I needed a little intro music for myself do you see it this is what space feels
do you see it this is what space feels
do you see it this is what space feels like this is the feeling of people
like this is the feeling of people
like this is the feeling of people coming together to create space you’re
coming together to create space you’re
coming together to create space you’re listening and watching right now aren’t
listening and watching right now aren’t
listening and watching right now aren’t just about you taking something in in
just about you taking something in in
just about you taking something in in this moment you are actively creating
this moment you are actively creating
this moment you are actively creating the space that is necessary for me and
the space that is necessary for me and
the space that is necessary for me and all of the other speakers and performers
all of the other speakers and performers
all of the other speakers and performers today to share ideas and stories you are
today to share ideas and stories you are
today to share ideas and stories you are makers of space so permit me to fill the
makers of space so permit me to fill the
makers of space so permit me to fill the space with this a chain of dormant
space with this a chain of dormant
space with this a chain of dormant volcanoes that create the island of
volcanoes that create the island of
volcanoes that create the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia in Southeast
Flores in eastern Indonesia in Southeast
Flores in eastern Indonesia in Southeast Asia they are covered with emerald green
Asia they are covered with emerald green
Asia they are covered with emerald green bamboo and we are there with our friends
bamboo and we are there with our friends
bamboo and we are there with our friends and colleagues it’s 11:00 p.m. and we
and colleagues it’s 11:00 p.m. and we
and colleagues it’s 11:00 p.m. and we are going to a wedding party there’s an
are going to a wedding party there’s an
are going to a wedding party there’s an enormous tent and in the tent there are
enormous tent and in the tent there are
enormous tent and in the tent there are people who are dancing dancing and
people who are dancing dancing and
people who are dancing dancing and moving to the music that comes out of
moving to the music that comes out of
moving to the music that comes out of speakers that everyone in the village
speakers that everyone in the village
speakers that everyone in the village has brought so everyone brings their
has brought so everyone brings their
has brought so everyone brings their giant speaker and contributes to this
giant speaker and contributes to this
giant speaker and contributes to this awesome sound the photos that you see
awesome sound the photos that you see
awesome sound the photos that you see are stills from the video I make during
are stills from the video I make during
are stills from the video I make during breaks from dancing my butt off this
breaks from dancing my butt off this
breaks from dancing my butt off this which is like my thing this is joy but
which is like my thing this is joy but
which is like my thing this is joy but the next morning we will get up and with
the next morning we will get up and with
the next morning we will get up and with our friends go to homes across the
our friends go to homes across the
our friends go to homes across the village to ask people this what is it
village to ask people this what is it
village to ask people this what is it like knowing that your way of life may
like knowing that your way of life may
like knowing that your way of life may soon no longer be possible you see I
soon no longer be possible you see I
soon no longer be possible you see I work with communities all over the world
work with communities all over the world
work with communities all over the world that live on what I’ve come to call the
that live on what I’ve come to call the
that live on what I’ve come to call the front lines of climate change
front lines of climate change
front lines of climate change these are people for whom global warming
these are people for whom global warming
these are people for whom global warming is making it harder and harder to access
is making it harder and harder to access
is making it harder and harder to access clean water grow or access food and also
clean water grow or access food and also
clean water grow or access food and also generate an income these are people for
generate an income these are people for
generate an income these are people for whom in the next 80 years the
whom in the next 80 years the
whom in the next 80 years the environment may impose the choice of
environment may impose the choice of
environment may impose the choice of needing to give up their entire way of
needing to give up their entire way of
needing to give up their entire way of life because of changes that are
life because of changes that are
life because of changes that are occurring so my job now is to go into
occurring so my job now is to go into
occurring so my job now is to go into schools like this one universities
schools like this one universities
schools like this one universities community centers and libraries across
community centers and libraries across
community centers and libraries across our country and bring the voices of
our country and bring the voices of
our country and bring the voices of these people from the front lines of
these people from the front lines of
these people from the front lines of climate change to tell the story of what
climate change to tell the story of what
