The vision I have for the future for justice and reconciliation is centered on the topic of human responsibility. Kai mentioned that many people are in very strong agreement that humans are responsible for protection of the planet FOR other humans. That was important to me and nice to hear however, I lack a little bit of faith in there being actual human action for the sake of ecological preservation/conservation for the sake of other people. I say this because this pandemic has been a perfect example of really how responsible we feel for the well-being of other people: many fewer people could have died of covid-19 if we were all willing to sacrifice our unnecessary pleasures for the sake of containing this disease and for keeping ourselves and our own loved-ones safe. That to me shows very little true consideration and care for one another and the divide was made very clear the last 2 years. We do not care about each other as much as we should. This is a relationship we lack and that we can learn from the indigenous communities we are truly connected and who not only feel but SHOW that they recognize the responsibilities they have towards their communities.
I would like to see a world that is more connected, that feels more empathetic and understanding towards the difficulties and struggles of others and that is willing to sacrifice their time and abundance of resources with their neighbours. This can be as personal as making internal changes to be more understanding, more minimalistic lifestyles, or as social as volunteering with organizations that care for our vulnerable populations, asking questions and learning more about the different cultures and people that live with us and so much more. I think taking real responsibility is the first step to making real change.
Thinking bigger, we may want to look into protecting more land and species by law as well as force more politicians to converse and have the opinions of indigenous people (not just indigenous leaders) prior to making policies etc. We need the policy makers, just as much as anyone else, to understand the difficulties of our vulnerable populations and to take responsibility and action for their well-being which means protecting their land, their practices and what is valuable to them.
I feel you, Amy! It's hard to have faith in humanity based on what we see every day. I wish more people would take a class like this, and consider what you mentioned!
This is a slay, a developed sense of connection will inevitably lead to more recognition of BIPOC people. Colonial ways of thinking have isolated us and this impact has reverberated throughout generations.
Hey Amy! I really loved your example of the COVID19 pandemic. By drawing examples of problems that are more familiar to everyone, I think more people will be able to reflect and understand the seriousness of the situation!
Thank you for sharing Amy! I agree, we live in a world where there's no union. We are lacking in the element of connectedness and that's one of the most important things we need to do. I think the idea of taking responsibility is one of the most important steps, once we achieve that we can work together as a team to tackle the bigger issues.