Community Engagement Spotlight: Madi Sudweeks

Madi Sudweeks (they/them) is a second-year student, graduate assistant at NHMU, and Mellon community engagement fellow. Madi's community partner is Of Salt and Sand, a local storytelling organization that explores what it means to stay (and thrive) in Utah through climate crisis and economic transition. Most recently, Madi participated on Indigenous Solidarity Lobby Day at the Utah Capitol. Here are their answers to a few written prompts.

Could you tell us about your CE experience, both in and out of the academy? How has your approach to the research evolved over the years?

I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to engage with many different communities both in and out of the academy and I've looked for ways to align my studies and work with my values. This led me to study social work as an undergrad at University of Utah. I loved getting to work with people and do meaningful work. However, I wanted to pursue work rooted in collaboration, self-determination, and solidarity. To do this, I got professionally and personally engaged in grassroots organizing. My experience organizing and engaging with community guided my trajectory into the EH Program.

You're working with White Mesa Concerned Community, a grassroots group of tribal members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe concerned about Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill. Would you tell us about that work? How does this tie into the work that Mary Dickson, the most recent Community Practitioner in Residence, does?

My work has been focused on standing in solidarity with and amplifying the work of White Mesa Concerned Community:

“White Mesa Concerned Community is a grassroots group of concerned tribal members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. We work to inform our fellow tribal members and the public about our struggle to protect our community, health, water, air, land, culture, and sacred sites from toxic and radioactive contamination from the uranium.”

As part of a coalition that organizes to support the White Mesa Concerned Community, I have worked to help organize and participate in their annual Spiritual Walk, a rally in Salt Lake, a mini-conference of allied groups, and more. Much of my work has looked like consistently showing up, listening, and offering tangible support and labor to this movement. I have also been working to amplify the voices and experiences of those in the movement through storytelling work with my Mellon community partner, Of Salt and Sand. We are rooted in the belief that stories hold the power to illuminate systems and drive the vision for a more just future.

If there’s one thing I learned from the EH Program, it’s all connected. That’s the case with nuclearism. During my time at EH, I’ve learned more about the history of nuclear contamination and testing across the state from our director and my advisor, Dr. Danielle Endres, and our Community Practitioner in Residence, Mary Dickson. I even learned that some of my family members, including my grandma, are likely Downwinders. My research has illuminated the trail of injustices across the nuclear lifecycle, from mining and milling to nuclear waste storage. However, the personal stories of those I know are what really stick with me and drive my work. The stories and lived experiences of those who have been and continue to be impacted by nuclear colonialism, all Downwinders, require all of us to fight for a nuclear-free future.

SLC Rally (c) Tim Peterson

What advice do you have for prospective applicants or current students who might be interested in CE research?

Be patient. It will be a little messy because that’s where the real learning happens. Community engagement can look many different ways, so keep your mind and heart open to the possibilities that arise. Show up, listen deeply, and work to figure out where you fit into the constellation. Find trusted mentors and friends who can help you talk through your work, wherever they may be. Keep showing up and doing work that matters to yourself and your community over and over again.

WMCC Spiritual Walk (c) Tim Peterson