Celeste Mari Williams is a playwright and television animation professional transitioning to a career in conservation. Her creative and academic projects interweave arts, science, and social justice to foster trust, empathy, and emotional connection with human and wildlife communities. Her ability to communicate and collaborate with people across multiple disciplines foster inclusion, respect, and equity, allowing for greater community engagement and participation. As a playwright, Celeste has entertained and educated broad audiences about animal science and behavior, while fostering awareness and curiosity of social issues such as immigration and gender politics. The rise in hate crimes and racial slurs towards those of Asian descent throughout COVID-19, fueled her interest in the power of words to demonize a foreign “other”. Celeste created a website and wrote a short play that investigated the social and historical implications of ‘invasive’ Chinese mitten crabs, as well as producing an event with a play reading and multidisciplinary panel discussion about Asian giant hornets (recently changed to Northern giant hornets) and other ‘invasive’ insects. Celeste has presented her research and short plays to local and national ecology and environmental education organizations.