Reflection

Reflection

I wanted to focus my art piece on the forest fires in Canada as it has greatly affected me as an Albertan but also as a Métis individual. In recent years the devastating fires sweeping our country from coast to coast have made me deeply involved in climate change activism and the discussion of a better future. Having the ability to represent my ideas through a collage was exciting for me, as art has always been a passion of mine. My message to the people viewing my art is to feel as I did when I created it. A feeling of connectedness to our Earth and a sudden feeling to save it. Feeling of nostalgia that future generations would not have the same history with Alberta as I do. This art piece brought up feelings of sorrow for the impact forest fires have had on my indigenous community. As a Métis individual I have a deep connection to the land and in wildfire season not only are indigenous communities displaced due to thick layers of smoke and fires burning homes important cultural activities such as hunting, fishing and gathering are all affected greatly. Indigenous people make up 5 percent of the Canadian population but experience 42 percent of all forest-fire-related evacuations. Indigenous people are on the front lines of these fires and we must listen to these communities when finding solutions to our climate change problems. I have a strong belief in fighting for what our world will be like in future generations and a shift towards clean energy resources is key. To tackle climate change the starting point is education. Many people in my life did not know the truth about climate change until I told them the reality of the situation. Educating everybody on the cause and results of our actions would be most beneficial in tackling the problem as a community. I only hope to go further in my fight against climate change and continue to not only educate others about the situation at hand but also learn from others how I can change my lifestyle to help the collective.