launched a recycling program at my school. At the time, there was no culture of recycling, so I started small: but that program has since grown to serve hundreds of students and staff across the district. It was one of my proudest projects, and it even earned me the Student Environmental Action Award from the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.
This past summer, after graduating, I stepped into a new role as an assistant educator at the Saint Louis Zoo. I worked with Camp Kangazoo and Teen Camp, teaching kids about conservation and helping them see how a week of camp could lead to lifelong change. At the same time, I’ve continued writing: launching a Substack where I share ideas with teens and young adults about sustainable living.
Now, I’m an honors biology student at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and all of these experiences come together in my goal of helping people connect with nature and feel empowered to protect it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth. In 2020, my sister Jadzia passed away, and I had to grow up quickly. Suddenly, I wasn’t the younger sibling anymore.I had to be the older one. That loss shaped me in ways I’m still unpacking, but it also gave me perspective. It taught me the importance of using my time to make a difference.
Another challenge has been navigating the environmental space as a young woman of color. I rarely see people who look like me in this field, especially Latinas, and at times that’s been isolating. But in a strange way it also encourages me: I want to be that person younger students can look at and say, “She looks like me, and she’s making a difference.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in environmental education, conservation outreach, and youth leadership. At the Saint Louis Zoo, I’ve taught thousands of campers and guests about sustainability and ecology, helping them see how their small choices can add up to real impact.
I’m also deeply involved in community-based sustainability. The recycling program I launched in my high school district has been one of my proudest achievements because it created a culture shift where none existed before. That project earned me the Student Environmental Action Award from the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.
What sets me apart is that I bridge different worlds; I’m an educator, a writer, a student leader, and a conservationist. Whether I’m writing an article, leading campers, or doing fieldwork, I try to make environmentalism accessible. My strength is meeting people where they are and giving them the tools and confidence to care for the planet in their own way.
What matters most to you? Why?
The most important thing to me is saving the world: the life, nature, and communities that make it worth living in. That may sound ambitious, but it’s my dream! My generation is inheriting problems we didn’t create, and I believe it’s our responsibility to take action while also preparing future generations to carry the work forward.
At the core of it, what matters most to me is justice. Ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, has access to the knowledge and resources needed to live sustainably. I want to leave behind not just a healthier planet, but also a culture of care, equity, and responsibility for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ludaivine.substack.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ludithelorax/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ludaivine/
Image Credit:
Joshua Renaud
