Hi! I'm Francesca, a Planet Forward Comcast Sustainable Storytelling Fellow and a 2021 StoryFest winner. I am a senior at The George Washington University pursuing a B.A in International Affairs with minors in Journalism/Mass Communication and Sustainability. As reflected by my degree, I'm particularly passionate about the intersections of sustainable development, environment, and effective communications and storytelling. Although I grew up in New Jersey, my family comes from the Philippines, one of the countries currently most severely impacted by climate change and environmental conflict. My Filipino background has shaped me to be very passionate about environmental issues growing up, especially looking at the climate crisis through a global lens and understanding how climate change disproportionately impacts the poorest countries and communities in the world. In 2020, I interned as a reporter for Mongabay, a news site famous for covering under-reported environmental issues and stories from around the world. Now as a Correspondent for Planet Forward and Comcast Sustainable Storytelling Fellow, I hope to continue telling international environmental stories that should be told, but currently aren't.