Our 2026 summer fellows – Genesis, Kierra and Luke – took a moment to reflect on how they helped "explore, enjoy and protect" with the N.C. Chapter. They spoke with our Charlotte-based organizer, MaryAnn Sanders, at their last event with us, the Sierra Student Coalition's Summer Program. Take a look at the videos below for their inspirations, observations and plans for the future!
Genesis Ibrahim-Balogun
Genesis focused on environmental studies after learning that the leukemia that caused her grandmother's passing was due to the environment she lived in. She earned her Sierra Club Outings leadership certification with events that used time spent in nature as a way to reflect with journaling and yoga. She also enjoyed working with a fellow HBCU alumna: "It kinda was just like hanging out with friends rather than working," she said. Genesis will continue her studies in water quality at Columbia University in New York.
Luke Bernsen
Luke has a long family history with the Sierra Club. He sought out our fellowship as a way of adding nonprofit grassroots advocacy, legislative lobbying and outings to his experience in local government work. One of his outings was a hike near Hot Springs, "one of the few towns in western North Carolina that has a community microgrid associated with it," which tied into his studies at Duke University on energy economics. Luke is back at Duke for the final year of his masters' program.
Kierra Southerland
Kierra was attracted to the fellowship for the chance to learn about environmental policy advocacy. She found that enthusiasm for strong policies isn't always paired with knowledge and power needed to pass them, showing "why the process can seem stagnant at times, and what you can do outside of the traditional legislative process to get policy passed and to get the community engaged." She enjoyed a friendly competition with Luke to get good turnout at their outings, too! Kierra is back at N.C. Central to get her masters of public administration. (Be sure to watch to the end of this video for a few photos from the fellows' adventures!)
About Us: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with tens of thousands of members and supporters in North Carolina. We help people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, and work to promote clean energy, protect wildlife, safeguard the health of our communities, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.