Melody serves as the Climate Justice Campaign Coordinator at Sojourners, a role she hopes to honor by lifting up the stories of people who bear the brunt of climate change (and who contribute the least to it) and cultivating leadership on earthkeeping within the Church. She is compelled to advocate for urban sustainability and climate justice because of Jesus' calling to love the least of these and His invitation to love her neighbor as herself. As Jesus draws himself nearest to the people most oppressed and ostracized in society, so she seeks to do the same. She believes deeply that although the Church is historically late to this conversation, it can and must play a critical role as the people of God through embodied practice of environmental justice.
Melody was born in Anhui, China and was raised in metro-Detroit, where she grew up in Asian American community and fellowship. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies and Philosophy from the University of Michigan, and serves as Co-Chair at Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. Upon graduating, she traveled and volunteered through Rome, Zurich, and Copenhagen on an independent study and worked as an urban design assistant in the Netherlands out of a passion for understanding how the distinct culture and values of local people spell out its city infrastructure. In the past, she has led creation care conversations at her church, apprenticed on a small organic farm, helped start the first sustainable living community at U-M, and worked as a graphic designer.
In her free time, Melody loves exploring parks of all shapes and sizes, reading, jamming out to indie rock, and listening to the smooth, velvety voice of Krista Tippett on On Being. She looks forward to making ugly pottery to provide a home for her indoor plants.
