Meet Our Summer Intern: Yawen

Hi, I’m Yawen, and I’m excited to join Lloyd EcoDistrict this summer as the Community Engagement Intern. I’m currently a student at the University of Oregon, where I’m double majoring in Political Science and Global Studies with a minor in Art.

My academic and community work has centered on civic engagement and community participation. Before joining EcoDistrict, I worked on youth voter registration initiatives, participated in participatory budgeting research, and served as a peer advocate supporting fellow students at UO. Those experiences drew me in how local organizations can bring people together and create more connected, inclusive communities.

This summer, I’ll be supporting Lloyd EcoDistrict’s community programming by helping plan and coordinate neighborhood cleanups, block parties, park activations, and Lloyd Live events. I’ll also have the opportunity to lead events like an August Play Street Block Party and gain experience planning events through implementation, coordinating outreach, volunteers, logistics, and day-of-event operations. I’m looking forward to learning more about community-based nonprofit work while helping create welcoming spaces for people to connect with one another.

Outside of school, I’m also a freelance photographer. I enjoy using photography and storytelling to capture the people and places that make a community unique, and I hope to bring that perspective to my outreach work through photos, social media, and future blog posts.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to spend the summer with the Lloyd EcoDistrict team and look forward to meeting community members throughout the neighborhood.