Gina Amador-Davis

Student

“I plan to make sure that the environment will never become a victim of public indifference.”

“I play flute, guitar, sax and I sing,” says the bundle of energy who goes by the name of Gina Amador-Davis. “And there’s a four-track recording studio in my room where I write music and get it all recorded.” Gina performs all these activities during the flurry of preparations leading up to her fall transfer to UCLA. “It’s my third year at SMC,” she says. “I’ll be transferring as an Honors student and I don’t mind saying it’s been hard work.” But hard work is what seems to put Gina in overdrive.

Winner of the Mark and Florence Simpson scholarship award, Gina has been a tireless volunteer for various environmental causes. “I helped set up Santa Monica’s water conservation program,” says Gina who has a permanent position with our local fire department. She’s also been active with the Rainforest Action Network and in organizing boycotts of various industrial giants. “I was studying business for a while,” says Gina. “But now I’m into environmental studies. Then it’s on to law school to be an environmental lawyer and save the planet. Yeah!”

Civic involvement is the lifeblood of responsible people, according to Gina. “I think daily about all I have to do to become a lawyer,” she says. “And sometimes it’s daunting. But ecological consciousness is up, so I’m optimistic. Money and power alone shouldn’t be what dictates how policy gets made in this country,” she continues. “And as a lawyer, I’ll be able to help.”

Gina credits Professor Susan Sterr with providing some breakthrough teaching at SMC. “She unlocked my writing and gave all of us a sense that there was nothing we couldn’t do,” says Gina. Salsa dancing draws Gina to the clubs for the few moments of free time she has. But her real weakness is pet stores where, “I’m always in trouble because I’m always dragging something home with me.”

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