climate change to tell the story of what is going on to Americans because it is
is going on to Americans because it is
is going on to Americans because it is us our ancestors and our own consumption
us our ancestors and our own consumption
us our ancestors and our own consumption habits and the policies of our
habits and the policies of our
habits and the policies of our government that have created this
government that have created this
government that have created this situation that these people on the
situation that these people on the
situation that these people on the frontlines are facing today when people
frontlines are facing today when people
frontlines are facing today when people with as much power as Americans have
with as much power as Americans have
with as much power as Americans have don’t make space for others in their
don’t make space for others in their
don’t make space for others in their worldview it can mean that our behavior
worldview it can mean that our behavior
worldview it can mean that our behavior doesn’t make space for others in the
doesn’t make space for others in the
doesn’t make space for others in the world the path that led me to teach
world the path that led me to teach
world the path that led me to teach document and create in collaboration
document and create in collaboration
document and create in collaboration with communities on the front lines of
with communities on the front lines of
with communities on the front lines of climate change began when I was in high
climate change began when I was in high
climate change began when I was in high school you see I was the first openly
school you see I was the first openly
school you see I was the first openly gay kid in my town it meant that when I
gay kid in my town it meant that when I
gay kid in my town it meant that when I went to come out of the closet I wasn’t
went to come out of the closet I wasn’t
went to come out of the closet I wasn’t exactly sure what space there was for me
exactly sure what space there was for me
exactly sure what space there was for me to come out into I grew up on an island
to come out into I grew up on an island
to come out into I grew up on an island off the coast of Florida my town wasn’t
off the coast of Florida my town wasn’t
off the coast of Florida my town wasn’t that small but it could certainly be
that small but it could certainly be
that small but it could certainly be small-minded being a queer kid in that
small-minded being a queer kid in that
small-minded being a queer kid in that kind of space was very difficult I could
kind of space was very difficult I could
kind of space was very difficult I could do a whole other talk on what it was
do a whole other talk on what it was
do a whole other talk on what it was like to come out and death threats and
like to come out and death threats and
like to come out and death threats and being spit on but we’ll be there for
being spit on but we’ll be there for
being spit on but we’ll be there for another time the the experience I had
another time the the experience I had
another time the the experience I had there led me to go into the woods to
there led me to go into the woods to
there led me to go into the woods to spend time on the beach on my island
spend time on the beach on my island
spend time on the beach on my island because nature doesn’t judge as I spent
because nature doesn’t judge as I spent
because nature doesn’t judge as I spent time in the woods and swimming I started
time in the woods and swimming I started
time in the woods and swimming I started to realize that nature too is
to realize that nature too is
to realize that nature too is marginalized that our society
marginalized that our society
marginalized that our society isn’t making space for nature just like
isn’t making space for nature just like
isn’t making space for nature just like it wasn’t making space for a queer kid
it wasn’t making space for a queer kid
it wasn’t making space for a queer kid like me you see my island is going to go
like me you see my island is going to go
like me you see my island is going to go underwater probably in the next 80 years
underwater probably in the next 80 years
underwater probably in the next 80 years but nobody there is talking about it
but nobody there is talking about it
but nobody there is talking about it it’s easier not to as I had this
it’s easier not to as I had this
it’s easier not to as I had this realization that my own marginalization
realization that my own marginalization
realization that my own marginalization was connected to the marginalization of
was connected to the marginalization of
was connected to the marginalization of nature and all other people for whatever
nature and all other people for whatever
nature and all other people for whatever reason they are marginalized I started
reason they are marginalized I started
reason they are marginalized I started to become that really obnoxious kid who
to become that really obnoxious kid who
to become that really obnoxious kid who brings up big issues when you’re just
brings up big issues when you’re just
brings up big issues when you’re just about to relax back in the hos– days no
about to relax back in the hos– days no
about to relax back in the hos– days no seriously I was so you know we’d be like
seriously I was so you know we’d be like
seriously I was so you know we’d be like in line at the grocery store and they’d
in line at the grocery store and they’d
in line at the grocery store and they’d say paper or plastic and I’d say well
say paper or plastic and I’d say well
