Here are my thoughts on the current worldly climate. Take it or leave it. The unfollow button is somewhere around here. Or find the x? 😉 

• It’s not about whether or not “to trust the science,” it’s about whether or not to trust the groups conducting the experiments and whether they have good morals and ethics. Further, we must question if the “Big Cheese” is trustworthy to begin with. Science, like anything else, can be censored.

• Criminal organizations causing environmental disasters and natural disasters driven by climate change can coexist; they are not mutually exclusive. Oh, and greenwashing is real. Companies are making a ton of money off of fear, capitalizing on the desire for sustainable options without truly committing to the change.

• Human rights are important. Orientations, transitions, genders – all important. Inclusion, all of it. What is harmful and irreversible is forcing labels and decisions upon children who haven’t yet decided what they want to be labeled as. Let them choose their life without influence.

• Racial issues are real. Systemic issues are real. But what is truly toxic is the deepening division that only fuels these problems, creating even more challenges. Note: I speak as a white-passing woman of Portuguese ancestry, whose ethnicity was historically not considered white in the US. And yes, Portugal has a troubling history, but it also has profound connections to Africa and Asia.

• Immigration is an incredible thing. My parents immigrated to Canada, and I’m so grateful to have been born here. But my parents went through every check and process, and my culture wasn’t erased because of my Canadian citizenship – it coexisted. You can retain your culture while still respecting the rules of the country you’re immigrating to. There are ways to check if someone immigrating to another country has a criminal record, intends to commit harm, or is simply escaping dire living conditions.

• Faith should have a place in classrooms; it’s a part of being human, but Christianity – or any religion – should not be forced upon students. This is why we have separate religion/faith classes. The right to choose your faith is a thing.

That being said, the current climate in the US is incredibly dark, triggering, and nuanced. It’s easy to misunderstand someone’s words, tone, or perspective, and assume they don’t ‘care about the issues’ just because they speak differently than you. You can care about the same thing but have a different solution to it.

Said and written with attention and love. Always. <3