Tasnim Islam (she/ her) joined Bayou City Waterkeeper Fall 2023, driven by her deep passions for spirituality, healing, and their deep connections to protecting our lands and waters. She is an alumna of UT Austin, where she studied Women & Gender Studies and Plan II, and she received certificates in LGBTQ+ Studies, Portuguese, and Pre-Health professions. Tasnim also brings over five years of experience in community organizing, focusing on transformative and restorative justice, with a particular emphasis on the QTBIPOC (Queer Trans Black Indigenous and People of Color) community. As a queer Bangladeshi woman and a multidisciplinary artist, Tasnim is known for her expertise as a mehndi & henna tattoo artist. In addition to her artistry, she leads healing and meditation classes, along with working as a LGBTQ+ Training Specialist & Youth Advocate at the Hetrick Martin Institute. Although Tasnim now calls New York home, she was raised in Austin, Texas, where she holds cherished memories of frequent trips to Houston to savor the rich South Asian food and culture. She is committed to utilizing her organizing and media skills to give back to the Texas community and waters that raised her. This social media internship at Bayou City Waterkeeper resonates deeply with Tasnim‘s unwavering connection to and care for our precious waterways and the diverse plant and animal species that they sustain.