say paper or plastic and I’d say well plastic is oil and oil is war and the
plastic is oil and oil is war and the
plastic is oil and oil is war and the person bagging would be like oh or my
person bagging would be like oh or my
person bagging would be like oh or my family would be sitting down to watch
family would be sitting down to watch
family would be sitting down to watch American Idol which was like The Voice
American Idol which was like The Voice
American Idol which was like The Voice back then and Fantasia I remember she
back then and Fantasia I remember she
back then and Fantasia I remember she was on stage singing Gershwin some time
was on stage singing Gershwin some time
was on stage singing Gershwin some time and I’d be like he’s getting longer and
and I’d be like he’s getting longer and
and I’d be like he’s getting longer and longer and everyone would just look at
longer and everyone would just look at
longer and everyone would just look at me and I’d be like they should be
me and I’d be like they should be
me and I’d be like they should be singing about that but eventually I was
singing about that but eventually I was
singing about that but eventually I was able to turn the sense of urgency I felt
able to turn the sense of urgency I felt
able to turn the sense of urgency I felt about making space for nature and
about making space for nature and
about making space for nature and climate change into some of the most
climate change into some of the most
climate change into some of the most productive decisions of my life I
productive decisions of my life I
productive decisions of my life I actually left high school when I was 15
actually left high school when I was 15
actually left high school when I was 15 and then in college went to West Africa
and then in college went to West Africa
and then in college went to West Africa for a year and then India and as soon as
for a year and then India and as soon as
for a year and then India and as soon as I graduated college went back to India
I graduated college went back to India
I graduated college went back to India on a fellowship to work for a human
on a fellowship to work for a human
on a fellowship to work for a human rights organization and after a year of
rights organization and after a year of
rights organization and after a year of that decided I was gonna live in Asia
that decided I was gonna live in Asia
that decided I was gonna live in Asia for the rest of my life and so I got a
for the rest of my life and so I got a
for the rest of my life and so I got a job running study abroad programs in
job running study abroad programs in
job running study abroad programs in India and Indonesia in which I brought
India and Indonesia in which I brought
India and Indonesia in which I brought high school and college students to the
high school and college students to the
high school and college students to the periphery of their world to discover
periphery of their world to discover
periphery of their world to discover that it is the center of someone else’s
that it is the center of someone else’s
that it is the center of someone else’s then a year ago I decided that it was
then a year ago I decided that it was
then a year ago I decided that it was time to bring my work of connecting
time to bring my work of connecting
time to bring my work of connecting people across borders and cultures of
people across borders and cultures of
people across borders and cultures of making space for voices we rarely here
making space for voices we rarely here
making space for voices we rarely here to a bigger platform in the four years
to a bigger platform in the four years
to a bigger platform in the four years that I run study abroad programs I only
that I run study abroad programs I only
that I run study abroad programs I only taught 100 students but now by using
taught 100 students but now by using
taught 100 students but now by using media film photography live storytelling
media film photography live storytelling
media film photography live storytelling I’m able to connect thousands of peep
I’m able to connect thousands of peep
I’m able to connect thousands of peep sometimes a thousand people in a day –
sometimes a thousand people in a day –
sometimes a thousand people in a day – all of these people who live on the
all of these people who live on the
all of these people who live on the front lines of climate change so as an
front lines of climate change so as an
front lines of climate change so as an example this is my buddy pase pase lives
example this is my buddy pase pase lives
example this is my buddy pase pase lives in a village in Indonesia over the sea
in a village in Indonesia over the sea
in a village in Indonesia over the sea his ethnic group
his ethnic group
his ethnic group the Bajau people they’re called sea
the Bajau people they’re called sea
the Bajau people they’re called sea nomads because they live in boats and
nomads because they live in boats and
nomads because they live in boats and houses on stilts in the ocean and their
houses on stilts in the ocean and their
houses on stilts in the ocean and their lives are intimately connected to the
lives are intimately connected to the
lives are intimately connected to the coral reef ecosystem where they get
coral reef ecosystem where they get
coral reef ecosystem where they get their food and spend their time having
their food and spend their time having
their food and spend their time having fun as well but the coral reef ecosystem
fun as well but the coral reef ecosystem
