Kylin Brown ’20: Advancing Environmental & Indigenous Justice
Kylin Brown ‘20 came to Whitman College determined to turn her commitment to equity and environmental justice into action. As a Sociology-Environmental Studies major, she developed strong research, leadership and advocacy skills that she now uses as both a law student and an advocate for multiple sclerosis support and research, following her own diagnosis in 2021.
At Whitman, her Sociology coursework and student-faculty research equipped her with the tools to analyze inequality and understand its systemic roots. And in the Environmental Studies program, she found incredible faculty who took her into the field and taught her new perspectives on nature and the environmental movement.
Today, she is pursuing a law degree at the University of Washington, with concentrations Indigenous Rights and Environmental Law, and preparing for a career in intersectional litigation for environmental justice and American Indian rights.
“My extracurricular involvements at Whitman and in the Walla Walla community fortified my existing passion for equity work and social justice and introduced me to several tools for social change.
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Kylin’s Pathway
2016 | Admitted to Whitman
as a Horatio Alger Scholar and Summer Fly-In participant from Newport, Washington
2016–2020 | Worked multiple campus jobs,
including roles with the Glover Alston Intercultural Center, Office of Admission, Office of Financial Aid, and the Whitman Wire, as well as tutoring in the Walla Walla community
2016–2020 | Joined campus clubs,
including the First-Generation/Working Class club, (President, 2019–2020), Panhellenic Association (Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, 2017–2018), Mixed Race Club, Associated Students of Whitman College (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Student Life committees) and Planned Parenthood Generation Action
2016–2020 | Pledged Delta Gamma,
serving as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair
2016–2020 | Played club volleyball and intramural flag football
2016–2020 | Performed in the Wind Ensemble
as a trumpet player
2017–2018 | Led an Outdoor Program spring break service trip
to Black Mesa in the Navajo Nation
2018 | Advocated for financial aid equity
at the Washington State Legislature in Olympia as Whitman’s liaison to the Washington Student Engagements Network
2018–2020 | Served as a panel organizer and moderator
2019 | Conducted environmental justice research
as a Perry Research Fellow alongside Professor of Sociology Alissa Cordner
2019 | Studied abroad in South Caicos
as a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholar, conducting marine field research and natural resource policy analysis
May 2020 | Graduated from Whitman
with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology-Environmental Studies
2020–2021 | Served in AmeriCorps
as a college and career coach
2021–2022 | Worked as a News Writer, Photographer and Freelance Contributor
to Seattle Gay News, The Stranger, and Seattle Met
2022 | Worked as a Project Strategy Associate
for Pyramid Communications’ Snake River Restoration Campaign
2022 | Founded Walk MS and Bike MS teams
that have raised over $35,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to support progress in MS research
2023 | Joined the board of directors for MS, I'mpossible,
a nonprofit organization committed to empowering young adults with MS
2024 | Enrolled in the University of Washington School of Law
with concentrations in Indigenous Rights and Environmental Law
2025 | Completed a clerkship with the Washington Attorney General’s Office, Environmental Protection Division
2026 | Served as a student intern in the Race and Justice Clinic
providing post-conviction criminal defense advocacy
2026–2027 | Served as the Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Community Manager
“Whitman taught me that I can tackle inequality in multiple ways, not just one, and I am now on my way to transforming my dedication to social justice advocacy into a career of intersectional litigation for environmental justice and American Indian rights.
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Upward Pathways. Our alumni’s diverse student experiences and career paths showcase the transformative power of a Whitman education. Find other Upward Pathways.