You could do a lot of things in two months. From hiking to the top of the world or searching for algae underneath surf grass, your range is almost limitless. I say almost because there are caveats to doing a lot of things in two months, and recognizing my privilege to share my summer exploring, developing and learning was unique to just twenty-five (25) other people. I wished I could share with you every emotion, thought and conflict, but I didn’t record everything.
One central theme that haunted me was this idea of being effective and equitable. At my first thought, a solution that’s mostly effective should prevail regardless of equitability, because as long as it gets done, everything should be alright. That was my first thought, and as quickly as it came would be as quickly as it would fail, because without including equity in your work, you leave people behind.
Before, throughout and even after my summer ended, I continuously ask myself, who am I and what is my purpose? I confidently believe that I am here to create a better place for others and myself, environmentally and socially. No grad mentor could have echoed Lilla Watson and an aboriginal rights group better when they said, “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Identity is synonymous to equity because who I am and what I strive to accomplish means reconciling with histories way before I took my first breath in this world. How would I have known that being born here was both an advantage and disadvantage? Knowing what I know now, how should I navigate without sacrificing fairness for effectiveness? What if I mess up?
I don’t have the complete How-To, but reflecting on what I’ve done and envisioning where i want to be, I know that I need to be better with listening and co-developing solutions that lift each other up. And on that same merit, speak out for what I and others believe in.
Effective and equitable isn’t a one-off quest, ‘nor should it be the only life view. Rather, it should be our place to guide us forward, together.
This was written on the indigenous lands of the CHamoru people.
