Circulate's new intern, Dane Thompson has joined us for the spring. We're excited to welcome him to the team. Read his intro/spotlight to learn more about him.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I have lived in the San Diego region for my entire life, except for a quick stint in Santa Cruz for a year. I am currently getting my degree in Urban Planning online at Arizona State University. Aside from school and work, I love reading and learning new things. Recently I have been trying to learn how to draw by taking classes and creating my own T-shirt designs.
How did you become interested in Circulate San Diego?
I first discovered Circulate when I saw they were spearheading an effort to get MTS to build transit-oriented affordable homes on their parking lots, which I supported one hundred percent. I did some quick research on the organization and saw that their values directly aligned with mine.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
I have never felt prouder of myself than the day I summitted Mt. San Jacinto, one of the tallest mountains in Southern California. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was punching quite a bit above my weight. The peak is at 10,834 feet above sea level and round trip it was seventeen miles. And I was in my VANS SLIP-ONS! I couldn’t walk for almost a week afterwards, but once I got back on my feet, the first thing I did was buy some hiking shoes.
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?
I don’t know who I’d pick if I had the chance. I look up to anyone who stands up for what they believe in and acts accordingly. This could be Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who’s trying to change our political system from the inside; Father Greg of the gang intervention organization Homeboy Industries, who helps troubled youth get on the right path; or Rebecca Sugar, the creator of the show Steven Universe whose goal is to represent LGBTQ+ in media while obliterating stereotypes.
Why are you most excited to be part of Circulate San Diego?
I am thrilled to have a hand in improving San Diego. Circulate is full of energetic and passionate people who are driven to have a positive impact on the region, and I want to be a part of the team. San Diego has great potential, but we have a history of prioritizing the wrong things. I believe that our priorities will only change because of impassioned people like the team here at Circulate. It’s been said that small groups of dedicated people can bring more change than entire governments!
