Profile: Kaela Khan

Kaela Khan first got involved with the Civic Garden Center during the summer 2019 through a service-based internship hosted by the Center of Faith and Justice at Xavier University. The experience included 20 students working at 20 different service-based organizations while also living together in an intentional community. Interns were paired with organizations based on interest and ability. Kaela said she felt “blessed to be matched with the CGC because of their commitment to serving their community and the environment.”

Finding Home Away from Home

After completing the summer, Kaela continued to volunteer at the CGC with our Wednesday morning Dirt Crew, participated in the Treeforestation workdays at Walnut Hills, and attended some of our educational classes. Kaela had spent almost a year in Cincinnati and had never heard of the CGC, but “after being introduced to the organization, the work you guys were doing, and the welcoming and extremely knowledgeable staff, I didn’t want to leave!” she said.

During her first summer she says she felt like she had become a member of the Cincinnati community, not just a visiting college student.  She loved learning about the native flora and fauna that allowed her to better recognize her surroundings. One of the projects she worked on as an intern was surveying the community gardens that are a part of the CGC garden network. She said, “now when I drive around Cincinnati those gardens act as landmarks for me. Also, the fact that there are so many of them! Absolutely spectacular. I was inspired by the work being done and the passion I already had for this kind of work only grew.”

Being in Nature

The work she most enjoys is outdoors because she believes there is something innately human and spiritual about tending to the earth. “Religious or not,” Kaela said, “humans have a responsibility to take care of the planet that nourishes us. I feel most fully myself when I am working outside.” 

Kaela originally wanted to pursue a career in environmental law and create change from the top down. It wasn’t until her experiences with the CGC that she said she began to realize that the real work, the real progress, happens from the ground up. “I love seeing actual change happen before my eyes. I would choose breathing the crisp air, hands in the soil, and listening to the birds over anything. I have also met some really cool people working on the grounds and on Treeforestation. If it wasn’t for these experiences I would have never made those connections.” 

Treeforestation at Walnut Hills

We’re thrilled that Kaela has begun working part time with us on our Treeforestation project and is excited to gain experience in what it takes to plan and organize a restoration site. She’s excited to be a part of conversations about long term goals for the Walnut Hills restoration site and how the project partners can make it a model for others looking to start restoration projects. Kaela has been a part of the project for over a year now and feels confident in her ability to organize and lead volunteers – especially since she’s spent so much time as one herself!

Kaela said she’s especially inspired by the students at Walnut Hills High School and their teacher, Allie Mondini, who first suggested we make Walnut Woods, adjacent to the high school, our first Treeforestation project site. “Those students and Ms. Mondini saw an issue in their community and in the environment and put a game plan in action for how to fix it. I think their tenacity and commitment to take ownership of their neighboring park and school grounds is amazing.”

The Seeds of the CGC

When Kaela thinks about the CGC’s impact on the community, she says she thinks of Pando, the quaking aspen grove in Utah. “The name, Pando, in Latin means ‘I spread’. While the grove stands over a hundred acres today, it all had to start with one tree. I see CGC as the origin tree, a real hub for education, resources, and community partnerships. There are so many seeds the CGC has in the community,” she said. “The organization transcends differences in age, race, economic status and has made restoration and gardening accessible to a very diverse city.” 

Kaela’s Next Steps

We’re grateful to able to hang on to Kaela for as long as possible! After graduation next year she plans on returning to Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia. She studied there as part of her undergraduate semester in spring of 2020, and, unfortunately, due to the pandemic her time was cut short. She’s hoping to get a Master of Environment degree there with a focus on environmental planning and protection.

“I’m working towards a career in environmental restoration planning. I don’t have any specific plans for where I want to pursue that career; however, whenever I’m in Cincinnati, the CGC will always be my first stop.” We’ll always be happy to see Kaela and hear about the good work we know she’ll be doing.