APEN Leader Christina Saeteurn wins Sargent Shriver Grant

  • September 18, 2012
  • APEN News Blog; Sept. 13, 2012

Congratulations to APEN leader Christina Saeteurn for winning the 2012 Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty award from the Marguerite Casey Foundation!

Christina Saeteurn is an APEN young leader in Richmond. She grew up in public housing with eight siblings and a single mother on welfare. Having experienced poverty and environmental injustice in Richmond first hand, Christina, at the age of 15 developed a passion to organize for change.

Christina has dedicated over 7 years to organizing for environmental and social justice in her hometown. Christina has been actively involved in multiple campaigns over the years. She recruited other young leaders from her community to get involved in the fight against the proposed expansion of the Chevron Richmond Refinery.
Christina has spoken at planning commission hearings, city council meetings and with state legislators on the issues of planning healthier communities, improving air quality, reducing pollution, increasing resources for immigrants and refugees and green job creation for young people. Christina is also an APEN Leadership Steering Committee (LSC) Member, a committee to guide our local and state campaigns.

In 2007, Christina received the Jesse Jackson and Rainbow PUSH Coalition Award for her commitment to higher education, and her dedication and work with APEN. Last summer Christina completed the School of Unity and Liberation (SOUL) Summer School, an intensive eight-week introduction to community organizing for social change.

Currently Christina is a full time student at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥, she’s scheduled to graduate this Fall with a BA in Sociology. APEN is proud that our own Christina's contributions are being recognized and that this award will help her pursue her dreams like grad school.