fun as well but the coral reef ecosystem is going extinct because of human
is going extinct because of human
is going extinct because of human activities and when pace and his buddies
activities and when pace and his buddies
activities and when pace and his buddies sit around and talk they are filled with
sit around and talk they are filled with
sit around and talk they are filled with doubt about what their futures hold for
doubt about what their futures hold for
doubt about what their futures hold for them they can’t necessarily be fishermen
them they can’t necessarily be fishermen
them they can’t necessarily be fishermen and they they want to go to college but
and they they want to go to college but
and they they want to go to college but they don’t have the money to do that
they don’t have the money to do that
they don’t have the money to do that they want to learn foreign languages
they want to learn foreign languages
they want to learn foreign languages they want to be sports stars they’re
they want to be sports stars they’re
they want to be sports stars they’re probably not that different from you and
probably not that different from you and
probably not that different from you and I discovered that by sitting with them
I discovered that by sitting with them
I discovered that by sitting with them and making space to hear their voices
this it’s set on an mo sittin on mo is
this it’s set on an mo sittin on mo is from the Himalayan region of Ladakh way
from the Himalayan region of Ladakh way
from the Himalayan region of Ladakh way way up high on the Tibetan Plateau
way up high on the Tibetan Plateau
way up high on the Tibetan Plateau pretty much the opposite end of the
pretty much the opposite end of the
pretty much the opposite end of the climate spectrum from pace in her region
climate spectrum from pace in her region
climate spectrum from pace in her region all of the water comes from glaciers
all of the water comes from glaciers
all of the water comes from glaciers glaciers that are melting because of
glaciers that are melting because of
glaciers that are melting because of global warming sometime in the next 80
global warming sometime in the next 80
global warming sometime in the next 80 to 100 years sit on an mo may have to
to 100 years sit on an mo may have to
to 100 years sit on an mo may have to deal with the reality that her entire
deal with the reality that her entire
deal with the reality that her entire region is uninhabitable and even though
region is uninhabitable and even though
region is uninhabitable and even though her people and her culture have grown
her people and her culture have grown
her people and her culture have grown out of that region for over a thousand
out of that region for over a thousand
out of that region for over a thousand years she may have to migrate making her
years she may have to migrate making her
years she may have to migrate making her one of what will become millions of
one of what will become millions of
one of what will become millions of people that are climate refugees in this
people that are climate refugees in this
people that are climate refugees in this photograph said the nun mo is standing
photograph said the nun mo is standing
photograph said the nun mo is standing in front of boulders that were carried
in front of boulders that were carried
in front of boulders that were carried down in landslides that happened in 2010
down in landslides that happened in 2010
down in landslides that happened in 2010 when a completely unprecedented weather
when a completely unprecedented weather
when a completely unprecedented weather event created rain of the kind is net
event created rain of the kind is net
event created rain of the kind is net that has never seen in this region that
that has never seen in this region that
that has never seen in this region that took huge amounts of Earth down the
took huge amounts of Earth down the
took huge amounts of Earth down the sides of mountains because there are no
sides of mountains because there are no
sides of mountains because there are no trees to hold things together and washed
trees to hold things together and washed
trees to hold things together and washed out entire villages said the nun mo is
out entire villages said the nun mo is
out entire villages said the nun mo is standing next to her house which was
standing next to her house which was
standing next to her house which was bulldozed by these boulders and
bulldozed by these boulders and
bulldozed by these boulders and earth so even though the future is is a
earth so even though the future is is a
earth so even though the future is is a confusing unsure time because of climate
confusing unsure time because of climate
confusing unsure time because of climate change even in the present people your
change even in the present people your
change even in the present people your age all over the world are dealing with
age all over the world are dealing with
age all over the world are dealing with the effects of climate change you know
the effects of climate change you know
the effects of climate change you know we think of the developing world here in
we think of the developing world here in
we think of the developing world here in America often as as a place where we
America often as as a place where we
America often as as a place where we should go to build toilets and wells and
should go to build toilets and wells and
should go to build toilets and wells and schools but when you make space for
schools but when you make space for
schools but when you make space for others you have to first allow yourself
