“We must link arms across movements, across race, across class, across organizations.” – Jacqui Patterson (p. 202)
Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In the face of the climate crisis, it’s easy to feel disheartened. We are fighting something so much bigger than ourselves, and slow progress can make it feel like what we are doing isn’t enough. Yet we see countless individuals, communities, and organizations fighting for a sustainable and just future. What drives their persistence and how can we fuel ours?
To start, the stories in the chapter, “Persist” from All We Can Save (Johnson & Wilkinson, 2020) are incredibly inspiring. We heard Jacqui Patterson’s experiences living in Jamaica through her essay, “At the Intersections” (p. 194). She wrote of the social vulnerabilities that amplify environmental disasters and how “issues of injustice are wrapped up in each other, inextricably” (p. 198). Hearing how she has persisted, despite everything she has witnessed and experienced, deepens our understanding of the resilience needed for this work and motivates us to persevere in the fight for climate justice.
We talked about the values that are important to hold on to and let go of while we navigate our role in the climate movement. We discussed how important collaboration, integrity, and being bold are to ensure we are making meaningful progress. By embracing these values, we can ensure we are learning from the right people, staying true to our principles, and pushing boundaries to drive the transformative change our world needs. To do this, we need to let go of our fears, embrace the uncertainty, and allow ourselves to take risks. Moving forward with courage and curiosity will enable us to tackle any challenges we face. The quote by Senator Elizabeth Warren sums it up perfectly,
“Choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough—and they will —you will know that there is only one option ahead of you: Nevertheless, you must persist.” (p.193)
Resources we like:
- On the Fifth Day Poem Reading – Video of poem by Jane Hirschfield
- What the climate movement can learn from Indigenous values – Article by Tara Houska-Zhaabowekwe
- Environmental funders: The problem isn’t just diversity. It’s access to money – Article by Lois DeBacker and Jacqueline (Jacqui) Patterson