Deirdre is an interdisciplinary studies, doctoral teaching assistant, in the Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies at Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on climate change refugees / displacement, adaptation and mitigation and marginalized populations. She teaches courses on Climate Change and African American Studies and Impacts on Marginalized Populations. She founded Schools for Climate Action Michigan (s4cami), serves on the City of Portage Environmental Board, and is a member of the National Black Climate Action Network and Citizens Climate Lobby.