Bennett Olupo has already had a varied career since earning his bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish in 2018. But one thing has remained consistent: his passion for engaging, educating, and communicating about science and the environment.
After getting his master’s degree from the Yale School of Environmental Science, he taught in Los Angeles before returning to Minnesota to work as a community organizer. Late last year he joined the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as a senior community engagement and outreach specialist.
While at Yale, Olupo studied regenerative food systems and volunteered with the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization in Minneapolis. His film about the experience, The Green Revolution Will Not Be Televised, was just featured at the Yale Environmental Film Fest. In it, he shares the perspectives of Black and Indigenous community members in Minneapolis working in urban agriculture and promoting food sovereignty.
You're a scientist, you're an educator, you're a community organizer, you're a filmmaker. What ties all these identities together?
I just don’t see anything as separate. I've been doing a lot of work in environmental justice. And when people talk about environmentalism and conservation, it's not whole without the justice part.
Let's say that people are really trying to protect the Boundary Waters. It's equally as important to make sure that the area where we’re living is safe to exist in. So, if we can grow food more locally, if we can do everything around us in a better way, then we won't need to extract as much resources from other areas.
I just try to see everything as the whole picture.
What inspires you to feel optimistic right now about your work in science education and engagement?
We live in a digitally divided country, and so we may not know exactly what our neighbors are consuming. But when I have conversations with people, they really do want to see a better environment. They want to see a better world to share.
When I've talked to farmers, a lot may not say “climate change,” but if you ask them about changing seasons and how the growing season has changed, then they'll say everything that lines up with climate change.
So I think people are becoming more aware. Just sharing knowledge like that, that's what gives me hope.
And how is that connected to your current role at the MPCA?
I’m the engagement coordinator for the air toxics and cumulative impact rulemaking process. It's the first time that the MPCA has been able to talk to residents while they're making a regulation and get their input.
And communication – having one-on-one conversations – is a big part of it. As a team lead, I've been behind the scenes doing a lot of documentation, but when I do get to go out and talk to people, it's been really nice.
And that's built upon my other experiences, like doing interviews to make my film, where I was out in community gardens, working with people and talking to them and having good conversations and learning from others. I think that's something I try to bring to any role I'm in – making sure that you take time to just talk about what gets people going in a good way, what they're passionate about.
There are so many ways to connect with people around science right now. What do you find to be the most powerful?
A lot of it is just conversations with people that you know. Sometimes it's a slow burn. But if people are speaking the truth and telling stories through regular conversations, people come around. Those conversations really stick around.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.