Cultivating Community Newsletter- 'The Importance of Being Present'

[Amanda Shankland]

Good day,

I am writing today to share the December edition of my monthly newsletter. The Cultivating Community newsletter provides commentary on how community-centred thinking and action can drive sustainable environmental and food movements forward.

I am a writer, consultant, and educator specializing in environmental water policy, sustainable agriculture, and food systems. I live in the traditional territory of the Algonquin-Anishinaabe in what is now called Ottawa. I hold a Doctor of Philosophy from Carleton University and am an adjunct professor at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. I am also a freelance consultant and editor offering guidance on agricultural and environmental priorities. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to retain my services.

I am committed to efforts towards decolonizing our food system and the affirmation of traditional knowledge of foodways. I seek to advance a notion of community that includes all plants, insects, animals, and people.

I hope you enjoy this short article. You can also subscribe to my newsletter on Linkedin here. Thank you for supporting my work!

Best regards,

Amanda Shankland Ph.D.

The oldest protest camp in the world, erected across from Canberra's old Parliament House in 1972 by Aboriginal youth. Photo taken in 2016. 

‘The Importance of Being Present’

Mark Twain once said, “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.” During the National Farmers Union (NFU) national convention in November, I had the opportunity to speak with two young aspiring women farmers. One of them asked us what motivates us to continue our political advocacy work in a world that seems to have passed the point of no return. I replied that it seemed to me that the world is being run by those who show up, and if we don’t show up then we can’t complain when imbeciles run the world. The challenges of our time seem insurmountable, the threat of total nuclear annihilation has been with us since the 1940’s, climate change threatens to make much of the world uninhabitable, our food and water are poisoned with dangerous chemicals, and the horrors of war remain with us despite a collective promise of “never again”. To exacerbate all these problems, the political discourse reinforces an us vs. them consciousness that serves to dehumanize all those who don’t agree with us.

So how do we begin to create discourses that unite us? How do we hold each other accountable without destroying relationships? And how do we build communities of resistance in a world that emphasizes difference and not our shared humanity? These questions were raised in many of the panels at the NFU national convention. The title of this article, ‘The Importance of Being Present’ is attributed to Stewart Wells, a third generation Saskatchewan farmer and active member of the NFU. In his talk on how to confront power imbalances and the unfair impacts of trade liberalization on Canadian farmers, he explained how simply being present is often enough to thwart plans by political actors to ‘sell the farm’ in international trade deals. The panellists at this year’s NFU convention made powerful calls to action and reminded us that the simple act of being present and holding space is crucial in struggles for justice.

Dr. Amanda Wilson, a researcher, professor, and community organizer from Ottawa who has led many initiatives for food systems transformation with Food Secure Canada, Growing up Organic, and the Canadian Health Coalition, among others, discussed how strong and emancipatory confrontation strategies need not lose sight of broader social justice aims. Dr. Wilson says, “We need our alternatives to be confrontational and our confrontations to inspire alternatives.”  The focus of activism should always be on building lasting relationships. This means that where there are disagreements, these should be treated as opportunities to realize the broader goals of our communities. She explains, “In creating social change, we’re asking others to be open to new ideas, new ways of thinking, doing something they perhaps haven’t done before; it’s only fair that we bring that same openness to our organizing efforts.” As food activists, we do not always have to agree, but we must find ways to hold each other accountable in kind and respectful ways. Building communities of action means being willing to be wrong, accepting that there are no universal truths about effective action, and remaining present when difficult conversations emerge.

The famous political philosopher and environmental activist Murray Bookchin once said, “The notion that man must dominate nature emerges directly from the domination of man by man… But it was not until organic community relation … dissolved into market relationships that the planet itself was reduced to a resource for exploitation.” Community relationships must be built on non-hierarchal modes of engagement and decision-making in order to be effective. We cannot fight oppression, environmental injustice, and food insecurity with the weapons of oppressors.  Social justice should be disruptive certainly, but it must also be uplifting, energizing, and, non-hierarchal. Democracy is messy and difficult, perhaps even traumatic at times, but the alternative is unthinkable. In these difficult times, we must do all we can to uphold the structures of collective decision-making rooted in communities and preserve the loving and caring relationships we have built among our fellow activists.

While doing your part to meaningfully engage in community-based activism can be challenging with all the pressures of modern life, being present at the table makes a world of difference. If you want to get involved there are many volunteer opportunities. Many not-for-profit organizations are currently short board members, and your participation would be invaluable! Here is a list.

Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS)

The Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS) is recruiting members for their board of directors. Join me on the board!

https://foodstudies.info/about-cafs/

The National Farmers Union (NFU)

The NFU recruits both farmers and non-farmers to be involved in their organization.

https://www.nfu.ca/join/

Sierra Club of Canada

The Sierra Club offers a wide range of different volunteer opportunities both in person and online.

https://clubvolunteer.org/

La Via Campesina

Become a member of the largest international peasant movement in the world!

https://viacampesina.org/en/  

Environmental Defence

Join one of the largest and most active environmental defence groups in the country.

https://environmentaldefence.ca/about-us/

The Council of Canadians

Get involved in advocating for better social programs and clean water with a great organization.

https://canadians.org/membership-enrolment/?mem=yes  


Or find an organization in your local community!

"I raise my fist, my voice, and also my forehead." December 2019, Oaxaca.