Mt. Denali - image from Joris Beugels on Unsplash

Over the last month since President Trump took office, many executive orders and actions have been put into place to reverse, stall, or attack efforts to protect our land and planet. This actions have spanned everything from pulling out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the landmark international treaty aiming to limit the rise of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius, an executive order banning paper straws (in a pro-plastic protest), renaming of Mount Denali, the name given to the mountain by Indigenous people to the name of a colonizer, and now the firing of 1,000 National Parks employees.

I am the daughter of immigrants and colonizers who came over in the last several hundred years from Sweden, Ireland, Norway, and other European countries. Thus, I am also the daughter of colonizers, and so I wrote this post naming my privilege and naming that the land my family inhabits is land that belongs to the indigenous communities, the Kickapoo, the Osage, the Delaware, and others. If you know anything about me, you know that I have a deep love and connection with our earth. I am also a mother, an aunt, and a leader who has always loved on children- and I believe the greatest offering we can give to our littles is compassion and a fight for justice for the earth and all who call this planet home (not just the ones who look like us.) I grieve the decisions being made. I am angry at how much harm is being done to planet, people, and animals alike. AND I also believe that this is a call to rally even more in community to advocate, care, protect, heal, and show up for this world in ways that have never been before.

And so, here is my response, a list made with the wisdom of Indigenous, queer, immigrant, and diverse perspectives.

Indigenous teacher and leader, Robin Wall Kimmerer teaches that a relationship with the earth must be a relationship developed in reciprocity. We gain so much from the earth- healing, clean air, habitat, food, friendship, shelter, regulated nervous systems, and adventure, and so we in turn must give back to the earth through our care, sensitivity, awareness, education and advocacy. Anything less than is a colonizer’s perspective. So in all you do, do so with a heart for reciprocity. (If you have never read her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, I challenge you to read it this year. This book is dear to my heart and is world-changing).
Commit to your own personal earth-gentle goals. Look at the ways in your life you can pursue sustainability. Purchase second-hand clothing and furniture, move to reusable products like coffee mugs and straws, explore hygiene products like shampoo, hand soap, and laundry detergent that come from sustainable companies., carpool, plant a garden this spring to grow some of your own food, buy meat or vegetables from local farms and ranches, notice your water and electricity use, move to solar panels or efficient vehicles when opportunities arise, etc. Do not buy into the lie that you are just one person, the impact is collective and we each have more we can do.
Advocate for gentle-earth goals in the work place, church space, or other community spaces you have active rolls in. The smallest of details make a difference. Maybe look at 1 change that you can advocate being made.
Elevate Indigenous Voices. Engage with books, media, podcasts, music, and offerings created by Indigenous individuals and share their words. One of the most powerful ways we use our privilege, whatever yours is, is by elevating the voices of those with less privelege.
Elevate the voices of other marginalized people groups like those in the queer, immigrant, refugee, and black communities. Those in marginalized people groups are often disproportionately impacted by climate change and other social justice issues. Listen to their stories, consider their perspectives, and elevate their voices.
Contact your politicians- There are so many ways you can advocate for changes to be made in legislation and policies through contacting leaders on local, state, and federal levels. You may feel led to join protests or movements, but phone calls and letters are needed just as much.
Educate Yourself- Engage with books, podcasts, documentaries, music and media that comes from lived experience, professional perspectives, and research. So many claim to know but in the world of social media, viral does not indicate true. Recognize the sources that you gain information from.
Deepen your relationship with earth- This is probably one of the most important things you can do- be intentional to engage with the wild that is around you. Take time outside to feel the ground beneath you, hug trees, plant a garden, go for walks, explore natural places in your community, sit by the window in the sunshine regularly, listen to the birds, notice the sky, identify plants and trees as they bloom this spring, explore what species of animals call your local land home, and when opportunities arise, explore beyond. Time in nature is so accessible and yet so many live disconnected. Challenge yourself to notice the world around you. Take time to observe the plants, birds or animals around you and remind yourself that this is their home too. Noticing and being present with the wild is a powerful starting place.
Acknowledge Trauma- A connection to earth has always come natural to me, again another privilege. For many, a disconnect may be rooted in trauma. Honor those who have experienced forced removal from their land through colonization, slavery, or war. Honor those who have been forced to labor in elements in which exposure to the wild has been forced instead of chosen. Honor those who have lost their homes and community because of natural disasters and rising climate impacts. Honor those who struggle to connect to the wild because of disability, chronic illness, or other physical and mental health limitations. Honor those who carry the wounds of PTSD or trauma because of personal experiences that have correlated with the natural world. Honor those who long to connect but who struggle to engage because of climate anxiety or other increasing mental health disorders that are related to the climate crisis. In all these things, honor and acknowledge that marginalized people groups are disproportionately affected and wounded.
Find and Share your Voice- this is a challenge that looks wildly different to everyone. You may have a platform as a leader or pastor, you may use social media, or have a leadership role at work or in your community spaces. You also may find yourself unsure of where your voice will be heard. That is okay. I too am in a place of quiet. But never underestimate the power that is in words you write, words you speak, or conversations you have. Your influence may be your children as a parent, your coworkers in your job, your peers at school, a local protest you choose to join, a book club you choose to lead, art or poetry you create, hard conversations you have with your family, or emails you send to your church, community leaders or politicians. My challenge to you is this: You have a voice. You have influence. Use it.
Lastly, Build Community-either to collectively advocate and enhance the reach of your voices, or to create solidarity and safe space in a time when harm is high. This is my plea for all who are being harmed by executive orders, policies, and efforts being made to erase people and protections, to my queer, black, immigrant, refugee, indigenous communities- you deserve the support of your Nation, but in these oppressive times, you deserve the support of community. Earth Justice is tied into every other social justice cause as each directly impacts the other. our commitment to the earth is a commitment to people and visa versa. So to those who hold a space of privilege one of the most profound things you can do is build safe community. Invite not only those who long to gather but invite voices to be shared in these spaces. Maybe this looks like yoga classes, support groups, committees or advocacy groups committed to social justice, an open space to listen to stories and voices of those who we should be learning from, classes, or programs that directly work on efforts to protect land and people. Even if it’s just 2 people to start, every space you hold matters.

In all these things, do not lose hope. As long as the trees still grow, there is hope.

A Response to Anti-Climate, Anti-Earth Actions

The Healing that is Mindfulness