Today we’d like to introduce you to Lara Morrison.
Hi Lara, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I created a BA in Environmental Science through the General Studies program at the Univ. of Washington. After working on several projects, I joined a worker-owned and managed natural foods organization. I moved from Seattle to Milwaukee to get an MA in Bioethics from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
I moved to Los Angeles and worked at the Natural History Museum. I moved to the Los Angeles Eco-Village 25 years ago. I helped develop the intentional community, the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust, White House Place Learning Garden, and the Urban Soil/Tierra Urbana Limited Equity Housing Co-op. I am currently an adjunct instructor in Bioethics at Mount Saint Mary’s University. I serve on the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council. Four years ago, I was elected as a delegate for the LA County Democratic Party.
I have studied the imbalances between humanity, human culture, and the biosphere for decades. My varied background gives me a better understanding of our options for the future.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was the eldest of five children. My father asked me to be the executor. It was a challenge to help care for my parents who lived in Vancouver, WA, until they passed away while I was living at the LA Eco-Village.
My youngest sister lives in Hollywood. I have been her support while she was dealing with the health problems of her husband over the last twenty years. These included heart valve replacement, heart transplant, and dialysis. My MA thesis was titled Health Care Research Impact Assessment, Toward a Sustainable Healthcare System. I have a granular understanding of the problems.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I teach Bioethics to nursing students. My goal is to inform the students of the range of ethical issues in healthcare. I have also taught the Introduction to Christian Ethics course using a book titled Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins. The book includes global poverty, empire, war, national poverty, political campaigns, the war on women, and the environment. Expanding students’ understanding of these ethical issues is challenging and rewarding.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Pay attention to what interests you more than how to make money.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laecovillage.org/
