Challenging Climate Colonialism

Seminar 2 - Systems Change

The second in the Systems Change series, Challenging Climate Colonialism featured Ama Josephine Budge as keynote speaker.

Keynote speaker Ama Josephine Budge: Ama Josephine Budge (pictured) is a Speculative Writer, Artist, Curator and Pleasure Activist whose work navigates intimate explorations of race, art, ecology and feminism, working to activate movements that catalyse human rights, environmental evolutions and troublesomely queered identities. Her keynote is entitled: “Queering Black Futurity: Building Speculative Rafts to Resist Climate Colonialism.”

The rest of the event consisted of Pecha Kucha style presentations followed by a panel discussion and q&a.

Through this event we unpicked and challenged some of the narratives surrounding climate change and environmental activism – and social justice more generally – by looking at….

• diversifying the climate movement – addressing intersectionality
• power and privilege; capitalism and patriarchy
• colonial legacies in climate and social injustice
• inclusive climate activism / artivism
• exploitation of indigenous people, practices, land and resources
• solidarity and anti-oppression

The evening provided a platform for students, staff and members of the community to critically explore creative spaces for discussion around climate change and activism within an arts education context.

Organised by Bobbie Winter-Burke at GSA Library, and John Thorne GSA Sustainability.