I went to the David Suzuki x Brandi Morin talk moderated by Naomi Klein earlier this term at the Chan Centre. One thing that stayed with me was Suzuki saying that he was able to "stay in the fight" his whole life by constantly taking action and surrounding himself with others interested in doing the same. ENVR430 has really helped me understand this sentiment. Apathy can be countered by speaking up for what we believe in, having those feelings and values validated, and taking action towards creating a world we want to live in. If we feel like we have movement, we feel hope.
At the very start of the term, watching Brene Brown's The Call to Courage, we talked about vulnerability, and how one had to "step into the arena" if they wanted to be able to critique it. This class got us into the arena, and for that I'm very grateful. My final project experience gave me some novel insight into the activism world, and made me seriously consider those spaces as a future career or study trajectory–invaluable exposure!
Hi Declan,
Your reflection on vulnerability and stepping into the arena echoes the importance of speaking up for our beliefs and actively contributing to positive change. It's inspiring to see how these experiences have sparked a deeper commitment to creating a world aligned with your values.