Kira (she/they) is a PhD student in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences department at UCLA. Their research interests focus on how evolutionary processes shape coral biomineralization mechanisms and responses to environmental change. In addition to their research, Kira is a co-founder of the Climate Justice Collective at UCLA, where she works to build community among graduate students and cultivate a cultural shift in academia that brings equity and justice to the center of climate work. Kira was motivated to apply for the Climate Resilience Fellowship because she is passionate about working with others to build a more green and just future, and believes that working with community partners is essential to this work.