June, 2020 - By Koaw

This video was originally planned to just be a simple outdoors activity that anybody could do: Go outdoors at night and find nocturnal animals. Within the current social climate, I found myself pondering the perspectives of other individuals. I realized that this activity may not be so appealing to certain people because of societal injustices and dangers.

Koaw Nature is about the spreading of knowledge based upon truth. And truth has the power to eradicate irrational fear born from ignorance. Racism is a product of ignorance.

I speak on behalf of myself, Koaw Nature and also as a leader of #teamkoaw: We support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Recently I was inspired by the artwork of climate activist Katrine Claassens. In the video I mention her exhibit in parallel with gender unfairness as well as the interconnectedness of our social injustice problems and global climate issues. I reached out to her and she was kind enough to review the video’s draft on short notice and give me her blessing to use her example and artwork in the video.

I hope you’ll check out Claassens’ free-to-view online exhibit to gain different perspectives on the global climate crisis: I hope you’ll check out Claassens’ free-to-view online exhibit to gain different perspectives on the global climate crisis: https://www.katrineclaassens.com/

Keep fighting the good fight!

-K

Below is a verbatim copy of the beliefs of the Black Lives Matter movement from https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/ (Extracted June 10th, 2020)

“Every day, we recommit to healing ourselves and each other, and to co-creating alongside comrades, allies, and family a culture where each person feels seen, heard, and supported.

We acknowledge, respect, and celebrate differences and commonalities.

We work vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.

We intentionally build and nurture a beloved community that is bonded together through a beautiful struggle that is restorative, not depleting.

We are unapologetically Black in our positioning. In affirming that Black Lives Matter, we need not qualify our position. To love and desire freedom and justice for ourselves is a prerequisite for wanting the same for others.

We see ourselves as part of the global Black family, and we are aware of the different ways we are impacted or privileged as Black people who exist in different parts of the world.

We are guided by the fact that all Black lives matter, regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status, or location.

We make space for transgender brothers and sisters to participate and lead.

We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.

We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.

We practice empathy. We engage comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts.

We make our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children. We dismantle the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work “double shifts” so that they can mother in private even as they participate in public justice work.

We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.

We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).

We cultivate an intergenerational and communal network free from ageism. We believe that all people, regardless of age, show up with the capacity to lead and learn.

We embody and practice justice, liberation, and peace in our engagements with one another.”