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environment

“Why I use the pronouns ‘ki’ and ‘kin'”

This article discusses how using ‘ki’ and ‘kin’ pronouns when referring to the environment, rather than “it”, breaks down a human-centric world view and can prevent environmental exploitation. For more read here

Colonialism, The Hidden Cause Of Our Environmental Crisis

The article takes up one of the arguments of de-colonial environmentalism: that the climate crisis is linked to the history of slavery and colonialism by the Western powers. It’s a great way to connect the dots between colonialism and white supremacy, no the one hand, and the history and current efforts of environmental and conservation groups, on the other hand. Read it here.

This Land – Faith E. Briggs x Merrell

Runner and advocate Faith E. Briggs used to run through the streets of Brooklyn every morning. Now, she’s running 150 miles through three U.S. National Monuments that lay in the thick of the controversy around public lands. Accompanied by running companions who represent diverse perspectives in what it means to be a public land owner, she assesses what is at stake if previously protected lands are reduced and if the public is largely unaware. THIS LAND is a story about land access told through a journey of inclusion and empowerment. Watch here.

Land Repatriation and Indigenous Solidarity Toolkit

This is a brief guide for Resource Generation members and other folks with access to land to support in education and resource sharing around land reparations. This is a great guide for conservation organizations, agencies, and land trusts interested in learning about land repatriation. For more click here.

Reclaiming Poramboke

This video an example of how art (here, music and dance) can be used for social movements
With respect to the art shown here, it’s an example of how traditional art forms like karnatic music and bharathanatyam, which traditionally are performed in unique venues with exclusive access, can be democratized.
It illustrates how words that are used in a derogatory way (Poramboke in this case) can be reclaimed by a community.
It’s an example of how change can happen from a grassroots level with messaging about how It’s all of our responsibility, versus large organizations coming down to “save” communities
It addresses how we tend to value certain types of landscapes over others
It directly illustrates how poor communities are at the front lines of environmental degradation.

From the creators: “Poromboke is an old Tamil word meaning shared-use community resources like water bodies, seashore and grazing lands that are not assessed for tax purposes. Today, it has become a bad word used to describe worthless people or places. Chennai Poromboke Paadal is part of a campaign to reclaim the word and restore its worth.”

Moving beyond territorial acknowledgement

Territorial acknowledgments have become fairly common in urban, progressive spaces in Canada. This article is about fully recognizing Indigenous homelands and is from the blog âpihtawikosisân.com – Law, language, life: A Plains Cree speaking Metis woman in Montreal.

https://apihtawikosisan.com/2016/09/beyond-territorial-acknowledgments/

From a “Green Farce” to a Green Future

In this report, Jorge Madrid of the Center for American Progress refutes false claims about the detrimental role of immigrants on the environment.

https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2010/10/pdf/immigration_climate_change.pdf

The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway

“Written by Ojibway educator and spiritual leader Edward Benton-Banai, and first published in 1988, The Mishomis Book draws from the traditional teachings of tribal elders to instruct young readers about Ojibway creation stories and legends, the origin and importance of the Ojibway family structure and clan system, the Midewiwin religion, the construction and use of the water drum and sweat lodge, and modern Ojibway history. Written for readers from all cultures-but especially for Ojibway and Native youth-The Mishomis Book provides an introduction to Ojibway culture and an understanding of the sacred Midewiwin teachings, aiming to protect this knowledge by instilling its importance in a new generation.”

https://www.amazon.com/Mishomis-Book-Voice-Ojibway/dp/0816673829

Nature Behind Barbed Wire

This book documents the history of Japanese Americans’ relationship with the environment before, during, and after incarceration in the internment camps.

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nature-behind-barbed-wire-9780190842062?cc=us&lang=en&

American Indian History Timeline

This document, presented by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, outlines a historical timeline of events, laws, legislation and policies affecting American Indians.

https://iltf.org/

Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts

“Elise Lemire brings to life the former slaves of Walden Woods and the men and women who held them in bondage during the eighteenth century…Today Walden Woods is preserved as a place for visitors to commune with nature. Lemire, who grew up two miles from Walden Pond, reminds us that this was a black space before it was an internationally known green space. Black Walden preserves the legacy of the people who strove against all odds to overcome slavery and segregation.”

The book can be purchased here.

The 1969 Native American occupation of Alcatraz

This article describes the Native occupation of Alcatraz in 1969, a place that was once a military base and now managed by the National Park System.