06 December 2016

Water Security on the World's Rivers for Indigenous People on the radio

This past Sunday I was a guest on Natalie Krivell's University of Miami show RadioActive to speak about my water security work with indigenous people on global rivers and spotlight Standing Rock.
Please listen to the podcast and think about some of the myriad important issues raised. We have indeed entered into an era of being impolite out of necessity.

On a personal note: the show was a great opportunity to speak about the science approach I have along with the critical social issues and human rights violations. The more I think about what is happening in my country and how our government is handling it's responsibility to the people governed - especially the people who were here before this colonial system dominated, the more I am convinced it is time to change and move on. Enough is enough in the words of my Indigenous Relatives. The frustrating incompetence of elected officials to monitor indigenous cultural engagements, environmental protections, and balance corporate interests with citizen safety has spiraled out of control.

That we've just elected a guy that represents corporate arrogance and white supremacy is equally frustrating. It is hard for me to sit comfortably in my space of being a scientist and simply objective when I see this injustice. And why should we? When we are in a privileged position to witness what is happening in an intimate way around the world, we also shoulder the burden of that responsibility. So often I meet scientists uneasy about making that step forward, to reveal what they find that is related to, but outside of their scientific research. We all need to step it up. I am doing what I can right now, but I know I need to do more.

I think of so many people I know hungry and thirsty for inclusion and empowerment in seemingly impossible hard power, soft power dynamics. I also think of the people I know who hide away in their bubble or in their room, taking substances to dull the pain, and convince themselves that being comfortable is what they deserve to be. They justify that while others suffer, they've experienced suffering and wear it as their badge of exception. Or that they are somehow superior - these people coincidentally have white skin. They are still privileged even in their broken and dysfunctional states and in that position can offer their power to those who need it most. How to convince those people to feel their guts, use their hearts, and step into this transition moment?

What will you do?

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