others you have to first allow yourself
others you have to first allow yourself to be schooled before you can build a
to be schooled before you can build a
to be schooled before you can build a school so what I do in Ladakh is work
school so what I do in Ladakh is work
school so what I do in Ladakh is work with students like Seth and an MoU to go
with students like Seth and an MoU to go
with students like Seth and an MoU to go speak with elders all across the region
speak with elders all across the region
speak with elders all across the region and interview them about the effects of
and interview them about the effects of
and interview them about the effects of climate change because they are the
climate change because they are the
climate change because they are the people that have watched over 70 80 90
people that have watched over 70 80 90
people that have watched over 70 80 90 years the glaciers recede I want to
years the glaciers recede I want to
years the glaciers recede I want to challenge you today not to step aside in
challenge you today not to step aside in
challenge you today not to step aside in creating space but to step up to step up
creating space but to step up to step up
creating space but to step up to step up for justice to step up for the
for justice to step up for the
for justice to step up for the environment all of you have capacity to
environment all of you have capacity to
environment all of you have capacity to create space for others in your own
create space for others in your own
create space for others in your own community and in your school and high
community and in your school and high
community and in your school and high school is one of the most important
school is one of the most important
school is one of the most important places to create space not just because
places to create space not just because
places to create space not just because you need space for your new identities
you need space for your new identities
you need space for your new identities and fresh ideas but because high school
and fresh ideas but because high school
and fresh ideas but because high school needs to be a place where you train in
needs to be a place where you train in
needs to be a place where you train in making space for others where you learn
making space for others where you learn
making space for others where you learn not just to make your own voice louder
not just to make your own voice louder
not just to make your own voice louder but to help amplify the voices of people
but to help amplify the voices of people
but to help amplify the voices of people and the environment when they are not
and the environment when they are not
and the environment when they are not being heard it brings me back to my
being heard it brings me back to my
being heard it brings me back to my Island the one that’s going underwater
Island the one that’s going underwater
Island the one that’s going underwater it’s become a kind of metaphor for me
it’s become a kind of metaphor for me
it’s become a kind of metaphor for me beyond the literal reality of sea-level
beyond the literal reality of sea-level
beyond the literal reality of sea-level rise people still aren’t talking about
rise people still aren’t talking about
rise people still aren’t talking about climate change on my island they would
climate change on my island they would
climate change on my island they would prefer to believe that it doesn’t exist
prefer to believe that it doesn’t exist
prefer to believe that it doesn’t exist and the governor of Florida has even
and the governor of Florida has even
and the governor of Florida has even mandated that climate change not be
mandated that climate change not be
mandated that climate change not be uttered within our state government we
uttered within our state government we
uttered within our state government we cannot move forward into the future if
cannot move forward into the future if
cannot move forward into the future if there is no space to step out into we
there is no space to step out into we
there is no space to step out into we cannot move forward if there isn’t space
cannot move forward if there isn’t space
cannot move forward if there isn’t space for intelligent dialogue for nature for
for intelligent dialogue for nature for
for intelligent dialogue for nature for science and above all for one another
science and above all for one another
science and above all for one another because if we do not create space for
because if we do not create space for
because if we do not create space for reality
reality
reality what we lose like my island may be gone
what we lose like my island may be gone
what we lose like my island may be gone forever that’s why through what I love
forever that’s why through what I love
forever that’s why through what I love I’m committed to creating a future where
I’m committed to creating a future where
I’m committed to creating a future where everyone is willing and capable of
everyone is willing and capable of
everyone is willing and capable of making space for others what do you love
making space for others what do you love
making space for others what do you love make it into something that creates
make it into something that creates
make it into something that creates space for others let’s all bring our
space for others let’s all bring our
space for others let’s all bring our speakers to the party and make room for
speakers to the party and make room for
speakers to the party and make room for the whole world to dance thank you
”
Be First to Comment