Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Saskatoon, Canada
2023, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Climate Hero: Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Urban Ocean Lab & The All We Can Save Project
I was sixteen years old when I first heard her name
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Marine Biologist, Activist, and Climate Hero
Now my first thought
Was about the number of syllables in her name – nine (9)
Like Ay-a-na El-i-za-beth -John-son
I spent a good minute trying to make it rhyme
But then I felt ashamed,
Because who am I to reduce this woman to the beats in her name?
And so I did some research on her, to erase the guilt I felt
And it was well worth the 16-year wait
How to describe Ay-an-a
Professor, or perfervid scholar
Dedicated her study to a dedication of studies
And left a legacy for me and you
Ocean policy
Ocean conservation
She’s done it all and more
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
She’s broken down the doors
For me.
A black girl, in love with the ocean
Who’s ever so tired of the sentiment that “water ain’t for Africans”
Those doors she’s been busting down since the 80s
Inspired a whole new generation of ladies
From her work in the Caribbean,
To teaching the world “how to save a planet”
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
Needs no introduction on how to handle it
I say,
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
TED talker, Scholar, and professor of professors
Changing the world, bit by bit
And bringing attention to
The climate of our Earth
The climate of our oceans
The state of our world
Is her scholarly devotion
Devotion to truth
And devotion to virtue
Makes Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
A climate hero, through and through
In the end, her name needs no rhyme
9 syllables – no more, or less
And it’s one of a kind.
Reflection
Reflection
I decided to write and perform an original poem in honor of Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. I used my personal experiences, as a black girl who often hears sentiments about what I should be interested in (i.e., the bias against BIPOC women who involve themselves in environmentalism, with tokenist stereotypes about black people and the water), in order to write a compelling narrative around Dr. Johnson, who I consider to be an incredible role model and figure in the fight against climate change. I personally love the arts, because they allow me to exist however I would like, and I hope that viewers of my piece will understand the relation to climate heroism, individual responsibility, and consumer actions highlighted in my work. From my research, I have learned more about the work of Dr. Johnson and her incredible drive and commitment to climate justice. I plan to continue supporting my school’s environmental club in the 2023-2024 school year and raise money for larger environmental efforts through fundraisers and collaborative initiatives. Dr. Johnson’s work makes me hopeful for climate action in the future, as well as the representation of black women in the fields of marine biology and ocean conservation.