Talking Rivers Presents “We Are all in this Together” Symposium
© Talking Rivers
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER SYMPOSIUM
Standing up for the Guardians of the Natural World
Talking Rivers is pleased to present a series of three virtual events, where we will join to discuss how we can expand the concept of environmental stewardship beyond the human and unravel the historical roots of the climate crisis.
“We Are all in this Together” Symposium seeks to reposition environmental stewardship and humanities disciplines within an eco-centric framework. Through a series of three virtual events, we are planning to explore the concepts of land “ownership” and the importance of honoring nature’s more-than-human guardians. The events will first address the settler colonial history, which has brought us to this point of crisis. Then, we will invite the speakers to explore alternatives that honor the needs and interests of all ecosystems. Together, the speakers will join with audiences to consider how to shift the exploitative paradigm that currently dominates and build a future that protects and respects the life of all ecosystems and communities.
To register for the events, just visit: https://talkingrivers.org/we-are-all-in-this-together
This program was funded in part by Humanities New York, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
© Talking Rivers
EVENTS
De-structuring Ownership
February 28th @ 6:30PM EST
Dismantling Colonialist Notions of Private Property
The event will grapple with the history of colonization and commodification of the more-than-human world in Northeast Turtle Island, drawing the connection between settler colonial conception of private property, and the current climate crisis.
The Spirits of Nature
March 19th @ 6:30PM EST
Respecting the Ancestral Guardians of the Natural World
The event will address how communities have, since time immemorial, honored and protected the spirits of the natural world. From communities standing up to defend the guardians of mountains t water guardians that advocate for the spirits of rivers, humans have long acknowledged the existence of the beings who don’t fit into the western empirical conception of nature.
Who Looks After Water
April 9th @ 6:30PM EST
A Conversation about Water’s More-Than-Human Guardians
The event will focus on how more-than-human beings (such as Trees, Wolves and Eels) are fulfilling their roles and responsibilities towards the ecosystems they call home, while playing their part in maintaining an ecosystem balance that keeps all life flourishing.
Co Authors :
Blake Lavia (they/them or all pronouns) is a multimedia artist and community organizer, currently living in the Kaniatarowanénhne / St. Lawrence River Valley, at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Haudenosaunee Territory. Through their work with the environmental storytelling group Talking Wings, Blake Lavia has organized numerous conferences, curated in person and virtual art exhibitions, and produced visual storytelling pieces that spotlight Water and Earth Guardians. Their art practice dances between filmmaking, writing, photography, animation, and mixed media illustration, and spotlights structural violence, cultural memory, and our current climate crises. Blake Lavia is also the President of Talking Rivers, INC., an organization that is using art and education to unite communities and bring about an ecocentric reality for the region and the world. Instagram: @panopticsnow – @blakeartillustration. Websites: talking-wings.com & blakelavia.com
Tzintzun Aguilar-Izzo (they, elle) is an environmental artist and movement weaver, who is currently working to spotlight stories of regenerative solutions to the climate crises in the North Country, Haudenosaunee Territory. As part of Talking Wings, they have collaborated with Blake Lavia on several art and community-centered environmental projects, such as the “North Country Art, Land and Environment Summit” and “Confluence: A Tapestry of Rivers and their Guardians.” Also, Tzintzun is one of the Directors of Talking Rivers, INC., where they are working on promoting “Rights of Nature” for the North Country rivers. Instagram: @talkingwings. Websites: nocoenvironment.org & tzintzuni.com