A Focus on the Positives « It’s Getting Hot In Here

Rwanda. Uganda. Sudan. Ethiopia. . . The mere mention of these countries invokes images of natural disaster, poverty and conflict in the minds of most North Americans. The continent of Africa has emerged homogenous in colloquial discourse. I have spent the last week talking, working, eating, playing, dancing, thinking and singing with a very diverse group of youth from across Africa. They have shared stories of dispair, many of which confirmed the autrocities that we have watched play out from the comforts of our living rooms. And while it has been a mind-blowing and life-changing experience to learn about the impacts of these problems on communities and on people, directly from the mouths of my new friends, I can say that learning about what people, young people, are doing to have positive impacts on their communities has had a greater impact.

I have been extremely overwhelmed by the perceived lack of urgancy on the part of official delegations (notably Australia, Canada and the United States) to seriously address climate change and move these negotiations forward. However, I have promised myself to chanel this anger and this sadness into something positive. Towards this end, I have decided to interview active youth from across Africa to learn about what they are doing and to share these stories through this blog.

Stay tuned for these stories!

About Jessica

I have a confession to make. . . I am a food-a-holic. I love food and revels in all of its attendant processes. I came to food research and activism through a melding of environmental and human rights concerns. I have spent the last few years undertaking social research on various aspects of the Canadian food system from both a farming and policy perspective. The goal of my activities is to support the creation of a just and sustainable food system and society. Since my return to British Columbia in 2004, I have been an active member of the BC Food Systems Network (www.fooddemocracy.org) and I am currently sitting on its Board of Directors. I also coordinate the Community Outreach Team of FarmFolk/CityFolk (www.ffcf.bc.ca). I try to always be mindful of the need for integrated approaches to research and activism . This awareness led to me to examine the impact of environmental and climate change on food systems, and to seek community-based solutions to addressing these problems. In my "spare time," I work on my MA thesis at the University of Victoria which examines the relationship between egg marketing and inspection systems and small-scale producers in British Columbia. I am committed to sharing my passion for healthy lifestyles, healthy communities, community engagement and youth empowerment (and sushi). My areas of interest include: Agriculture & Food Security; Citizenship & Belonging; Climate Change; Fair Trade; Intellectual Property; Labour Rights; Literacy and; Neocolonialism & Imperialism